Political upheavals have often led to divisions across various countries. Walls have risen in some places, while barbed wires have appeared in others. However, few regions have endured the pain of partition like Bengal and Punjab. The Radcliffe Line sometimes ran straight through homes—dividing kitchens from courtyards. Beyond the violence, countless other aspects of life were divided. For many, the scars of partition remain fresh on both sides of the border. The theme of partition is woven into literature and cinema, but none have portrayed it like Ritwik Ghatak.
Due to partition, numerous families from East Bengal were forced to migrate to West Bengal. Many went on to play significant roles in West Bengal’s cultural and artistic landscape. Partition themes appear in literature by Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, and Atin Bandyopadhyay. Directors like Tarun Majumdar, Satyajit Ray, and Mrinal Sen incorporated the partition’s impact into their films. Yet, Ritwik Ghatak’s approach remains unique. For Ghatak, partition often served as a central theme. Partition deeply affected him, leaving a wound that never healed.
Let’s begin with Ritwik’s most famous film, Meghe Dhaka Tara (The Cloud-Capped Star). This film depicts a family victimized by partition. The character of Taron, portrayed by Bijon Bhattacharya, evokes an immediate understanding: a respected individual in his homeland now sits helplessly in a makeshift room abroad, struggling to maintain his family’s dignity. Meanwhile, Nita embodies the archetypal ‘Great Mother’ who sacrifices everything to hold her family together. Though largely social and economic, partition’s undertones drive the film. Through Taron’s words, we sense his yearning for the homeland he left and his alienation in the new land. He has not been able to make the new land his ‘home.’
Many of Ghatak’s remarks on partition in his films feel like his personal thoughts. Reflecting on his films, he once said, “No matter what films I made, I couldn’t mentally and emotionally detach from the theme of Bengal’s partition. The critical thing, I felt, was to bring this divided Bengal’s neglected face to light, to awaken the Bengali people to their existence, their past, and future.”
Ghatak’s films are scathing. Sometimes, he shows the economic hardship following the partition, and other times, he reflects on its painful memories. Those forced to move from East Bengal to Kolkata had little choice. At times, the political narrative held tempting promises. Many were swayed. In his film Komal Gandhar (E-Flat), Ghatak addresses this temptation. The protagonist, Bhrigu, stages a play on partition. In one scene, a girl persuades her elderly father to move to Kolkata, a glamorous city. Refugees crossing into the city were given a new identity—‘displaced refugees.’
The girl depicted in the play has no idea what it means to be a displaced refugee. Yet, the heavy significance of the two harsh words feels important to her. Her mind is filled only with thoughts of Kolkata’s lights and brightness. Seeing this, the old man is crushed with despair. He is a man from the banks of the Padma River. He cannot imagine himself apart from the river. As he is forced to leave it behind, he feels wretched. He exclaims, what can roughly translated to, “I am a cursed soul. My ancestors have been cursed. All those I have given birth to are cursed too. Otherwise, why would I have been born on the banks of the Padma?”
In Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960), Komal Gandhar (1961), and Subarnarekha (1962), Ghatak explicitly portrays partition. The impact of partition is apparent as Bhrigu and Anasuya cross the railroad in Komal Gandhar. The conflict within the theater troupe also reflects partition’s essence. Partition is not only about riots; it exists in the death of Subarnarekha’s Bagdi Bou. When Abhiram finds his mother on her deathbed, it is as though the tragedy of partition resonates through that moment.
It would be wrong to think Ghatak’s exploration of partition is confined to three films. Themes of colonies and refugee crises appear in his work, always pointing to partition’s influence. His 1952 film Nagarik (The Citizen) was finally released in 1977. In this film, the violinist character also embodies the refugee’s story. The broken violin strings evoke the loss of tune, symbolizing a lost homeland. The story of Nagarik is essentially one of displacement.
Bollywood’s films on partition often highlight riots, especially focusing on Punjab. But partition is more than just riots; it also exists in the lives of the refugees. Ghatak reveals this experience in his films, seen in Nita’s family and Bhrigu’s play. The colony life in Subarnarekha is even more vividly depicted than the ‘Cloud-Capped Star’.
Partition’s agony is most evident in Ghatak’s autobiographical film Jukti Takko Aar Gappo (Reason, Debate, and a Story). Ghatak acted in this film, presenting his thoughts candidly. Shaoli Mitra’s character in the film is named Bangabala, a personification of Bangladesh. Through her, Ghatak expressed Bangladesh’s spirit. His journey with her symbolizes his search for Bangladesh.
Ritwik was politically conscious. He was a man of politics. His views on everything from party politics to national issues were clear, as were his thoughts on partition. Alongside this, the pain of that experience lived within him, continually resurfacing in his cinemas.