A rich estate owner persuades his wife to leave the seclusion of the women’s quarters to meet one of his best friends to whom he is politically opposed. Tensions arise when she falls in love with his friend, reflecting growing political unrest outside the house.

Reminiscent of Charulata, the heady love triangle at the heart of this Rabindranath Tagore adaptation blends privates passions with political fervor. Gorgeously lit and meticulously framed, Ray’s masterwork deftly juxtaposes the early 20th-century nationalist movement with the emancipation of women.