The Craft of Historical Revisionism: Material Aesthetics in Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977)

Abstract

The essay serves as a comprehensive analysis of the "Material Aesthetics" seen in Satyajit Ray's inaugural Hindi film, Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), and its role in reinterpreting and commemorating the Indian historical event of Awadh's annexation in 1856 by the East India Company. The film's plot chronicles the quotidian activities of Awadh's sovereign, King Wajid Ali Shah, alongside his two noblemen, Nawab Mirza Sajjad Ali and Nawab Mir Roshan Ali, who ultimately proved incapable of preventing the British annexation of their realm. This study delineates the pivotal inanimate items selected by Ray in the film sequences, illustrating their impact on the narrative and demonstrating Ray's ingenuity in integrating and reenacting historical narratives through the deliberate positioning of these physical artefacts. Moreover, the film's principal characters have undergone critical analysis about their gender, culture, social hierarchy, and social conduct. The film's historical accuracy has been assessed alongside the historical records pertaining to Awadh's colonial environment. The essay emphasises Ray's auteurist methodology, characterised by his scrupulous attention to the film's nuances and the creation of a complex visual tapestry through exceptional cinematography.