How much importance does family hold for a successful artist? Is it ever truly possible to give equal time to both career and family? When success begins to arrive one after another, how much can one really step back from it all? Compromise, and the career horse forgets how to run. To keep it running, one must bind one’s own heart,
keep family in the background.
Between these two familial spheres—husband and child—is it possible to properly chase after fame and recognition? To what is her love truly devoted?
To family?
Or to career? Certainly not to both at once, if that love is to remain genuine.
If the family turns stubborn,
then organizing one’s career properly becomes difficult. So she keeps trying to keep every family member happy. If this requires performing love,
she does that too. She maintains good relations with everyone through feigned warmth and media smiles. Yet a certain fear works within her mind. From this fear, she never draws too close to husband or child. Fear of what?
Fear of having to give love and time. What if, coming close, husband or child begins to expect love,
begins to seek some attention?
What then? And yet,
the family asks for just a little time from her, nothing more.
She understands perfectly well
that this performative cheerful behavior and smile, which she displays day after day to avoid extra trouble—though her family says nothing aloud, they understand everything, yet say nothing,
fearing that if they ask something of someone dear and she doesn’t keep her word,
it will only add to the pain.
Let them understand if they will!
To hell with everything about family!
She must reach the summit. At any cost. There, the emotional needs of anyone in the family don’t even enter consideration! Even whether someone in the family has fallen ill,
whether they’re receiving treatment at all,
whether they need anything, staying by their side for a while or giving them time—all of this becomes secondary to her career and artistic identity. Just as birds must return to their nests,
similarly, no matter how great an artist one becomes, everyone must return home sometime,
must live in the affection of family. There come moments in life when companionship becomes more important than fame,
when the shelter of home provides more comfort than the outside world. But should a devoted artist
really keep all of this in mind?
Taking this theme as his subject, Rituparno Ghosh made ‘Unishe April.’
A remarkable film. And when we trace back to where Rituparno borrowed his story,
we encounter something infinitely more intoxicating;
that enchantment is called ‘Autumn Sonata.’
Its creator is Ingmar Bergman, whom Rituparno considered his guru. ‘Autumn Sonata’
is far more difficult to digest than Unishe April!