Banaras - A Mystic Love Story
Encyclopedia
Banaras: A Mystic Love Story is the name of an Indian Bollywood
film directed by Pankaj Parashar
released in 2006. The film takes place in the Hindu
holy city of Varanasi
(the city, once known as Banaras, serves as a destination for the pilgrimage of millions of Hindu worshippers annually) and is centered around the relationship of a young woman with her parents and her lover. The storyline also has a strong religious dimension. Most of the film was shot in Varanasi
, with some scenes shot in Mauritius
.
) is the daughter to wealthy Brahmin
parents, Mahendranath and Gayatri Devi (played by Raj Babbar
and Dimple Kapadia
respectively) and studies at university in the city. She falls in love with a low-caste mystic named Soham (played by Ashmit Patel
).
Soham, after one meditative session, is illumined by Babaji, his mentor (played by Naseeruddin Shah
) and decides there is no harm in falling in love with the girl from the high-caste Brahmin
family.This creates a citywide scandal. Shwetambari's parents initially object but eventually support the relationship, despite the objections of orthodox elements. The orthodox elements of the society discourage the relationship actively,driving Shwetambari to depression. She eventually finds salvation in her religious beliefs. Eventually, when she discovers that it is her own mother who had caused the murder of her fiance, a disheartened Shwetambari leaves the city.
17 years later, Shwetambari, now a philosopher and a religious scholar, is torn between returning to her beloved city of Varanasi to see her dying father and avoiding all the unpleasantness associated with her inter-caste liaison in the past. She returns, which creates turbulence in the mindscape of her so-called self-realized being.
and philosophy, with references to Buddha
, Kabir
, Tulsidas
and Adi Shankara
. Some reviewers praised this concept, while others criticized it as superficial, presenting a facade of religious piety over what is a standard Bollywood romance. Urmila Matondkar was generally praised for her performance. The film was praised for being rich in human emotions. The acting was received well, and the cinematography was praised with respect to the portrayal of the beauty of the holy city of Varanasi
.
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film directed by Pankaj Parashar
Pankaj Parashar
Pankaj Parashar is a Indian film and television director. Among his most-known are cop-thriller Jalwa starring Naseeruddin Shah, the Sridevi hit, ChaalBaaz , and television detective series Karamchand...
released in 2006. The film takes place in the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
holy city of Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
(the city, once known as Banaras, serves as a destination for the pilgrimage of millions of Hindu worshippers annually) and is centered around the relationship of a young woman with her parents and her lover. The storyline also has a strong religious dimension. Most of the film was shot in Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, with some scenes shot in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
.
Plot
A young woman, Shwetambari (played by Urmila MatondkarUrmila Matondkar
Urmila Matondkar is an Indian film actress.Matondkar, who made her screen debut as a child artist in the 1980 film Kalyug, debuted as an adult in Narasimha...
) is the daughter to wealthy Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
parents, Mahendranath and Gayatri Devi (played by Raj Babbar
Raj Babbar
Raj Babbar is a Hindi & Punjabi film actor since 1977 and the current Member of Parliament from Firozabad which he won by defeating Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav & daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav. This is his fourth term as MP, in previous terms he was the part of Samajwadi...
and Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Chunnibhai Kapadia is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 16, playing the title role in Raj Kapoor's teen romance Bobby . In that same year she married Indian actor Rajesh Khanna, and retired from acting. Kapadia returned to films in 1984 after her separation...
respectively) and studies at university in the city. She falls in love with a low-caste mystic named Soham (played by Ashmit Patel
Ashmit Patel
Ashmit Patel is an Indian actor who works in Bollywood films.-Early life:Ashmit Patel is the son of Amit Patel and Asha Patel, the younger brother of Amisha Patel, and the grandson of the famous lawyer-politician Barrister Rajni Patel who was the Congress Pradesh Committee President of Bombay...
).
Soham, after one meditative session, is illumined by Babaji, his mentor (played by Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
) and decides there is no harm in falling in love with the girl from the high-caste Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family.This creates a citywide scandal. Shwetambari's parents initially object but eventually support the relationship, despite the objections of orthodox elements. The orthodox elements of the society discourage the relationship actively,driving Shwetambari to depression. She eventually finds salvation in her religious beliefs. Eventually, when she discovers that it is her own mother who had caused the murder of her fiance, a disheartened Shwetambari leaves the city.
17 years later, Shwetambari, now a philosopher and a religious scholar, is torn between returning to her beloved city of Varanasi to see her dying father and avoiding all the unpleasantness associated with her inter-caste liaison in the past. She returns, which creates turbulence in the mindscape of her so-called self-realized being.
Cast
- Urmila MatondkarUrmila MatondkarUrmila Matondkar is an Indian film actress.Matondkar, who made her screen debut as a child artist in the 1980 film Kalyug, debuted as an adult in Narasimha...
- Ashmit PatelAshmit PatelAshmit Patel is an Indian actor who works in Bollywood films.-Early life:Ashmit Patel is the son of Amit Patel and Asha Patel, the younger brother of Amisha Patel, and the grandson of the famous lawyer-politician Barrister Rajni Patel who was the Congress Pradesh Committee President of Bombay...
- Dimple KapadiaDimple KapadiaDimple Chunnibhai Kapadia is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 16, playing the title role in Raj Kapoor's teen romance Bobby . In that same year she married Indian actor Rajesh Khanna, and retired from acting. Kapadia returned to films in 1984 after her separation...
- Raj BabbarRaj BabbarRaj Babbar is a Hindi & Punjabi film actor since 1977 and the current Member of Parliament from Firozabad which he won by defeating Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav & daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav. This is his fourth term as MP, in previous terms he was the part of Samajwadi...
- Naseeruddin ShahNaseeruddin ShahNaseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
Reviews
The film, essentially a love story, makes frequent allusions to Dharmic mysticismMysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
and philosophy, with references to Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, Kabir
Kabir
Kabīr was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement...
, Tulsidas
Tulsidas
Tulsidas , was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama...
and Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
. Some reviewers praised this concept, while others criticized it as superficial, presenting a facade of religious piety over what is a standard Bollywood romance. Urmila Matondkar was generally praised for her performance. The film was praised for being rich in human emotions. The acting was received well, and the cinematography was praised with respect to the portrayal of the beauty of the holy city of Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
.