Rent Water (2005)
3.8 of 5 from 119 ratings
1h 50min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Set against the epic backdrop of the River Ganges in 1938 during Mahatma Gandhi's rise to power, this is the inspiring tale of eight year old Hindi girl names Chuyia. Chuyia's life is suddenly changed when she is widowed and sent to a home where Hindu widows must live in penitence. She refuses to accept her fate and her feisty presence begins to affect the lives of the other residents, including a beautiful young widow who has fallen in love with Gandhian idealist, Narayan.
- Actors:
- Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Seema Biswas, Sarala Kariyawasam, Buddhi Wickrama, Rinsly Weerarathne, Iranganie Serasinghe, Hermantha Gamage, Ronica Sajnani, Manorama, Rishma Malik, Meera Biswas, Vidula Javalgekar, Sanoja Bibile, Dolly Ahluwalia, Waheeda Rehman, Daya Alwis, Raghuvir Yadav, Vinay Pathak, Kulbhushan Kharbanda
- Directors:
- Deepa Mehta
- Voiced By:
- Zul Vilani
- Writers:
- Anurag Kashyap, Deepa Mehta
- Studio:
- Metrodome
- Genres:
- Bollywood
- Collections:
- A Brief History of Lesbian Cinema, A Brief History of Film...
- Countries:
- India
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Reviews (2) of Water
Tragic but engaging - Water review by CP Customer
A very well made, well acted film, beautifully filmed. The little girl is remarkable. A lesson in getting your ideas across without laying them on with a trowel.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Warm, humane film - Water review by TE
Another beautifully composed, elemental film by Deepa Mehta.
'Water' is set in 1938 and depicts a key stage in India's move forwards from cruel superstitions towards a more humane society. The references to Gandhi, and a climactic scene with Gandhi at the railway station, all point towards a future when the position of women might be improved.
At the same time, Mehta makes clear that in the 21st century there is still a long way to go.
The central theme is embodied in an 8 year old girl who has been subjected to an arranged marriage. The adult husband dies from a sudden disease, so the child is placed in a communal home for widows (a woman is supposed to be so much a possession of her husband that she "half dies" on becoming a widow).
Mehta does a great job of making the women in the home very real and earthy.
As in her other films, the visual compositions are very beautiful.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.