AURORA FILMS PRESENTS
THE MUSIC ROOM
Based on the Story by TARASANKAR BANERJI
CHHABI BISWAS
GANGAPADA BOSE KALI SARKAR, PADMA DEVI
TULSI LAHIRI, PINAKI SENGUPTA
BEGUM AKHTAR, ROSHAN KUMARI USTAD WAHEED KHAN
Cinematography by SUBRATA MITRA
Production Design by BANSI CHANDRAGUPTA
Sound by DURGADAS MITRA
Edited by DULAL DUTTA
Production Manager ANIL CHOUDHURY
Music Director USTAD VILAYAT KHAN
Assistant IMRAT HUSSAIN KHAN
Written, Produced, and Directed by SATYAJIT RAY
Master.
Ananta.
Master?
What month is this?
Falgun, master.
It's spring?
Yes, master.
The muchkunda are in bloom. Shall I put some in your sherbet?
Ananta.
Master?
Where's that shehnai playing?
The Ganguli residence.
Where?
Ganguli Babu's house.
- Go call the steward. - Yes, master.
Prassana Babu!
Lord Roy is calling you. - Who?
Lord Roy. He's on the terrace. Hurry.
Why is the shehnai playing at Mahim's?
For his son's initiation ceremony, master.
Isn't that Bande Ali playing?
Yes, master.
Was I invited?
Yes.
Did he come in person?
No, master. He sent a written invitation.
Will you be going?
Do I ever go anywhere?
No, master.
Well, then?
I brought your sherbet.
Set it down there.
Initiation ceremony...
Master.
A letter arrived from the bank. - What does it say?
It says...
- No credit? - No, master.
Master, Mahim has come.
Will you receive him?
Mahim?
Janardan Ganguli's son.
What does that moneylender's son want?
The exploitation rights for the sandbank on the river.
Janardan Ganguli's son?
Yes. He's done quite well.
A business in town, a house in the village.
Really?
Will you at least speak with him?
With the coffers low, the cost of the ceremony -
Send him up. I'll be in the music room.
Come.
You're Janardan Ganguli's son?
What did you put in the sherbet?
Some muchkunda flower paste.
Very nice.
You took over your father's business?
What's your rate? - Sir?
If you're to operate in the Roy domain,
you'll have to abide by certain rules.
Of course.
Monthly interest cannot exceed one percent.
Nothing on overdue taxes,
no seizure,
and no lawsuits. You know that.
But of course.
I owe everything to your kindness, master.
I haven't seen you in years.
I was west of here for almost 20 years -
Allahabad, Kanpur, Lucknow.
Music's a bit of a hobby of mine too.
I attended many recitals while I was away.
I can even play a bit of tabla in a pinch.
- You may go now. - Go?
- Will Durgabai perform? - Yes, master.
Have invitations been sent out?
Yes, all arrangements have been made.
Tell Mahim too.
Certainly, sir, but -
I can't turn to a moneylender
for my only son's initiation ceremony.
- But is there - - Any choice? Yes.
The Roy family jewels are still in the safe.
My eyes fill with tears
When my beloved is away
My eyes fill with tears
When my beloved is away
Clouds gather
And darken
I tremble with anticipation
In my beloved's absence
What's wrong?
Are you upset?
It's all gone now.
We still have my jewels.
Your jewels?
Oh, I had to mortgage all those,
but I'll get them back.
What's that?
You know how much you spent this time?
Spent?
But I have to spend, woman.
Khoka is my only son,
the wick to keep the family flame burning.
Was I to skimp on his sacred initiation?
My prestige is at stake.
But mortgaging my jewels to pay a singer!
That woman's no ordinary singer.
Her beauty...
her voice...
You'd understand if you heard her.
I have no intention of hearing her.
My eyes fill with tears
When my beloved is away
Where are you going?
It's 3:00 a.m. I'm going to sleep in Khoka's room.
Stay a while.
What is it?
What's on your mind?
Close the music room.
Why?
And be deprived of music?
It's a dangerous addiction of yours.
Khoka has inherited all your vices.
He's mad about music and has no time for his studies.
And now he wants to ride.
That's a fine thing.
He'll ride Tufan.
And he'll hunt on Moti.
How else could he be a zamindar in the Roy lineage?
Zamindar? What land is left to own?
Everything's been swept away.
Haven't you seen how the river's risen up?
