This is one of the finest movies I have seen in the past 20 years. Water brings home what a sick, evil society we were ( and in many instances, still are). I do not understand why there were so many violent protests during its initial filming. There is nothing wrong with what is shown. Who can deny that widows were treated this way, and probably in some places still are? Apart from the actual squalor and stench that must have pervaded these places, the settings were absolutely realistic.
The acting was brilliant, especially of the child actor who depicted Chuhiya. Seema Biswas was her usual brilliant self though she did not have much of a role. I always thought of John Abraham as being highly over rated but must admit that he did an excellent job in this film. There was no violence or graphic depiction even in the rape of the hapless child widow. I watched this on DVD at night and thought I would stop halfway and continue another day.
But the movie was so enthralling, I watched it in one continuous stretch finishing at midnight. I did not sleep well that night, thinking about what a vile society we were and still are, beneath the veneer of sophisticated Hindu ’culture’ and ’civilization’. I remember my great grandmother from childhood. She too was a widow with a shaved head. Fortunately my grandfather, her son, looked after her reasonably well in the circumstances, and did not permit her to stay in the outhouse as was the prevalent custom in South India those days. Hats off to Deepa Mehta for her sensitive depiction. I am waiting to get hold of Fire and Earth from my friendly pirated DVD vendor !