A JOURNEY THROUGH SPACE AND TIME : "THE CHESS PLAYERS"

It is, I feel, rather fitting that we should move from Britain to India, especially with all the historical ties the two countries have. True enough, these ties have been formed through colonialism and this is never a thing to be approved of, but it is fitting to mention this as I start my review of Satyajit Ray’s The Chess Players. Satyajit Ray is, as some of you know, one of India’s most forthcoming art directors and his films have been awarded numerous accolades in festivals all around the world. And this particular film is set in 19th century India, in a small local kingdom, just as it is about to be taken over by the British Raj.
Mir and Mirza are two Indian noblemen, living in one of the last independent kingdoms in India. They have rather typical lives for men of their stature in life; large houses, massive personal fortunes and no need whatsoever to actually work. Thus they have time to while away the hours in each day through their shared obsession: chess. Their obsession with chess is at such a point that it makes them completely oblivious to what is going on in their own houses; much less what is going on in the city around them… This may seem strange to you; but Mir and Mirza’s outlook on life is also shared by Wazed Ali Shah, the ruler of the kingdom. Not that bothered by affairs of state, he is more interested in the arts, composing songs and entertaining. Thus, no one really notices what is going on when General Outram (Richard Attenborough) is sent as a representative to this little kingdom with the specific aim of preparing the territory for the British takeover….
Over the course of my studies this year, I have been able to watch quite a few of Satyajit Ray’s films. This is by no means the most famous of his works. It does however contain a critique Ray seems to constantly level at the educated upper classes. In a lot of Ray’s films, strangely enough for the western viewer, education doesn’t necessarily seem to be a good thing. The educated and artistic people are usually portrayed as having their heads in the clouds, being cut off from real life, and as it is very much the case here, neglecting their duties. Although this may seem a slightly populist stance (and a mild contradiction in terms for an art film), considering the context this is not entirely surprising. What must be remembered is that India is a massive country, and although the situation is now in the modern age a lot better than it used to be on every front, there is still massive poverty and education is not always affordable. In the places where poverty is abject, and the gulf between the rich and the poor is so great, the rich and educated do have a duty towards their fellow man to work towards a better society, especially if they are in the position of ruler or noblemen like our heroes. And yet, sometimes out of greed, sometimes out of sheer negligence, duties are neglected and personal positions coveted. This is a wonderful, subtle film all about life, duty and priorities. It is also an elegant portrait of a historical epoch and a now disappeared culture… And my personal favorite amongst all the films of Satyajit Ray that I have seen…