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THE COWARD

KAPURUSH

By Satyajit RAY

RDB ENTERTAINMENTS PVT. LTD. - as PROD

Drama - Completed 1965

The film is informed by Ray’s keen observation of Indian society at the crossroads of tradition and modernization.

- Year of production
- 1965
- Genres
- Drama
- Countries
- INDIA
- Languages
- BENGALI
- Duration
- 74 mn
- Director(s)
- Satyajit RAY
- Producer(s)
- Rd BANSAL
- Synopsis
- The Coward stars Ray regular Soumitra Chatterjee as Amitabha, a screen-writer from Calcutta on a research trip in the country. When his car breaks down unexpectedly, he is taken in by Bimal, a wealthy tea plantation owner. At Bimal’s house, Amitabha is surprised to find that his benefactor’s wife, Karuna (Madhabi Mukherjee), is the woman he had been in love with years before, and lost because of his own indecisiveness.
  Bimal, unaware of the past relationship between his wife and his guest , wines and dines with Amitabha and in the course of evening reveals his own character with disarming frankness. The more be learns about Bimal, the more Amitabha realises that the marriage cannot have been a happy one for Karuna.
  Amitabha next seeks an opportunity to tell Karuna that he has now the courage to take her away from her husband and thereby atone for his past betrayal. But Karuna hides her own feelings behind a calm exterior.
  The next morning it is decided that Amitabha will take the train to Harshimara instead of waiting for the taxi to be repaired. But before that the three go out on a picnic. Bimal falls asleep, still unaware of the growing drama between his wife and his guest.
  While Bimal snores , Amitabha scrawls a hasty note to Karuna on a piece of sandwich wrapper: “I will wait for you at the station. If you still love me, come away, I won’t let you down this time.”
  Evening finds Amitabha waiting for Karuna at the station. As the hours for the train draws near, his impatience grows.
  Does Karuna still love him? Will she leave her husband and come to him?....