Mitra, Subrata (Cinematographer), Charulata, 1964 | Photographic Still

Scene Description Charu who innocently assumes that Amal will stay for her, keeps bantering about his travels abroad. To some extent she understands the impossibility of her wish too but deceives her own thoughts by implying the opposite. A litany of words follow - Amal says - Bardhhaman, 'biye' (marriage), 'bilet' (Britain), Bristol, barrister, Bengal, black-native and Bankim (referring to novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay). He has to come back from Byron to Bankim and Bishbrikkho (Bankim's novel). To which, Charu asks, what about 'bouthan' (referring to herself), is she 'bajey' (bad)? Bisri (ugly)? And she incompletely utters 'Bey- (-haya)?' (shameless). Her own subconscious guilt of having an affair that verges on being adulterous with her husband's brother surprises her by utterance on her own lips. Inherent in Charulata are two realms - the surface is innocent and simple while the latter realm is replete with misapprehension and misjudgement. (12/14)