Daily Archives: September 30, 2018

The Holy Man (1965)

The Holy Man (Mahapurush)
Directed by Satyajit Ray
Written by Satyajit Ray from a story by Rajshekhar Parashuram Basu
1965/India
R.D. Banshal & Co/Rajshri Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental

 

[box] “He denounced him openly as a charlatan–a fraud with no valuable knowledge of any kind, or powers beyond those of an ordinary and rather inferior human being.” ― Mark Twain, The Mysterious Stranger[/box]

A devout Hindu family “adopts” a holy man and friends and neighbors flock to hear his ravings.  Some clear-thinkers come up with a plot for blowing his cover.  One of these is trying to woo a devotee’s daughter.

This comic film is only about an hour long.  It is enjoyable but could have been fleshed out more fully.  I really couldn’t wrap myself around how the plot worked in the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EAu9_4PUj4

Clip