Meghe Dhaka Tara

---

Meghe Dhaka Tara

Cloud-Capped Star

Production, Screenplay, Direction:

Ritwik Ghatak

Story:

Shaktipada Rajguru

Cinematography:

Dinen Gupta

Art Direction:

Rabi Chattopadhyay

Editing:

Ramesh Joshi

Cast:

Supriya Choudhury

Anil Chatterjee

Bijon Bhattacharya

Gita De

Gita Ghatak

Dwiju Bhawal

Niranjan Roy

Gyanesh Mukherjee

Ranen Roy Choudhury

Music:

Jyotirindra Moitra

A film by

Ritwik Ghatak

Yes!

- Come here

Go tell your father, at month end,

it'll be two months

I will

Just this time Banshi'da.

I can't do without a shave

So, you and your father will

give me a clean shave!

Any idea how much

it adds up to?

Dark girl

Dark complexion,

that's what?

Now don't start a tangle

go to school

Her tuitions would be over,

what if she suddenly turns up?

She will be hurt

if she hears us!

Such a responsible girl!

Doing M.A. Classes - and not

one but two tuitions

brings home forty

rupees every month

What is more -

Heard at the meeting

evictions are on the rise again

They might even stop

the school grants

Do I get you a mat

to sit down and gossip

Your slipper's torn, Khuki?

I've had it fixed

Teacher, Sir, your

subscription for the colony

Hey! Listen. I've to talk to you

Into the room came

the bumblebee humming

You're late for college

go bathe

A love letter - so late in life?

At first sight I didn't

recognise you

I thought you just one

of the many

But now I see you in the cloud...

perhaps a star,

cast over with clouds

of circumstances,

Your aura dulled and

scratched over

Stop it!

Let's have a look at the name

Sanat - that idiot!

Hey, where did you find him?

Haven't seen him for ages

Poking your nose in a

woman's personal affairs

If you're a person, some day

someone will find me a genius!

You know that very well, and

that's what makes you so proud

If only Banshi Dutt

would understand

if only he'd understand

what a genius I am!

Can you spare some money, dear?

The beard's itching!

For the time being, two annas,

or may be four -

Or may be eight

I'd like to buy a good 7arda

Or why not a whole rupee

You seem to have

got your tuition money

Why don't you take up a job,

brother?

It's beneath an artist to

take a job

In just two years, money will

come raining through the roof

Know how much Amir Khan Sahib

makes per concert?

D'you know, Ma, Manashi of

our college, the dark girl,

Her sari had a cowgirl motif

Ma, don't listen to her!

Tomorrow's the college football final

I can't wear these

gunny saris daily

This heiress has been three

years in one class, why more?

I've just got to get spiked

boots by tomorrow!

Can't get two square meals,

he makes demands like a prince

It's hard to feed you

the last 15 days of a month

The first of the month!

Sister must have got paid

You didn't buy your

sandals, did you?

The money went in buying

clothes for Brother

I'll buy them later.

- I've seen someone

After all these years!

Still recognised him

Isn't he Father's

pupil Sanat babu?

Can't you recognise me!

- Aren't you Montu?

Why gape!

You've changed so much

over the years

Why don't you visit us?

You write all those letters

Haven't forgotten the

handwriting

I give those letters to Neeta

With her tuition and college,

when is she ever home?

Let's go home.

Ma will scold us

Geeta's grown truly lovely

But she can't ever

afford decent clothes

Need some cash to print

the diagrams this month

It's spent this month, Sanat

Can't even buy my kid brother

and sister what little they ask

See, knowing everything,

I still sing you my woes

One feels so powerless.

- This is your struggle!

Won't I share it with you?

Next month I'll find a way

I'll contribute

But do drop in sometime

Father speaks so much of you

Yes I'll come, but only when

I've money

Your spoilt darling will spend

money by the fistful

It's her earning she spends

The bird-faced hussy!

She must have spent it all...

my entire month's

shopping money

I ought to give - I don't.

So how can I obstruct?

No sympathy in the whole world!

And no one who'll understand!

Ungrateful!

Khuki, won't you eat?

Not feeling well

Don't be angry with Ma -

Sheer want... it's

destroyed her mind

I'm not angry

Khuki, remember that

poem by Yeats?

Seeing on, somewhere

At some new moon

We shall learn that

sleep is not death

Hearing the whole world

change its tune

I've got a headache

Here's another precious prodigy!

A god in a devil's clothes

don't wear such hair - cut it off!

Nice cloth you've bought, Khuki

Going to bed already? Won't you eat?

- No

Mother must have said

something!

Let people say what they like.

You do what you think best

That's life's motto. Get up -

What! Your eyes are brimming

with tears -

They'll descend if invited

Okay. I'll utter a spell.

Shall I?

I'm not feeling well.

- Okay, so I'm uttering it

Mother, your baby's such a child!

She wants to catch the moon!

Can't ever utter the words

She can't make out anything,

She's such a child, mother!

But one rupee, tomorrow, please

There's nothing left

Spent it all? Okay,

next month then

From next month, all of it

goes straight to Ma

Whoever gives up money

is a full scale idiot!

I can't wait till the morning

Slightly bovine!

There's pleasure in practising

Sold nothing yet - new month,

very busy right now

Just send last month's bill

Going to settle it?

What was it you wanted?

Just the bill

Not going to college?

Botching your tests,

for novels and films

In this house,

it's scarcity always

You don't have this,

you don't have that

So make a paradise, and

all dress up like fairy's

I'll rest and twirl my big toe

and smell heavenly fragrance

You're needed desperately.

- Why?

This year you and Shankar

just've to sing in the function

I've given up singing

And brother's maestro won't let him.

Why not ask Geetu?

But who will be the invitees

we need to talk it over

We'll discuss this when

we meet at the library

Hello Shanti. I hear your rehearsals

are going on fine?

Oh no, we're in a fix.

We can't get a good prompter

The way you all shout. Enough!

Forget the prompting

The tuition money

All of it?

I've asked Banshi to come.

He's so insulting everyday

Keep five rupees - pocket money

Have you no shame?

Dining off your old father

And the little girl works

the day long to foot your bills

And you spend your time in singing

I'll be earning too

Ever since the radio audition

I get so many calls

It's got my maestro furious

He'll let me perform after

two years' solid practice, see?

Hasn't your maestro

a hennaed beard?

Why notjust grab it and hang

like a midget. Why do you come here?

Does any young man

sit at home?

My bread doesn't

come so cheap

When women say things

I can't lift up my eyes

No food for you here from now.

Pay cash and eat

Won't you have something

to eat before you go?

Have you told Ma I'm imposing

on the family relations?

He can't make out anything,

he's such a child, mother!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes