Director/writer Rituparno Ghosh scored over O. Henry in placing the spotlight on the raincoat by choosing to call the film by the name of the attire.
For O. Henry, the spotlight were the on gifts and what leads to the gifting (i.e., instead of the Magi's gifts--read the lovers' gifts). Note: The sari offered by a third character in good faith in the film is not used as a gift.
For Ghosh, the raincoat is almost a character, requiring a woman's perfume, worn by both the main characters, playing a major role to close the story and finally to be worn by the servant (unseen at the beginning and the end). The main character even states that he might lose an umbrella but not a raincoat.
Ghosh's film switches often from the present to the past and then to the present with a felicity that is seamless. I congratulate the editor/director team. Ghosh also did a commendable job restraining his Bollywood actors. Aishwarya Rai and Annu Kapoor gave notable performances. And full marks for the art direction--the film captured the claustrophobia and the urban poverty that is always present in lower-middle class Kolkotta.
Ghosh has proved that good Bengali cinema is alive and well. It reminded me of Mrinal Sen's "Khandahar" also made with good Hindi film actors in a Bengal setting. Ghosh, Aparna ("36, Chowringhee Lane"} Sen, and Gautam ("Paar") Ghose are the only three that could take Bengali cinema forward the way Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak did decades ago.
For O. Henry, the spotlight were the on gifts and what leads to the gifting (i.e., instead of the Magi's gifts--read the lovers' gifts). Note: The sari offered by a third character in good faith in the film is not used as a gift.
For Ghosh, the raincoat is almost a character, requiring a woman's perfume, worn by both the main characters, playing a major role to close the story and finally to be worn by the servant (unseen at the beginning and the end). The main character even states that he might lose an umbrella but not a raincoat.
Ghosh's film switches often from the present to the past and then to the present with a felicity that is seamless. I congratulate the editor/director team. Ghosh also did a commendable job restraining his Bollywood actors. Aishwarya Rai and Annu Kapoor gave notable performances. And full marks for the art direction--the film captured the claustrophobia and the urban poverty that is always present in lower-middle class Kolkotta.
Ghosh has proved that good Bengali cinema is alive and well. It reminded me of Mrinal Sen's "Khandahar" also made with good Hindi film actors in a Bengal setting. Ghosh, Aparna ("36, Chowringhee Lane"} Sen, and Gautam ("Paar") Ghose are the only three that could take Bengali cinema forward the way Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak did decades ago.