The beautiful garden was carried off by the flood.
The flood?
Have you forgotten?
I opened the doors of the Roy house that day.
A thousand people took refuge inside.
The burden of my virtues is not negligible.
I know that.
I'm just afraid.
I had a nightmare last night -
You know what I dreamed about?
In Indra's music room,
a great musical gathering was taking place.
Rambha was singing...
Urvashi was dancing...
and Menaka was...
That's enough now.
Time for bed.
Don't just lie there. Get up.
Mother, are we going to Narayanpur?
We'll discuss it later. Go on now.
Where are you going?
Mother sent a letter.
Ah! Narayanpur.
Father's very sick. Mother asked us to come.
Fine. Go ahead.
I thought I'd take Khoka along.
- Fine. - You come too.
Me? What for?
I'm afraid to leave you alone.
There's no telling what you might do.
Won't you come along?
You have nothing to do here.
What are you talking about?
Who will oversee the land?
What?
You overseeing the land?
I mean it. Come along.
Say you'll come.
Fine.
May I take Khoka with me? Well?
We'll discuss it later. Don't spoil the moment.
Oh, you and your airs!
Father.
Come.
Good-bye.
Not "good-bye." Say "see you soon."
Go on now.
Be good and behave yourself.
See you soon.
Yes, see you soon.
Behave yourself.
Ananta.
What's that sound?
An electric machine.
- "Electric machine"? - Yes, master.
Where?
At Ganguli's new house.
You can see the lights from the terrace.
- At Mahim's? - Yes, master.
And I heard all his furniture is from English shops in Calcutta.
Shall I go on playing, sir?
- Have you seen Ganguli's new house? - Yes, master.
What do you think?
What's it like?
Quite modern.
Not as royal as our palace.
No music room, no fountain...
no garden, no temple - as you might expect.
A meal for the poor will be offered next Monday
at Ganguli's new residence.
Master.
Mahim Ganguli wishes to see you.
Show him in.
Come in, Mahim.
Never mind that.
You must come grace my house with your presence, master.
You must grace my house with your presence.
What's the occasion?
With your blessing, I've built a house.
The inauguration is on Monday, Bengali New Year's Day.
New Year's Day?
There's a celebration that day here at this old house.
- On the first? - Yes, the sacred day.
The sacred day gathering?
But I hadn't heard anything -
But I can put it off if you say so.
Would that help?
That would never do.
You're the king, and we're just -
Your plans come first.
Then tell me what to do.
All the arrangements have been made.
I'll just have to make do.
With your permission - - Yes, fine.
Did you hear that?
Yes, master.
Are there any jewels left?
Yes, master. One last box.
"One last box"?
How dare you say that in such a casual tone!
Nothing is final.
Make all the arrangements.
And don't be stingy. - Yes, master.
What about that old musician?
What's his name? From Murshidabad.
Ujir Khan, master.
Bring him here for a recital.
Oh, and...
I want a messenger to take a letter to Narayanpur.
Her ladyship and Khoka
must be back on the morning of the first.
Go now. - Yes, master.
Master.
Everything's ready for the sacred day. Your subjects are arriving.
The boat isn't back yet.
Shall I send canoes? The storms this time of year...
Yes.
Go on ahead. I'll be right there.
Raindrops fall
My heart's anxious to see my beloved
The rain comes
And rain falls from my eyes
Is the boat back?
What's happened?
- They were caught in a cyclone. - What!
A cyclone? Who told you that?
Kali made it back.
Kali? And who else?
Speak! Who else came back?
The young prince...
Khoka's back? Khoka!
Master.
Who is it?
Taraprasanna, master.
You're still here?
Yes, master.
Why?
What would happen if we all left?
Does it matter?
It's all over.
This wouldn't have happened, master...
if you'd paid more attention, because the land -
The land?
Where is the land?
There's water everywhere.
The water has covered everything.
It's all gone.
Washed away.
The privy council has given its verdict.
Everything's lost except for the sacred land.
Will you come downstairs, master?
The furniture must be auctioned off.
No.
And don't ask me again.
I'm never going downstairs again.
Do as you think best.
Yes, master.
Listen.
Are Moti and Tufan gone too, or are they still here?
They're here, master.
The royal house of Sundarpur has made an offer,
but we were waiting for your instructions.
They are to stay here.
They were Khoka's favorites.
As you wish, master.
The musician is downstairs.
