Nayak (The Hero)

This Indian film by Satyajit Ray has a definite Italian quality to it, with especially obvious similarities to Fellini's 1960s pictures. The main actor even bears a strong resemblance to Marcello Mastroianni, and his character is, much like Mastroianni in 8 1/2, trapped and jaded by the entertainment business. In Nayak, a popular movie star travels to Delhi to receive a prize of some sort, but having decided at the last minute to go, he has no choice but to take a common sleeper. On board he finds himself surrounded by nosy fans, a fiery old man, a conniving couple, and many other characters, all of whom distract him from his 'wish' to sleep and be ignored. As the train rolls on, the star - confined to a compartmentalized locomotive - is compelled to lower his suave, detached manner and reveal some of his troubling past. Unfortunately, the film displays little of Ray's talent for musical composition, though it does employ esoteric dream sequences, illuminating flashbacks, and a few cutting criticisms of the state of Indian cinema. In short, a tightly crafted, insightful, and witty film.


Worth Watching
3.5 out of 5
Buy this film: Nayak - The Hero

Plot: 3
Imagery: 4
Originality: 3
Soundtrack: 3
Overall: 3.5