The 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) launches with our magnificent Opening Night film, Satyajit Ray’s feminist classic Mahanagar (The Big City, 1963) – an unmissable highlight of the Festival’s tribute to legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, as part of global celebrations marking his centenary birth year – streaming free of charge across Australia via the festival’s website.
Based on the short story Abataranika by Narendranath Mitra, it tells the story of a housewife who disconcerts her traditionalist family by getting a job as a saleswoman .The film examines the effects of the confident working woman on patriarchial attitudes and social dynamics. Besides The Apu Trilogy (also screening at IFFM), the film, according to veteran film critic Philip French, is one of Ray's greatest films.
Find out more