“Water”, a Deepa Mehta film
Original title: “Water”
Genre: Drama
Country and Year: Canada India – 2005
Direction: Deepa Mehta
Writer: Deepa Mehta
Main Cast:
Lisa Ray Seema Biswas
John Abraham, Sarala
Waheeda Rehman Manarma
Kulbushan Kharbanda Raghuvir Yadav
Photo: Giles Nuttgens
Music: A.R. Rahman. Mychael Danna.
Production: David Hamilton
Duration: 115 minutes
The story is set in 1938 colonial India, during the liberation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
According to Hindu beliefs, when a woman marries, she becomes half of the man. Therefore, if he dies, it is considered that half of the wife is dead. The holy books say that a widow has three options: marry the younger brother of her husband, burn with her husband or live a life of total devotion.
A wedding that could well be a funeral is celebrated: marry Chuyia (Sarala), a girl of 8 years, with a dying man who died that night. The body is burnt on the shore of a holy river and Chuyia prepares for the destination they have chosen for her. He shaves his head and enters an ashram for widows where she will spend the rest of his life.
Water is a constant in the film, not only as metaphor but also as an instrument. On the banks of the river, Kalyani (Lisa Ray) meets Narayan (John Abraham), an idealistic young follower of Gandhi, the son of Brahmin, the highest social caste in India.
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