The Music Room (1958)

29 October 2023, 07:30 PM

Director 

Country

Genre

Runtime

Language

Rating

Satyajit Ray

India

Drama, Music

95 minutes

Bengali with English subtitles

PG

Awards

Winner – Silver Prize for Composer (Moscow International Film Festival 1959)
 

Main Summary

Huzur, a Bengali landowner, grapples with the final days of the zamindar system, a feudal-like arrangement he benefits from. As one of the remaining Bengali landlords, Huzur reminisces about his previously opulent lifestyle, largely characterised by extravagant shows held in his prized music room. Despite depleting funds, Huzur strains to maintain a facade of his wealth, and futilely struggles to compete with the concerts put on by his younger neighbour.    

The Music Room, by acclaimed director Satyajit Ray, captures the snapshot of a fading era through the form of rhythmic performances. With the incorporation of distinct melodies and elaborate dance sequences as accompaniments to Huzur’s rise and fall, the film utilises music as a tool and portrays it as a bridge through time. 

Ray pays tribute to his love for music through the film, as it stands as one of the only musicals in his celebrated filmography. The final hurrah of Huzur’s music room consequently becomes synonymous with the dwindle of a feudal reign. The Music Room takes audiences beyond the splendour of the music room and instead delves into how a prideful man’s resistance against a time lost leads to his descent into absurdity.