Before The Rains Review  Before The Rains |
Cast: Rahul Bose, Nandita Das, Roache
Director: Santosh Sivan
This movie has lived up to its expectations as it is a difficult amalgamation of Merchant Ivory production and a Santosh Sivan film. This movie marks an excellent debut of Santosh Sivan in English.
The movie is set in South India during the 1930’s, against the conditions of a growing nationalist movement. The film has Mr Moores (played by Roache), as an Englishman wants to develop a road across a hill before the rains, which he believes will make him rich as people will use it to transport spices. TK, done by Bose, is his friend who helps him with his venture.
Nandita Das dons the role of Sanjani, a village girl who resists the tradition and culture. She goes crazy for Moore, enacted by British actor Linus Roache. Rahul Bose’s character is that of a man torn between his ambitions for the future and his loyalty to the past when people in his village learn of an affair between his British boss and Sanjani.
Movie takes a twist with the discovery of Sanjini’s sexual venture withMoore being discovered by two village boys. Snajini’s husband who gets to know this beats her up severely, but she reaches Mr Moores`s house where she seeks love and refuge, but she is “ditched” by him as he is scared about the wrath of the villagers.
Santosh Sivan`s craft as a breathtaking cinematographer is at its full display. All the lead actors prove their spirit with striking performances.
This one’s surely worth a watch.
