Samskara (India, 1970)

Back story of how I found this film-

In August this year when I called home, my mother attended the call and said they were watching the funeral rites of Anantha Murthy. I vaguely knew about him, the one who took on Modi by saying that he’ll leave India if Modi becomes Prime Minister. I asked her, is he that famous personality to live telecast his funeral rites, she said yes and said “Go and search in your! Google and find him”. But, I didn't proceed further. After a week, she came to visit us, that morning there was an article about Anantha Murthy. She said she’ll take this to share it with my grandmother. After all these incidents, I kept Anantha Murthy in a corner of my mind and whenever I had a chance I would read about him.

To know more about him- Check this Wikipedia link.

Surprise, I saw that some of his writings were made into movies. Samskara was his first story which was made into a film, starring Girish Karnad.

It’s a coincidence that I came to know about Anantha Moorthy during his samskara. Samskara means Funeral Rites.

Film

The story is set in a small village, populated by Brahmins, especially Madhwas (Vaishnavites). The film starts with the morning rituals of Pranesh Acharya (Girish Karnad). On his way from the river, a passerby women hides herself and tries to make sure she doesn’t get into the way of Pranesh Acharya. How better could the film start, we tend to know what’s in the store! A bomb shell of course. 

Pranesh Acharya is the head priest in the village and he is living with his ailing wife, who is bed ridden for some years. The plot folds with the death of Narayanappa, he doesn't have children and is survived by his wife. It is afternoon when this death news is passed into every house and all had to skip their meal as there is a death! The villagers gather to decide on whom to do the funeral rites, by their talk we come to know that Narayanappa is a Brahmin, but married to another caste girl, eats non-veg, drinks liquor, smokes, works in theater (drama) and an outcast among them who always questions their way of living.

The villagers want the priest Pranesh Acharya to come into a decision on what to do? At first, the relatives of Narayanappa are not forthcoming to perform the funeral. Chandri- the wife of Narayanappa gives them her jewels, so that Narayanappa can be given the last rites. On seeing the gold, the two relatives who denied doing the rites earlier wanted to perform it now. Pranesh, who is living by the scriptures is in a dilemma and want to consult the scriptures on whom to do the last rites. That night the Madhwa Brahmins sleep without food. The events on following day’s turns into a chaos. Did Pranesh Acharya come to a decision and who did the last rites for Narayanappa is the rest of the story. 

Anantha Murthy goes a little deep. He doesn't stop himself to write about the divide between Brahmins and the other caste; he also talks about the divide between the Madwas (Vaishnvites) and Smarthas (Sivaties). The film revolves around two personalities, one- Pranesh Acharya with his morals & guilt and other Narayanappa with his outcast kind of thinking & its after-effects.

The film is directed by a Telugu director, Pattabirama Reddy, assisted by Sangetham Srinivasa Rao ( Apoorva Sagodarargal & MMKR fame). The film must be inspired by the style of Satyajit Ray. The music and the making of the film closely relate to Pather Panjali. Samskara can be seen for its content than for its visual treatment. This film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film (India) in 1970. I don’t have qualms about the content; it’s rational and should be debated. But is this film worth for its cinematic language.

The full film is available in Youtube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmZHsUVSUw8