Debshishu

Bengali director Utpalendu Chakrabarty’s Debshishu is a stark and unflinching portrayal of superstition and fanaticism in rural India. The film follows a couple, played by the incomparable Smita Patil and Sadhu Meher and their encounter with a miracle-performing child god. Patil delivers a tour de force performance, embodying the strength and despair of a woman forced to endure unimaginable hardship. The muddy rural landscapes create a sense of desolation that is palpable throughout the film. Made on a low budget, Debshishu was one of Patil’s last roles.