Ashani Sanket
Encyclopedia
Distant Thunder is a 1973 Bengali film
by the renowned Indian director Satyajit Ray
, based on the novel by the same name by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay
.
Unlike most of Ray's earlier films, Distant Thunder was filmed in colour. It stars Soumitra Chatterjee
, who headlined numerous Ray films, and the Bangladeshi actress Bobita
in her only prominent international role. Today the film features in "The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made".
during World War II, and examines the effect of the Great Famine of 1943
on the villages of Bengal through the eyes of a young Brahmin
doctor-teacher, Gangacharan, and his wife, Anaga. Ray shows the human scale of a cataclysmic event that killed more than 3 million people. The film unfolds at a leisurely pace that reflects the rhythms of village life, but gradually shows the breakdown of traditional village norms under the pressure of hunger and starvation.
Chicago International Film Festival
National Film Awards
Bengali cinema
Bengali cinema refers to the Bengali language filmmaking industries in the Bengal region of South Asia. There are two major film-making hubs in the region: one in Kolkata, West Bengal, India and the other in Dhaka, Bangladesh .The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s, when the first...
by the renowned Indian director Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
, based on the novel by the same name by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay
Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay
Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay was one of the most famous Bengali novelist and writer of modern Bengali literature...
.
Unlike most of Ray's earlier films, Distant Thunder was filmed in colour. It stars Soumitra Chatterjee
Soumitra Chatterjee
Soumitra Chatterjee or Soumitra Chattopadhyay is an iconic Bengali actor from India, known among other things for his frequent collaborations with the great Bengali film director Satyajit Ray and his constant comparison with the Bengali screen idol Uttam Kumar.-Background:Soumitra graduated from...
, who headlined numerous Ray films, and the Bangladeshi actress Bobita
Bobita
Babita is a renowned Bangladeshi film actress. She has also participated in several NGOs focusing on the welfare of women and children and founded a community seed bank.- Early days :...
in her only prominent international role. Today the film features in "The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made".
Overview
The film is set in a village in the Indian province of BengalBengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
during World War II, and examines the effect of the Great Famine of 1943
Bengal famine of 1943
The Bengal famine of 1943 struck the Bengal. Province of pre-partition India. Estimates are that between 1.5 and 4 million people died of starvation, malnutrition and disease, out of Bengal’s 60.3 million population, half of them dying from disease after food became available in December 1943 As...
on the villages of Bengal through the eyes of a young Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
doctor-teacher, Gangacharan, and his wife, Anaga. Ray shows the human scale of a cataclysmic event that killed more than 3 million people. The film unfolds at a leisurely pace that reflects the rhythms of village life, but gradually shows the breakdown of traditional village norms under the pressure of hunger and starvation.
Cast
- BobitaBobitaBabita is a renowned Bangladeshi film actress. She has also participated in several NGOs focusing on the welfare of women and children and founded a community seed bank.- Early days :...
- Ananga, Gangacharan's wife - Chitra Banerjee - Moti
- Govinda Chakravarti - Dinabandhu
- Soumitra ChatterjeeSoumitra ChatterjeeSoumitra Chatterjee or Soumitra Chattopadhyay is an iconic Bengali actor from India, known among other things for his frequent collaborations with the great Bengali film director Satyajit Ray and his constant comparison with the Bengali screen idol Uttam Kumar.-Background:Soumitra graduated from...
- Gangacharan Chakravarti - Anil Ganguly - Nibaran
- Noni Ganguly - `Scarface' Jadu
- Debatosh Ghosh - Adhar
- Ramesh Mukherjee - Biswas
- Sheli Pal - Mokshada
- Suchita Ray Chaudhury - Khenti
- Sandhya Roy - Chutki
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival23rd Berlin International Film Festival
The 23rd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 22 to July 3, 1973.-Jury:* David Robinson * Freddy Buache* Hiram Garcia Borja* Eberhard Hauff* Harish Khanna* Paul Moor* Walter Müller-Bringmann* René Thévenet...
- 1973: Golden Bear for Best FilmGolden BearAccording to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
Chicago International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
- 1974: Golden Hugo for Best Film
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...
- 1973: Best Music DirectionNational Film Award for Best Music DirectionThe National Film Award for Best Music Direction are given annually. In years 1994, 1995 and 2010, an award for Best Background Score was instituted by the Jury, which was won by Johnson and by Ilaiyaraaja . Ilaiyaraaja and A. R...
: Satyajit RaySatyajit RaySatyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature... - 1974: Best Feature Film in BengaliNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in BengaliThe Indian National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali winners:...
- 1974: 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....
: Soumendu RoySoumendu RoySoumendu Roy is an Indian cinematographer most known for his work with noted director, Satyajit Ray films, starting with Teen Kanya , when Subrata Mitra developed an eye-problem, though he has earlier shot Ray's documentary Rabindranath Tagore and has been an assistant to Subrata in post Pather...