The Music Room (Jalsaghar)

Sunday Showcase
The Music Room (Jalsaghar)
Directed by Satyajit Ray

Sunday, March 17, 12:30 pm

Free

“A rapturous treasure trove of Indian classical music and dance—and a tale of the reckless passion that they can inspire.”—Richard Brody, The New Yorker

With The Music Room, Satyajit Ray brilliantly evokes the crumbling opulence of the world of a fallen aristocrat (the beloved actor Chhabi Biswas) desperately clinging to a fading way of life. His greatest joy is the music room in which he has hosted lavish concerts over the years—now a shadow of its former vivid self.

An incandescent depiction of the clash between tradition and modernity, and a showcase for some of India’s most popular musicians of the day, The Music Room is a defining work by the great Bengali filmmaker. 1958, India, DCP, in Bengali and English with English subtitles, 99 minutes. Recommended for 12+.

Screened in conjunction with the exhibition India: South Asian Paintings from the San Diego Museum of Art.