The Cloud-Capped Star (Meghe Dhaka Tara) (মেঘে ঢাকা তারা)

THE CLOUD-CAPPED STAR

Starring

SUP RN A CHOUDHURY ANIL. CHATTERJEE

GYANESH MUKHERJEE BIJON BHATTACHARYA

GITA DEY GITA GHATAK

DWIJU BHAWAL

NIRANJAN RAY

From a Story by SHAKTIPADA RAJGURU

Cinematography DINEN GUPTA

Sound Recording ABANI CHATTERJEE

and MRINAL GUHATHAKURTA

Art Direction RAVI CHATTERJEE

Editing RAMESH JOSHI

Rabindranath Tagore's Song “On That Night”...

Courtesy of Visva-Bharati University

Sound Rerecording SATYEN CHATTERJEE

Musical Direction JYOTIRINDRA MOITRA

Written, Produced, and Directed by RITWIK GHATAK

Young lady!

- Yes? - Come here.

Tell your father he'll soon owe for two months.

This can't go on!

- I'll tell him. - You do that.

Again?

Just this once, Bansi.

I’ve just got to shave.

You and your father are shaving me clean!

Any idea how much you owe?

Just one blade.

“Dark-skinned girl”? What does it mean?

That her pigment is a bit dark? Goodness me!

Stop going on! Go teach!

You don't get my point!

What if she suddenly returns after tutoring?

She'll be hurt if she hears this.

Such a responsible girl!

Pursuing her M.A., tutoring two students,

and bringing in 40 rupees a month -

Are you still rattling on?

You talk and talk but don't really care to know.

I heard at the committee meeting they'll be starting evictions again

and cutting off money for the school.

Shall I bring a cushion so you can ramble on?

Goodness me!

Goodness me!

Your sandals are broken!

I'll get a new pair.

Goodness me!

Sir, your contribution for our refugee camp?

I'm glad I ran into you.

You're involved in theater. That's wonderful.

The tragic theme of your play is a noble one,

but why must we be kept awake at night

by all the racket?

The bee flies buzzing into the room

What news does it bring?

Neeta!

What?

Stop destroying that bolster!

You're late for college! Go!

I’m going!

Hey there.

A love letter at your advanced age?

Give it back!

Let me read it!

“When we first met, I didn't really see you.

I thought you quite ordinary.

Now I can see...

you're a cloud-capped star,

veiled by circumstance,

your brilliance dimmed by a clouded sky...”

What tripe!

Let me see the name! “Sanat”?

That idiot? I haven't seen him around in a while.

Poking your nose into a girl's personal affairs!

“Personal”?

If you're a person, someday I'll be a genius!

You know you are one. That's why you're so arrogant.

If only Bansi the grocer understood

that I'm a genius.

How about some money? My beard is itching bad.

- How much? - Two annas for now.

Or maybe four.

Or maybe eight.

I'll buy some flavored tobacco.

Why not a whole tenner?

You got paid today, right?

Why don't you get a job?

That's unseemly for an artiste.

Another two years...

and money will be raining down from the sky.

You know what Amir Khan gets for a single performance?

Remember what I said about the tenner!

Ma, you know Manasi from my college,

the dark-skinned girl?

She has a sari with milkmaids on it.

Not that again!

Don't listen to her!

Tomorrow's our final soccer match.

The other team has cleats now.

I can't wear this same ugly sari every day.

Her Highness has been in the same class

for three years now.

Why even bother?

I mus! have shoes with cleats by tomorrow!

It's hard just providing two meals a day,

yet the demands never stop.

By month's end it's one dish per meal...

It's the first of the month! Neeta got paid!

Neeta! - No, me first!

These spikes are great!

See how light they are?

You didn't buy your sandals?

Later. I got material for brother's shirt instead.

- Guess who I just spotted. - Who?

I recognized him at once, even after all these years.

- It's Sanat, Father's student! - Should I call him?

Hey, Sanat!

Don't you recognize us?

Montu?

What are you staring at?

You've changed these last few years.

You were just a little girl...

- And now...? - Neeta.

Your letters keep coming, but you never visit. Why?

I haven't forgotten your handwriting.

I pass your letters on to Neeta.

She's hardly at home, what with college and tutoring.

We should head home. Ma will be angry.

Why don't you come too?

Montu, come on. - Coming.

Geeta's grown up to be a lovely girl.

Very lovely. Too bad she can't have decent clothes.

- Neeta. - Yes?

I must photograph my diagrams this month.

I need some money.

This month's money is all gone.

I can't ever give my siblings the things they want.

And I still come to you with my woes!

I feel so powerless.

This is your struggle. Can't I share it with you?

I'll find a way to give you a bit next month.

But do come by one day.

Father's always talking about you.

I'll do that the moment I have some money.

Good-bye.

She spent it all!

Stop that!

Your darling daughter is always throwing money away!

It's her own money!

The brazen hussy!

She just runs around squandering money,

enough for a whole month's groceries.

I should be contributing more.

How can I say anything?

No one sees what I go through.

No one understands.

Such ingratitude!

Ingrates, every one of you!

Aren't you going to eat?

I’m not feeling well.

Listen...

don't be angry with Ma.

The weight of poverty has crushed her soul.

I’m not angry.

Remember that poem by Yeats?

“Sing on: somewhere at some new moon

we shall learn that sleeping is not death...

hearing the whole earth change its tune.”

My head's pounding.

Goodness me!

Here's another good-for-nothing lout!

Our saint among sinners.

What's this long hair?

Cut it off!

Nice material you bought!

You definitely have good taste.

Going to bed already? No dinner?

- No. - Why not?

Ma must have said something.

Let people talk. You do what you want.

Make that your motto.

Leave me alone.

What's this? Eyes full of tears?

Ready to spill over at the slightest provocation.

Very well. I'll cast a spell. All right?

I don't feel good.

Then I'll say a prayer.

“Mother, your little girl wants to catch the moon.

She says 'Ganush' for 'Ganesh.'

She doesn't understand a thing.

Your little girl is such a child!”

Come on, get up.

Don't forget: I need a tenner tomorrow.

There's nothing left.

You spent it all? Next month, then.

Starting next month it all goes straight to Ma.

Idiot! Whoever gives their money away is a full-scale idiot!

Look at that ninny.

Going somewhere this late all decked out?