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The Coward

Original title: Kapurush
  • 1965
  • 1h 10m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
Haradhan Bannerjee, Soumitra Chatterjee, and Madhavi Mukherjee in The Coward (1965)
DramaRomance

A chance meeting rekindles old memories between a screenwriter and his ex-girlfriend, who is by now married to a well-to-do man.A chance meeting rekindles old memories between a screenwriter and his ex-girlfriend, who is by now married to a well-to-do man.A chance meeting rekindles old memories between a screenwriter and his ex-girlfriend, who is by now married to a well-to-do man.

  • Director
    • Satyajit Ray
  • Writers
    • Premendra Mitra
    • Satyajit Ray
  • Stars
    • Soumitra Chatterjee
    • Madhavi Mukherjee
    • Haradhan Bannerjee
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    2.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Satyajit Ray
    • Writers
      • Premendra Mitra
      • Satyajit Ray
    • Stars
      • Soumitra Chatterjee
      • Madhavi Mukherjee
      • Haradhan Bannerjee
    • 16User reviews
    • 26Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos45

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    Top cast6

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    Soumitra Chatterjee
    Soumitra Chatterjee
    • Amitabha Roy
    • (as Soumitra Chattopadhyay)
    Madhavi Mukherjee
    Madhavi Mukherjee
    • Karuna Gupta
    • (as Madhabi Mukhopadhyay)
    Haradhan Bannerjee
    Haradhan Bannerjee
    • Bimal Gupta
    • (as Haradhan Bandyopadhyay)
    Santi Chatterjee
      Satish Haldar
      Deochand Lal
      • Director
        • Satyajit Ray
      • Writers
        • Premendra Mitra
        • Satyajit Ray
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

      User reviews16

      7.62.5K
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      Featured reviews

      7elo-equipamentos

      Heartbreakers have hardship time to sleep!!!

      In my second experience watching the cult director Satyajit Ray's Kapurush, aside the gorgeous full restored cinematography, fine landscape I light upon an unusual and boring storyline, where a screenwriter meets his girlfriend already married, almost contrived dealing with million people at large India territory, what a possibility to meet his former lover? Let's forget this small fortuity for dramatic purpose, so came up a slow pace narrative meanwhile enters a loudmouth husband, well can it getting worse I thought, possible not whatsoever with so praised director as Ray.

      The second act of this short picture expose a fleeting scene when faltering guy asking sleeping pill to beauty housewife, it goes unnoticed by the audience, at final hour there the guy pleading for his old fiancée give up of her unhappy marriage aiming for a give a second chance for both, if she accepts he waiting for her at train station at night, she really arrives there on schedule, however.....

      Apart the slow narrative, quite often annoying Satyajit Ray has an ace in the hole, also enhance it thru some flashbacks, another point slight touched here by wealthy husband about the infamous caste system, where no high class ought talk with lowest ones, fine picture.

      Thanks for reading.

      Resume:

      First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5.
      6mysonamartya

      similarity with debut film of Jahnu Barua

      There is a striking similarity in Ray's KAPURUSH (a 1965 film) with the debut film APOROOPA (1982) directed by the renowned Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Barua. The Ray film featured Soumitro Chattopadhyay and Madhabi Mukherjee, while the Barua film had Biju Phukan and Suhasini Mulay in the lead roles. In both the films the lead player plays ex-lovers where the female lead is married to a tea estate manager. The ex-lovers meet after a long hiatus via the tea estate manager who initially befriends the male lead. The similarity ends here. While the Barua film had a courageous lover, the one in the Ray film was a Kapurush (weakling). The Ray film was based on a story by Premendra Mitra.
      9MOscarbradley

      'Minor' but only in scale.

      This Satyajit Ray movie, made in 1965, is virtually unknown here and while it's not one of his great masterpieces it is very fine and well worth seeing. "The Coward" is very much a chamber piece with really only three main speaking parts. The great Soumitra Chatterjee is Amitabha Roy, the screenwriter who finds himself stranded in a remote backwater after his car breaks down. He is 'rescued' by a friendly plantation owner, (Haradhan Bannerjee),, who invites him home for the evening but when he gets there he discovers the plantation owner's wife, (the equally great Madhavi Mukherjee), is his old love he let go years before. He still carries a torch for her but she seems indifferent to him.

      Is Chatterjee the coward of the title for not committing himself to Mukherjee when he had the chance or is she the coward, unable or unwilling to face up to her feelings in the present? In just seventy minutes Ray presents us with a devastating character study as he peels away layers from each of the three protagonists revealing the feelings and the frustrations beneath. (He's also not afraid to tackle issues like colonialism and the caste system). In the grand scheme of things this may be 'minor' Ray and yet it is a film that will stay in your memory long after it's over.
      8SAMTHEBESTEST

      Satyajit Ray's burning take on incomplete lovestory. A Classic contrary version to his own Masterpiece Charulata.

