Histories of the land

The Music Room

Jalsaghar

A poetic elegy to the dying feudal class, seen through the prism of an ageing landlord’s existence.

  • Director

    Satyajit Ray

  • With

    Chhabi Biswas, Padma Devi, Pinaki Sen Gupta

  • India 1958. 100min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    PG

  • English subtitles

An aged feudal lord’s obsession with his past glory and his music room is powerfully conveyed by the doyen of early Bengali cinema, Chhabi Biswas. In a rapidly disintegrating estate, the zamindar hosts a music soirée to salvage his reputation from the crass but rich traders around him. Ray’s compelling psychological and class drama is interspersed with riveting music and dance performances.