Feb. 19, 1960|India|93 Min.
Genre: Bangla;Drama
Description: “Devi: The Goddess – A 1960 Film in Bangla”
Set in 19th-century rural Bengal, the story follows Doyamoyee (Sharmila Tagore) and her husband Umaprasad (Soumitra Chatterjee), who live with Umaprasad’s family. The household includes Umaprasad’s elder brother Taraprasad, his wife, and their young son Khoka, who shares a close bond with Doyamoyee. The family patriarch, Kalikinkar Choudhuri, is a devout follower of the goddess Kali.
When Umaprasad leaves for Kolkata (Calcutta) to teach at a college and study English, Doyamoyee stays behind to care for her father-in-law. One night, Kalikinkar experiences a vivid dream where the eyes of the goddess Kali merge with Doyamoyee’s face. Upon waking, he becomes convinced that Doyamoyee is an incarnation of Kali and begins worshiping her. Taraprasad follows suit, but his wife sees the situation as absurd and urges Umaprasad to return home immediately.
As Kalikinkar officially starts worshiping Doyamoyee, transforming her room and lifestyle, people begin visiting her to offer prayers and drink *charanamrito* (water used to wash the goddess’s feet). When a man’s terminally ill son miraculously recovers after drinking the *charanamrito*, the belief in Doyamoyee’s divine nature grows stronger.
Umaprasad returns home to find the situation alarming but struggles to challenge his father’s conviction, especially after the apparent miracle. Despite his efforts to convince Doyamoyee to escape with him to Calcutta, she hesitates, fearing the consequences of defying her family’s beliefs and doubting her own identity as the goddess.
The film explores themes of faith, tradition, and the clash between rationality and superstition in a deeply patriarchal society.
Cast director: Satyajit Ray
Cast actor: Sharmila Tagore, Soumitra Chatterjee, Chhabi Biswas, Karuna Banerjee, Purnendu Mukherjee, Arpan Chowdhury
Original name: দেবী