Feminism has breed in Tagore's novel be it TEEN KANYA, CHARULATA or GHARE BAIRE. Over the years the filmmakers have worked over the novels and luminaries include maestro Satyajit Ray. This time ace director Rituporno Ghosh delves into the territory of CHOKHER BALI, which is a pigmentation of the radical change in the social scenario of women in Bengal. CHOKHER BALI has Aishwarya Rai for the first time featuring in a Bengali movie.

 
Rabindranath Tagore's novel Choker Bali appeared for the first time in Bangadarshan in 1902. The novel created a stir in the Bengali society as the three women characters ushered a change of sexual desire in society. It also voiced concern on certain issues that were biting the society then. So the novel has a reference of widow remarriage and sati Pratha. The novel also peeps at the insatiable hunger of widow lady whose clamour of sex is worth.

CHOKHER BALI talks about a widow called Binodini. Binodini (Aishwarya Rai) is the main protagonist of the novel happens to marry an old man and thus is deprived of any sexual intimacy. Binodini now comes to stay as a maid to Rajalakshmi (Lily Chakravarthy) and soon comes across Mahendra (Prasenjit) and Behari (Tota Rai Chaudhary). Now Binodini knows that both of them refused to marry her when she was a kid.

Mahendra a medical student gets married to a young girl Ashalata (Raima Sen). Now Binodini tries to seduce Mahendra and Behari on the other hand is completely magnetized by her resplendent beauty. Binodini also forms a strong bonding with Ashalata. What unravels is a revolt from Binodini, who refuses to bow down before her sexual desire. She also portrays her fight against Mahendra. Choker Bali means the sand that causes disruption to eyes. Ashalata communicates with Binodini by this name.

 Aishwarya Rai has been the second choice for the movie originally slated for Nandita Das. Due to some odd differences nandita backed out and Rituporno took Ash and what a marvelous performance she has done. Ash is thrilled on CHOKHER BALI as if it was a dream to work on a Tagore's project and unquestionably Rituporno added more to her dividends. Ash feels the character of Binodini a blend of contradictions. Binodini vacillates between both though Mahendra pulls her more. Yet, she does not give up her widow's weeds. She cannot bear the thought of losing Mahendra to a silly and naive rival like Ashalata. A complex range of emotions starts playing within her. She tries to seduce Mahendra, as if that is the biggest challenge in her life.

Rituporno Ghosh a master in his work has flamboyantly brought out his message through CHOKHER BALI. Through Binodini, Rituporno wants to question the entrapment that transcends any single individual or group, arising from a concrete analysis of the social structure, and an abstract sense of fate Or does it symbolize the individual rebellion of a lone crusader who uses her sexuality as both 'voice' and 'weapon' to liberate herself from this entrapment?

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