Satyajit Ray’s 1980 classic Hirak Rajar Deshe, now for the ones familiar with the movie it’s a visit into childhood nostalgia. For those still unaware of the masterpiece, it is a story from the eras of old, two friends and their adventure told, there’s princes and kings and some magic too, against evil our heroes shall power through. 

Apologies for the bad poetry shtick and to put it plain and simple it’s a story of two friends who while wandering around in their little fun trip end up meeting a school teacher who’s on the run from his kingdom as their evil king’s tyranny has forced the citizens into poverty, and everyone that resists has been brainwashed by the King’s Magician. Meeting by chance or a destined fate, the heroes end up deciding to help the teacher to free the kingdom from The Evil King’s grasp. How will they succeed and what will they do? While the plot may not seem like it has much depth and is another one of those good over evil kind of stories, what makes it unique is the fact that the entire dialogue in the movie is in the form of poetry and rhymes, ones that are actually funny. Also worth mentioning, the acting is animated enough to keep kids engaged for the whole thing, and has enough quirky comedy and ribs for the older people to have a merry time.

While now it does seem a movie worth checking out, one thing that’d be noticeable while watching the movie, the story although fictional, has elements and inspirations from real life events and symbolizes them to give a deeper significance all of which would go unnoticed if not paid proper attention. It is a  movie that has a slightly different story to tell depending on whether the eyes that watch are of a child’s or an adult’s, making Satyajit Ray’s Hirak Rajar Deshe a true masterpiece.

While it may not be the kind of movie that a young adult audience would actively seek out to watch, the movie in itself is different and a pleasant change, something that’d be most definitely welcomed more of.