Bhoomika

Out of all of Shyam Benegal's movies I like Bhumika the most. It presents a combination of the vibrant, visual energy of Bollywood, the depth of character of the films of Ray, with a narrative complexity, formal daring, and willingness to experiment..

The film betrays a knowledge and mastery of the Bollywood melodrama, taking not only its visual cue from it, but its use of a despised, populist form to create a charged, critical work. The performances of Smita Patil and Amarish Puri is outstanding. Music by Vanraj Bhatia is so evocative of the period and integral to the flow of the movie.