The Big City (1963)
Mahanagar (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 2h 16min
- Drama
- 27 Sep 1963 (India)
- Movie
Life at home changes when a house-wife from a middle-class, conservative family in Calcutta gets a job as a saleswoman.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 4 wins & 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Anil Chatterjee | ... |
Subrata Mazumdar
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| Madhavi Mukherjee | ... |
Arati Mazumder
(as Madhabi Mukherjee)
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| Jaya Bachchan | ... |
Bani
(as Jaya Bhaduri)
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| Haren Chatterjee | ... |
Priyogopal (Subrata's father)
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| Sefalika Devi | ... |
Sarojini (Subrata's Mother)
(as Shephalika Devi)
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| Prasenjit Sarkar | ... |
Pintu
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| Haradhan Bannerjee | ... |
Himangshu Mukherjee
(as Haradhan Banerjee)
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| Vicky Redwood | ... |
Edith Simmons
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Bibhuti Banerjee | ... |
(as Bibhuti Bandyopadhyay)
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Manisha Chakraborty |
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| Tapan Chatterjee | ... |
(as Tapen Chattopadhyay)
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Arun Chowdhury |
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Pritish Dey |
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Shailen Ganguli |
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| Shyamal Ghoshal |
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Anuradha Guha |
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Jyoti Kripalani |
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Samir Lahiri |
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Ashok Mitra |
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Tarak Mitra |
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Shailen Mukherjee | ... |
(as Shailen Mukhopadhyay)
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Shailesh Mukherjee |
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Shila Pal |
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Gitali Roy |
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Subrata Sensharma | ... |
(as Subrata Sen)
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Smita Sinha |
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Directed by
| Satyajit Ray | ||
Written by
| Narendranath Mitra | ... | (short story: Abataranika) |
| Satyajit Ray | ... | (scenario) |
Produced by
| R.D. Bansal | ... | producer (as R. D. Bansal) |
Music by
| Satyajit Ray | ||
Cinematography by
| Subrata Mitra | ... | (photographed by) |
Editing by
| Dulal Dutta | ||
Editorial Department
| Kashinath Bose | ... | assistant editor |
Production Design by
| Bansi Chandragupta | ||
Art Direction by
| Bansi Chandragupta | ||
Makeup Department
| Ananta Das | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Anil Choudhury | ... | production manager |
| Dulal Das | ... | assistant production manager |
| Gopal Das | ... | assistant production manager |
| Suren Das | ... | assistant production manager |
| Bhanu Ghosh | ... | production manager |
| Sudip Majumdar | ... | assistant production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Shailen Dutta | ... | assistant director |
| Girish Ranjan | ... | assistant director |
| Amiya Sanyal | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Surath Mondal | ... | assistant art director |
| Ramchandra Shende | ... | backdrops (as R. R. Sinde) |
Sound Department
| Atul Chatterjee | ... | sound recordist (as Atul Chattopadhyay) |
| Jyoti Chatterjee | ... | assistant re-recordist (as Jyoti Chattopadhyay) |
| Soumen Chattopadhyay | ... | assistant sound recordist (as Somen Chattopadhyay) |
| Debesh Ghosh | ... | sound recordist |
| Shyamsundar Ghosh | ... | re-recording |
| Edel Mulan | ... | assistant re-recordist (as Edel) |
| Bhola Sarkar | ... | assistant re-recordist (as Bholanath Sarkar) |
| Sujit Sarkar | ... | sound recordist |
| Babaji Shyamal | ... | assistant sound recordist (as Babaji Samal) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Prabhas Bhattacharya | ... | lighting controller |
| Bhabaranjan Das | ... | lighting controller |
| Subrata Lahiri | ... | assistant camera |
| Fatik Mazumdar | ... | assistant camera |
| Pantu Nag | ... | assistant camera |
| Anil Pal | ... | lighting controller |
Music Department
| Jyoti Chatterjee | ... | assistant background music recordist (as Jyoti Chattopadhyay) |
| Shyamsundar Ghosh | ... | background music recordist |
| Edel Mulan | ... | assistant background music recordist (as Edel) |
| Bhola Sarkar | ... | assistant background music recordist (as Bholanath Sarkar) |
Additional Crew
| R.D. Bansal | ... | presents |
| Dhiren Biswas | ... | laboratory staff |
| Mohan Chatterjee | ... | laboratory staff |
| Tarapada Chowdhury | ... | laboratory staff |
| Bimal Dey | ... | production controller |
| R.B. Mehta | ... | processing supervisor |
| Shailesh Mukhopadhyay | ... | publicist |
| Abani Roy | ... | laboratory staff |
Thanks
| Debu Bandyopadhyay | ... | acknowledgment (as Shri Debu Bandyopadhyay) |
| G.D. Birla | ... | acknowledgment (as Mr. G. D. Birla) |
| Subrata Roy Chowdhury | ... | acknowledgment (as Mr. Subrata Roy Chowdhury) |
| N.C. Ghosh | ... | acknowledgment (as Dr. N. C. Ghosh) |
| Sanat Mukherjee | ... | acknowledgment (as Shri Sanat Mukherjee) |
| A. Pattison | ... | acknowledgment (as Mr. A. Pattison) |
| Sandip Ray | ... | acknowledgment (as Shriman Sandip Ray) |
| K.C. Sen | ... | acknowledgment (as Mr. K. C. Sen) |
| Asim Som | ... | acknowledgment (as Shri Asim Som) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Contemporary Films (1967) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Les Acacias (2014) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Merchant Ivory Productions (1995) (United States) (theatrical) (restored version)
- New Star (2022) (Greece) (theatrical)
- Sony Pictures Classics (1995) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Edward Harrison (1967) (United States) (subtitled)
- Films sans Frontières (2009) (France) (DVD)
- Gala Entertainment Corp. (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Leopardo Filmes (2014) (Portugal)
- The Criterion Channel (2020) (United States) (tv) (digital)
- The Criterion Collection (2013) (United States) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Calcutta in the early 1960's. Bhambal supports his wife, his parents, his teenage sister, and his young son. Money is tight, so his wife Arati goes to work. She's successful and enjoys it, but this nontraditional step throws the household into chaos: her in-laws initiate a "cold war" of silence and disapproval. When Bhambal loses his job, her working is essential; he loses self respect, and the gulf between them widens. At work, her friendship with Edith, a Anglo-Indian who smokes, swears, and uses lipstick, brings Arati close to impertinence with her genial boss. Her job is in peril, she acts impulsively, and who will understand her actions?
Written by |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Fifteen-year old Jaya Bhaduri's (later known as Jaya Bachchan) film debut and her only film with Satyajit Ray. See more » |
| Goofs | When Priyogopal (Subrata's father) goes to visit his student Anupam Roychowdhury to ask for money he is shown having a conversation with Anupam in his office. When he is explaining his circumstance the camera shows him only sitting on a chair with his walking stick. In the very next scene when all the three characters are shown (third one being Anupam's wife ) the top of his walking stick has changed direction. The round bit on top was towards the right before and is turned to the left in the very next scene. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Referenced in Creative Artists of India: Satyajit Ray (1964). See more » |
| Quotes |
Arati:
You wouldn't recognize me on the job. Subrata Mazumdar: What about at home? Would I recognize you at home? Arati: You don't recognize me? Tell me honestly. [Subrata shakes his head no] Arati: Why not? Subrata Mazumdar: It all feels a bit unfamiliar. It feels a bit... Arati: What about this? [points at her cheek] Arati: You don't recognize my mole? I'm still the same housewife. See more » |