Shakinpelaajat (1977)

Shakinpelaajat (1977). 2h 9m | S

“This movie is a precious gem. I have not seen anything like it and only a rare amount of movies dare to be as different. One cannot expect any less from Satyajit Ray, one of Indiau0026#39;s greatest filmmakers. Shatranj ke Khiladi is a satirical comedy that stars the best actors delivering the finest performances. Amjad Khan and Saeed Jaffrey definitely did their best for this movie. Sanjeev Kumar and Shabana Azmi are excellent as always. Richard Attenborough and Victor Banerjee do very well with their small roles. I was also surprised to see Farida Jalal in a negative comic role as an unfaithful wife. Ray also applies his artistic talents in set designs as youu0026#39;ll see some beautiful paintings. Background music is limited but used effectively. The movie was shot brilliantly where it is quite evident that the director has given attention to very little detail. There is one scene where Sanjeev Kumar goes to his room to see his wife. Saeed Jaffrey is waiting for him. We soon see a scene where Jaffrey goes to check on Sanjeev then when he returns…we see a hand changing the position on the chess board. This is just one of the finest example of excellent direction, among the many youu0026#39;ll witness in this classic masterpiece. The events of the 19th century are portrayed very poetically. While some may say that the pace is slow, it did not bore me one bit and there was always something happening. This, indeed, is a fine piece of film-making. I suggest you go and watch it.”