Cast: Roshan Seth, Soni Razdan, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Ranjit Chowdhry, Sam Dastor, Vrajesh Hirjee, Kurush Deboo
Director: Sturla Gunnarsson
Producers: Paul Stephens, Simon MacCorkindale
Screenplay: Sooni Taraporevala, based on the novel by Rohinton Mistry
Cinematography: Jan Kiesser
Music: Jonathan Goldsmith
U.S. Distributor: The Shooting Gallery
Such a Long Journey, set in Bombay, India during 1971 and based on the novel by Rohinton Mistry, is a story of healing and reconciliation. And, despite the complex historical background underlying the film's narrative tapestry, this is more of a character-driven tale than a plot-driven one. Also, although the movie is firmly entrenched in the real world, there is a hint of magical realism in the way director Sturla Gunnarsson and screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala approach the material.
While it's possible to enjoy and comprehend Such a Long Journey without any understanding of the context in which the movie transpires, such background makes the film's themes more immediate and the subtext less murky. As the story begins, the third major conflict between perennial enemies India (which is primarily Hindu) and Pakistan (predominantly Muslim) is about to break out. At the time - late 1971 - Pakistan was in the midst of a civil war, with East Pakistan declaring itself independent and re-naming itself Bangladesh. India, supporting the new nation, provided financial and military aid through agents from RAW (the Research and Analysis Wing of India's Secret Service), but six million rupees earmarked for this cause vanished, possibly into a Swiss bank account held by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Another useful piece of background, which is mentioned during an introductory series of captions, relates to the Parsis. Persecuted by Muslims as far back at the 8th century, these people fled from Persia to India, where they found refuge. They follow their own religious belief system, which disallows intermarriage and demands a strict code of morality. When a Parsi dies, he is not buried; instead, his body is exposed within an unroofed tower (a Tower of Silence) and vultures are allowed to devour the corpse. Although their numbers are dwindling, Parsis are held in high regard in Bombay (where most of them reside) and throughout India.
The main character in Such a Long Journey, Gustad Noble (Roshan Seth), is a Parsi, and many of his actions are colored by the code of beliefs he has inherited. When his eldest son, Sohrab (Vrajesh Hirjee), disappoints him by refusing to go to a technical institute, Gustad refuses to acknowledge his existence. Yet he treats the local idiot, Tehmul (Kurush Deboo), with a degree of respect that no one else exhibits. When disappointed or uncertain, he retreats into memories of a comfortable and sheltered past. Meanwhile, Gustad's wife, Dilnavaz (Soni Razdan), unhappy at the way in which her family is falling apart, consults a mystical woman who lives upstairs. The old witch proposes a number of spells that may prove useful in remedying Dilnavaz's situation. And, outside on the sidewalk, a pavement artist (Ranjit Chowdhry) transforms a wall that was used as a urinal into a religious mural that becomes a public shrine.
Such a Long Journey contains aspects of a political thriller, although the ultimate purpose of these scenes is to affect a transformation in Gustad's character. An old friend and member of the RAW, Jimmy Bilimoria (Naseeruddin Shah), contacts Gustad after several years of silence and requests a favor. He wants Gustad to meet with his right hand man, Ghulam (Om Puri), receive a package, then act on instructions contained within. Gustad agrees, but, after learning what's in the parcel, he recognizes that Jimmy's "favor" could jeopardize his career and his family's safety.
In addition to the thriller elements, which are not emphasized, Such a Long Journey contains its share of dramatic material. The tone ranges from playful to contemplative, and the screenplay is liberally sprinkled with humor. There's also a fair amount of symbolism, some of which is heavy-handed. Director Gunnarsson (whose work is not well-known in the United States) and screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala (Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala) wanted Such a Long Journey to marry both cinematic and literary elements, and, for the most part, they have succeeded in that goal.
In its own quiet way, the central theme of Such a Long Journey has to do with the need to embrace emotions, especially sadness, and not run from them. In a telling flashback, Gustad claims that he will never shed tears because it is unmanly. Since he lives by this creed, there are times when he is unreasonably stern and cold. Only when events force him to confront his grief and acknowledge his frailty is he able to re-discover important things in his life that he thought to be forever lost to him.
One reason for the film's effectiveness is the strength of the cast. Roshan Seth gives a nuanced performance as Gustad, a far more complex character than we first suspect. He's not the usual domineering, patriarchal Indian, but a deeply conflicted individual who has trouble healing emotional wounds. Seth, who North American viewers may recognize from Gandhi and My Beautiful Launderette, captures the richness of Gustad's character. Also in the film is the great Indian actor Om Puri (star of the upcoming East Is East), who, over the course of a 25 year career, has worked for directors Satyajit Ray, Richard Attenborough, Deepa Mehta, and Mike Nichols. Puri does not have a central role, but his presence is welcome. The other actors, including Soni Razdan as Gustad's wife, Naseeruddin Shah as Jimmy, Sam Dastor as Gustad's friend and co-worker, and Kurush Deboo as the idiot, contribute fine supporting work. Through their interaction with Gustad, these secondary characters bring out aspects of his personality while adding fullness and body to their own.
Of all the films to show up as part of the Shooting Gallery's special film series, Such a Long Journey is perhaps the most difficult to sell. Even though the movie is in English and was financed with British and Canadian money, many will see it as an Indian film, and movies from that part of the world are among the most unpopular foreign features to play in this country. Nevertheless, Such a Long Journey is an excellent character study with enough of a storyline to keep the plot-oriented viewer involved. It may not be a perfect motion picture, but it is worth the trip.
© 2000 James Berardinelli