Shall I send him up? Will you hear some music?
No.
Send him back.
No more music for me.
Master...
You didn't drink your sherbet.
I'll go downstairs today.
Downstairs?
I want to see Tufan and Moti.
You mean right now?
Go tell them downstairs.
How are you?
He's sad, master, because you don't ride him anymore.
Is he getting enough food?
Yes, master.
Does the elephant still have all her trappings?
I'll ask Ahmad.
Tell him to dress her up
for a trip to Ganguli's house.
And send for the steward.
I've asked them to deck Moti in her finest.
Put this gold coin on a silver plate
and take it to Mahim's, following the custom.
Why are you standing there?
We have no more silver plates, master.
- Do we have a copper plate? - Yes, master.
That will do.
Ananta!
Close all these windows!
Doorman!
Servant!
Who's that? The steward? Has everyone been let go?
Is there anyone left to announce me?
Announce you? - Yes. I'd like to see him.
About what?
I'd prefer to tell him in person. Please let him know.
Sit down.
You'll have to wait a bit.
This palace was really something once,
but look at it now.
But "Even dead, an elephant is still worth a fortune," eh?
When you came to my house this morning on that old elephant,
crowds greeted you in the street,
but they threw stones at my new car
and scratched the paint! What about that?
And I was in the car!
The master will see you.
And you know why?
Because I'm a self-made man. No pedigree.
Grandpa, you turned my invitation down.
Ah, well, my friend... Sit down.
But it's my fault.
I've been so busy, I couldn't invite you in person.
No, you know what it is?
It's hard for an old man to change his ways.
Since when are you an old man, Grandpa?
I saw you out riding the other day.
Those days are past, Mahim.
I've grown old these last four years.
That explains that cane in your hands.
In any case...
you must honor my house with your presence tonight.
Tonight?
Yes.
I'm inaugurating my new music room tonight.
Have you heard of Krishnabai from Lucknow?
No? Everybody's talking about her.
They say that, for her age, no one dances -
what's it called? - Kathak - better than her.
You don't say.
Krishnabai's dancing, and the best tabla player -
who could appreciate that better than you?
So I'll send my new car for you
around 8:00.
No, my friend.
Why not?
I don't go out anymore. I don't enjoy it.
Even for a recital?
So you won't come?
No, my friend.
Very well.
Then I'll be going.
Your sherbet.
Sherbet?
All right.
Good-bye, then.
I have to rush to town. Some English officials are coming.
Ananta.
The music room is closed up, isn't it?
Yes, master. Since that day -
- Where's the key? - The steward has it.
Open it.
I'll go get a lamp.
What is Krishnabai's fee?
The Krishnabai Mahim mentioned - what's her fee?
Two hundred.
How much money is left?
How much?
Just 300. The money consecrated to the deity.
There'll be a recital here tomorrow.
I want Krishnabai.
But that's impossible, master.
What did you say?
Forgive me, master.
Is everything ready?
- Someone needs to go into town. - For what?
Scents and candles, everything to receive your guests.
- And wine? - Yes, master.
Send Rahamat right away. He can take Tufan.
Ganguli Babu just arrived, master.
Sit down, Mahim.
I will, but what's one to make of all this?
What do you mean?
Well...
the atmosphere just feels a bit strange.
Oh my!
I say, is there anyone...
to fan us?
Ah, there you are, Grandpa. Come in.
Have a seat.
Feeling better today?
How does it feel, Grandpa?
Hurrah for the dancer!
The host reserves the right to give the first gift.
He failed.
He couldn't do it.
That moneylender's son!
He wanted to be king of the mountain.
What arrogance!
A dwarf reaching for the moon!
He couldn't do it.
You know why he failed?
Blood!
You know whose blood flows in my veins?
Whose blood, master?
You want to see?
Come.
My father...
Rameshwar.
Bhubaneswar.
Tarakeshwar.
Ravaneshwar.
What is it, master?
They've gone out.
They've all gone out. - The lamps?
All the lamps have gone out.
But lamps do go out, master.
Every one of them.
The candles have burned down, master. It's dawn.
The sun's about to rise.
- The sun's rising? - Yes.
I'll open the curtains.
The sun's rising.
Tufan is calling.
No, master, you can't!
My riding habit!
You can't.
My riding crop!
You let him go?
I begged him, but he wouldn't listen.
God help us!
Blood...
THE END