      Kapurush / The Coward (1965) : Brief Review -

      Satyajit Ray's burning take on incomplete lovestory. A Classic contrary version to his own Masterpiece Charulata. You know i often say that Indian Cinema can never have a Masterpiece like Casablanca (1942) but we have Charulata (1964). It was Ray's visionary take on a Woman's Love for the other person than her Husband but the person with high ethics doens't fall for it. That reminds me of Casablanca, you know Rick sending off the couple to stay happy in their married life in the legendary climax scene. Though, Ray's Charulata was differen. But for me that's the only thing from India which i can compare to Casablanca and you know it's a big statment. So, Kapurush is contrary to Charulata or should i say it's a male version of it. A by chance meeting rekindles old memories between a screenwriter and his ex-girlfriend, who is by now married to a well-to-do man. Here, we see the woman having those ethics and showing her loyalty. However, her burning heart and pain does not remain hidden and that's what delivers a Classic heartbreaking climax to this short film. In 67 minutes, Kapurush smartly manages to showcase all the required things including past events. It's an achievement for any film with this much short runtime. Remember those Classic love stories of Hollywood from silent era? Kapurush is that for Indian cinema. I know it's too late, i mean 4 decades, yeah but still at last we have something to tell. Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee and Haradhan Bandopadhyay are in their sublime forms in the film. Satyajit Ray's dark theme and extremely earnest framework are the two major highlights of Kapurush. Even though that 'Coward' element seems little udiscovered considering the importance it holds towards the title, the rest of the narrative is nothing short of a Classic Cinematic Experience.

      RATING - 8/10*

      By - #samthebestest.
      10soujatyadg

      The most fascinating quality about Kapurush is its brevity...

      The most fascinating quality about Kapurush is its brevity – the brevity of the film runtime (74 mins), its terseness in dialogues and the concision in expressions delivered by the protagonists of this film. It is a remarkable craft.

      It's hard to imagine for any film maker of international repute to deal with a subject like Kapurush and tackle in-depth human emotions and consciousness, so succinctly and precisely, in just about 74 minutes. Some filmmakers would take alteast the normal 120-140 minutes length to be able to deal with a subject like Kapurush in order to give a wholesome cinematic form. Satyajit Ray took just 74 times to tell a story revolving around 3 main characters, depicting their psyche and intense mental turmoil – all unspoken but using subtle eye movements and small body gestures. The film is the finest example of optimal usage of speech, gesture, expression and length. The film highlights Ray's prowess in the economy of speech and cinematic resources. Kapurush inevitably epitomizes Ray's mastery and control over every aspects of film-making.

      The ending of the film is undoubtedly the most exciting part - as with many of Ray's films, it leaves the audience to draw several conclusions, and as a result makes you think. And that's what makes Ray's films so unique – they are all subtle, calm and composed films – but after you have seen them, they bore a deep imprint on your mind and makes you think. Kapurush is one of them.

      Unfortunately, Kapurush is a highly underrated film, perhaps because Ray is impeccable and had consistently produced masterpieces. As a result of this, a film like Kapurush got overshadowed. For any other world-class film-maker of today, it would have been a jewel in his or her oeuvre. Well, as I always say – Satyajit Ray is the God of Cinemas....period.

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      Storyline

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      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        This film is featured as a bonus on "The Big City", released by the Criterion Collection, spine #668.
      • Goofs
        The shadow of the boom mic is clearly visible on the wall at the start of the first flash-back scene.
      • Quotes

        Amitabha Roy: All this palm reading was just an excuse to hold your hand.

        Karuna Gupta: You think it wasn't an excuse for me to offer it?

      • Alternate versions
        There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD (Extra Movie in "APARAJITO"), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
      • Soundtracks
        It's a Long Way to Tipperary
        Composed by Jack Judge

        Performed (whistled) by Haradhan Bannerjee

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      FAQ14

      • How long is The Coward?Powered by Alexa

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • May 7, 1965 (India)
      • Country of origin
        • India
      • Official site
        • Satyajit Ray (India)
      • Languages
        • Bengali
        • English
      • Also known as
        • Korkak
      • Production company
        • R.D.Banshal & Co.
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 10 minutes
      • Color
        • Black and White
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.37 : 1

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      Haradhan Bannerjee, Soumitra Chatterjee, and Madhavi Mukherjee in The Coward (1965)
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