After a long hiatus of almost five years, Aparna Sen, the critically acclaimed filmmaker, is back with her another venture. The Japanese Wife is the first of its kind for a plethora of reasons. Besides being the first Sen Film that is based on someone else’s story, the Japanese Wife is also her first film shot in a foreign locale. Moreover, her film has a foreign actress for the first time.
With pivotal roles being etched by Rahul Bose (Snehmoy), the Japanese actress Chigusa Takaku (Miyagi), and Raima Sen (Sandhya), the film narrates a story of pen friends who continue to reciprocate through letters. Time and wind pass by and the two long-distance friends develop a strange bonding. The inexplicable relation reaches its crescendo when both of them exchange wedding vows through their epistles of love.
Snehmoy finds a new companion in Sandhya (Raima Sen), a widow who comes to stay with him. Snehmoy discovers the inimitable joy of being in close communion with the widow and her son. Based on the story by Anglo-Indian author Kunal Basu, the film is expected to be a romantic treat in the garb of intricacies of human relationship.
What happens to Miyagi and what future has in store for Snehmoy are all left to be explored? Aparna Sen, who developed the screenplay of The Japanese Wife, is high on optimism about the fate of the film. The director has been generously praising Rahul Bose for delivering a magnanimous performance in the film.
Like most of her films this one is expected to be draped in a pleasing cinematography. Some portions of the film are shot in virgin locales of the Sundarbans, which will perhaps give us a glimpse of landscape never seen before. Although it is an English film, the characters will be seen uttering Bengali and Japanese in parts. The cultural confluence may get manifested through the fusion music rendered by the music director Sagar Desai. Touted as being a lyrical love poem, the film has a repertoire of 16 songs. Come Friday and you will see for yourself how deep does this poem by Aparna Sen touch us.
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