Pssst, want to check out Devi in our new look?
Information
- A.k.a.
- The Goddess
- Year
- 1960
- Runtime
- 93 min.
- Director
- Satyajit Ray
- Genre
- Drama
- Rating *
- 7.7
- Votes *
- 1,253
- Checks
- 581
- Favs
- 59
- Dislikes
- 3
- Favs/checks
- 10.2% (1:10)
- Favs/dislikes
- 20:1
Top comments
-
-
Siskoid
With Devi (The Goddess), Satyajit Ray creates an intriguing exploration of the power of faith, telling the story of a young woman who's life and marriage are turned upside down when her father-in-law decides, after a dream/vision, that she's an incarnation of the goddess Kali. Set at the cross-roads between tradition and modernity, the film takes both points of view. Does Kali work through Daya, or are the so-called miracles she performs have an explanation rooted in scientific fact? Does Kali the Destroyer lack the mercy Daya herself has, or is chance as blind as certain characters' faith. Where does faith end and hubris begin? Sharmila Tagore as Daya is extremely effecting, sweet and tragic, someone you want to watch, utterly sympathetic. Ray uses surreal imagery sparingly to give the story a mystic allure without breaking its realism. Given the music is strong (albeit not as strong as in his first opus Pater Panchali), it's a real shame that background noise in scoreless sections is so warbly. I imagine we're hearing monkey howls and other jungle noises throughout, but it's not clear that's it. Just noise on the tape, or sound design meant to put you on edge? I can't tell, but it makes for a noisier experience than I want it to be. 4 years 9 months ago -
Friends
Login to see which of your friends have seen this movie!In 6 official lists
-
This movie ranks #59 in National Film Archive of India's 125 Great Indian Films
National Film Archive of…
59 -
This movie ranks #170 in Doubling the Canon
Doubling the Canon
170 -
This movie ranks #234 in Mark Cousins's The Story of Film: An Odyssey
Mark Cousins's The Story…
234 -
This movie ranks #289 in Tom Vick's Asian Cinema: A Field Guide
Tom Vick's Asian Cinema:…
289 -
This movie ranks #465 in Jonathan Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema
Jonathan Rosenbaum's Ess…
465 -
This movie ranks #1339 in The Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection
1339