36 Chowringhee Lane
Encyclopedia
36 Chowringee Lane is a 1981 film written and directed by Aparna Sen
and produced by Shashi Kapoor
. The film was very well received upon release. It stars Jennifer Kendal
in a critically acclaimed role and Debashree Roy.
a teacher, Violet Stoneham (Jennifer Kendal
), lives a quiet and uneventful life at 36 Chowringhee Lane in Kolkata
. Alone after the marriage of her niece, her only joy in life is teaching Shakespeare despite the lack of interest from her students.
When a former student, Nandita pays a visit with her author-boyfriend Samaresh, Violet is delighted, particularly when Samaresh decides that he would like to work on a novel in her apartment. She doesn't realize that Samaresh and Nandita merely want to use her apartment for their tête-à-têtes while she is away at work. Over time, she grows very fond of them, and begins to look upon them as her friends. Her old friends die or go away, she isn't appreciated at her job, and they are the only friends she has - the only people who can make her laugh.
Eventually Samaresh and Nandita get married, and move on with their lives. Violet wants to meet them on Christmas Day, and bake them a cake. They have a party organized at home, however, and think she would be 'a fish out of water' if invited. So they lie about not being in town during Christmas. Violet comes over, any way, to drop off the cake on Christmas Day, and finally sees that she has been deceived by them. She walks home to her lonely life, slowly.
1982 Cinemanila International Film Festival
(Philippines
)
1982 National Film Awards
(India
)
1983 BAFTA Awards (UK)
1982 Evening Standard British Film Awards
(UK)
Aparna Sen
Aparna Sen is a critically acclaimed Bengali Indian filmmaker, script writer, and actress. She is the winner of three National Film Awards and eight international film festival awards.-Biography:...
and produced by Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor , born Balbir-Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta , is an award-winning Indian film actor and film producer. He has also been film director and assistant director in Hindi Films. He is a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India's Bollywood cinema...
. The film was very well received upon release. It stars Jennifer Kendal
Jennifer Kendal
Jennifer Kapoor - born Jennifer Kendal - was a British actress who married Shashi Kapoor of the Kapoor family.-Childhood:Jennifer Kendal was born in Southport, England, but spent much of her youth in India...
in a critically acclaimed role and Debashree Roy.
Plot
In post-independent IndiaHistory of the Republic of India
The history of the Republic of India began on 26 January 1950. The country became an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth 15 August 1947. George VI was King until the Republic was proclaimed in 1950. Concurrently the Muslim-majority northwest and east of British India was separated...
a teacher, Violet Stoneham (Jennifer Kendal
Jennifer Kendal
Jennifer Kapoor - born Jennifer Kendal - was a British actress who married Shashi Kapoor of the Kapoor family.-Childhood:Jennifer Kendal was born in Southport, England, but spent much of her youth in India...
), lives a quiet and uneventful life at 36 Chowringhee Lane in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. Alone after the marriage of her niece, her only joy in life is teaching Shakespeare despite the lack of interest from her students.
When a former student, Nandita pays a visit with her author-boyfriend Samaresh, Violet is delighted, particularly when Samaresh decides that he would like to work on a novel in her apartment. She doesn't realize that Samaresh and Nandita merely want to use her apartment for their tête-à-têtes while she is away at work. Over time, she grows very fond of them, and begins to look upon them as her friends. Her old friends die or go away, she isn't appreciated at her job, and they are the only friends she has - the only people who can make her laugh.
Eventually Samaresh and Nandita get married, and move on with their lives. Violet wants to meet them on Christmas Day, and bake them a cake. They have a party organized at home, however, and think she would be 'a fish out of water' if invited. So they lie about not being in town during Christmas. Violet comes over, any way, to drop off the cake on Christmas Day, and finally sees that she has been deceived by them. She walks home to her lonely life, slowly.
Awards
The film has been nominated for and won the following awards since its release:1982 Cinemanila International Film Festival
Cinemanila International Film Festival
The Cinemanila International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by Filipino filmmaker Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz in 1999....
(Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
)
- Won - Golden Eagle - Best Feature Film - 36 Chowringhee Lane - Aparna Sen
1982 National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
(India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)
- Won - Golden Lotus Award - Best DirectorNational Film Award for Best DirectingThe National Film Award for Best Direction winners are given below. Satyajit Ray has been awarded the maximum number of times in this category....
- Aparna SenAparna SenAparna Sen is a critically acclaimed Bengali Indian filmmaker, script writer, and actress. She is the winner of three National Film Awards and eight international film festival awards.-Biography:... - Won - Silver Lotus Award - Best CinematographyNational Film Award for Best CinematographyThe National Film Award for Best Cinematography are given annually. The only female who has won this award is Anjuli Shukla, who won the award for her debut film, Kutty Srank . The most time winners are Santosh Sivan & K.K. Mahajan - 4 awards each for best cinematography category....
- Ashok Mehta - Won - Silver Lotus Award - Best Regional Film (Hindi) - 36 Chowringhee Lane - Aparna Sen
1983 BAFTA Awards (UK)
- Nominated - Best Actress - Jennifer Kendal
1982 Evening Standard British Film Awards
Evening Standard British Film Awards
The Evening Standard British Film Awards were established in 1973 by the British London area evening newspaper Evening Standard. The Standard Awards is the only ceremony "dedicated to British and Irish talent," judged by a panel of "top UK critics." Each ceremony honours films from the previous...
(UK)
- Won - Best Actress - Jennifer KendalJennifer KendalJennifer Kapoor - born Jennifer Kendal - was a British actress who married Shashi Kapoor of the Kapoor family.-Childhood:Jennifer Kendal was born in Southport, England, but spent much of her youth in India...