Sumita Sanyal
Filmed in India, Rumer Godden’s story has been adapted and directed by the Jewel in the Crown team. Two English schoolgirls arrive in New Delhi, 1959. Their diplomat father has secured them a beautiful Eurasian governess. 15-year-old Una suspects an ulterior motive. But her father’s affairs take second place to her own when she has a secret affair with the Indian gardener.
A Middle Aged Woman named Sheba comes to an Obscure town named Nijhumgarh to be the Governess of a Renowned Household called "Raykuthi". But little did she know about the Bungalow and the dwellers. She gets startled to know that two murders took place there nearly seven years earlier. The Mist of the mysterious happenings get only thicker. Now Sheba could only pray for it to Go Away as incidents transcend the rules of our physical world.
Old woman Anandi (Meena Kumari) moves to the city with her relatives and finds out their material side. She develops fondness for two rival street gangs of unemployed youth. These gangs are headed by two former friends turned foes in a time when society, politics and education are all losing their bearings in 1970s India. The film beautifully portrays how disillusioned unemployed youth get disaffected from society and education and become pawns in the game of politics.
Set against the backdrop of the political violence that rocked India, and West Bengal in particular, in the late 1960s, it tells the story of an aged widow in a village who goes to Calcutta to stay with relatives, but faces only exploitation. She moves to a slum, and finds her "own people" in a group of educated, unemployed youth, who are caught up inexorably in the prevalent violence.
The plot revolves with Raicharan's tragic life. He is the obedient servant of local zamindar and takes care of zamindar's son whom he addresses as Khokababu. One day the little son dies in an accident in river flood and he is blamed for the same. In a delusional state, Raicharan starts believing his own infant to be his much loved khokababu and brought him up only to return him to his master.
