Devi (1960) – Satyajit Ray’s Bold Exploration of Faith and Blind Devotion
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Overview
Satyajit Ray made a very bold movie with Devi (1960). In a country steeped in religious fervour and suffocating blind faith, Ray dares to question generally accepted norms. The film captures the clash of beliefs and the destruction that occurs when devotion turns into obsession.
Themes of Faith and Conflict
Essentially, Devi is about the collision of faiths — where one person’s belief becomes another’s undoing. Every character in the film is driven by a deeply personal version of faith, and Ray dissects each of them with profound empathy.
Character Analysis
1. Kalikinkar Roy
The patriarch of the family, Kalikinkar Roy (played by Chhabi Biswas), is deeply devoted to Goddess Kali. When he dreams of the Devi and envisions Dayamayi as her incarnation, he doesn’t question it — for him, that is the ultimate truth. His blind faith becomes the catalyst for the family’s tragedy.
2. Umaprasad Roy
Umaprasad represents rationality and education — the modern, Western-influenced mind. He detests what his father subjects his wife to, yet his faith lies in love, not religion. This very love becomes his torment as he watches helplessly while superstition consumes reason.
3. Taraprasad Roy
Taraprasad has no faith of his own; he simply obeys his father. This lack of conviction eats away at him, reflected in his growing dependence on alcohol. He becomes a symbol of those crushed by patriarchal authority and inherited dogma.
4. Harasundari
Beautifully portrayed by Karuna Banerjee (remember her from Pather Panchali?), Harasundari is Taraprasad’s wife — a woman grounded in realism. She sees through the futility of the so-called divine incarnation. Her faith lies in the future, embodied by her son. When she loses him, her hope — and the family’s last link to sanity — is shattered.
5. Dayamayi
Finally, Dayamayi, played by a young Sharmila Tagore, is the emotional core of Devi. A loving wife, she is forced to don the mantle of a goddess. Her faith, once rooted in love, is manipulated into self-deification. As belief and identity blur, she spirals into confusion — until the death of her nephew Khoka destroys whatever remained of her faith. By the end, Dayamayi believes in nothing — not even herself.
Conclusion
Devi is not merely a story about religion — it’s a study of how society molds faith into fear. Satyajit Ray turns devotion into a mirror, forcing us to question whether faith enlightens or blinds. More than six decades later, the question still burns bright.
If you liked this review, you may also enjoy my analysis of Satyajit Ray’s Jalsaghar.
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