The action occurs in 1905, in the period in which Great Britain, represented by Lord Curzon, decided the partition of Bengal in order to separate the Hindus and Moslems. The populace mobilized against this project in the nationalist movement known as swadeshi, which called for a boycott of foreign made goods, and in an insurrection which was subsequently suppressed. In this turbulent context, a bourgeois couple, Nikhil and Bimala, who have remained faithful to the ideals of the Bengal Renaissance, receive in their home a friend, Sandip, a vehement anti-English nationalist. Encouraged by her husband to be a "modern" woman, Bimala is seduced by Sandip, before gradually recognizing the duplicity of his motives and behavior. In this film, as well as in Devi (The Goddess, 1960) and Charulata (The Lonely Wife, 1964), Ray explores the cultural emergence of the idea of the "modern woman" in the upper class of colonial India, showing with striking sensitivity the pressures this new ideal placed on individual women whose self-identities were also molded by traditional expectations.
Director Ray uses the upswing in Bengali national sentiment against British colonial rule in the early part of the 20th century as a backdrop for this tale of politics, love and betrayal. A wealthy man (Banerjee) decides that his wife (Chatterji) should adopt modern sensibilities and leave her secluded quarters in the house to see the real world. Unfortunately, she falls in love with her husband’s best friend, a firebrand revolutionary, and the husband has to choose between his beliefs and his marriage. It’s not Ray’s most accessible film, but his three leads are awesomely capable and the story drags you in. Ghare-Baire is adapted from a Rabindranath Tagore novel by the same title. The novel is based on Tagore’s own experiences as a Swadeshi leader. During this period, Tagore composed many songs for the cause. Sandip sings one such song in the film.Central to the film is the changing character of Bimala. She moves from total seclusion to acting recklessly with courage. Like in Charulata (The Lonely Wife, 1964), Ray explores the emergence of the modern woman by moving away from the traditional expectations.
In comparison with Charulata, though, Ghare-Baire lacks the cinematic poetry. It is very verbal instead. And yet these lengthy scenes of conversations generate a spark.
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