Calcutta

Calcutta (1969), a documentary film by acclaimed French director Louis Malle, is an explorative journey into the heart of India's bustling, populous and culturally diverse city, Calcutta (now Kolkata). In this film, Malle departs from his earlier works, which predominantly featured fictional narratives, to venture into a form of cinema verité, a direct cinema or observational cinema in its purest form.

The film foregrounds Malle's exceptional skill as a filmmaker, his aptitude for revelatory observation and his ability to tell stories about culture and socio-economic conditions in an enlightening and insightful manner. Eschewing the traditional narrative forms and the mainstream appeal of his earlier work, Malle uses Calcutta as a canvas to paint an intricate portrait of India beyond the lure of exotica, a step back from the stereotypical depiction of the East.

Malle's Calcutta eloquently showcases the staggering blend of opulence and poverty, hope and despair, spirituality and worldliness that coexist in the historic city. The film is appreciably free from the typical tourist gaze. Instead, it delves deeper into the alleyways, the marketplaces, clubs and religious spaces to offer a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people, hence portraying the city as an organism that is continuously shifting and transforming.

Full of close-ups and long shots, the camera lingers on the city's architectural wonders, the Hooghly River, the religious processions, rickshaw drivers, beggars, workers, and wealthy elites. The poignant, reflective gaze of Malle's camera encompasses all, from high society's luxurious parties to the poverty-stricken slums, without passing judgement. The underlying social commentary, however, remains hard to ignore as it chronicles the daily struggles within this bustling metropolis.

The film is not only informative but evocative as it beautifully captures the city's intense energy through its streets, markets, festivals, striking contrasts and the apparent chaos and confusion of daily life. Notably, its adoption of veérité style adds to the realness and rawness of the film, creating directness with its subjects and their lives, almost as candid moments captured in time.

The film also delves into the myriad aspects of faith and religion in Calcutta, capturing the sheer variety of religious practices and their imprint on the Indian social fabric, adding yet another layer of understanding to the complexity of the city. Malle, with his unflinching gaze, captures the raw, vibrant energy of religious festivities, making for some of the most memorable sections of the film.

What sets Calcutta apart is Malle's refusal to merely objectify or romanticise the city as simply a subject of poverty or an exotic oriental city. Instead, he views it as a dynamic and evolving entity in its own right. By doing so, he offers a touching, compassionate, humanistic perspective of the city without robbing its denizens of their dignity or agency.

The use of non-professional actors and the absence of scripted dialogues lend an air of authenticity and genuineness to the work, forcing the audience to confront the raw realities of life. The beautiful yet haunting score interwoven with the everyday sounds of the city further heightens the dramatic intensity and the emotional connect of the film.

Calcutta is less of a film and more of an immersive experience about life, faith, struggle, and survival in one of India's most iconic cities. It does not aim to provide answers or solutions. Rather, Malle leads his audience through a journey that is at once intimate and universal, forcing us to reflect upon the world we live in and our place within it.

In conclusion, Louis Malle's Calcutta is a definitive ethnographic documentary that dives into the heart of a city in all its colours, sounds and vitality. Blessed with Malle's observant lens and reflexive storytelling, it’s a film that demands patience and open-mindedness from its viewers due to its real, unfiltered, and non-judgmental portrayal of urban India of the late 60s. It remains an important piece of the history of documentary filmmaking and stands testimony to Malle's range and versatility as a director.