The Court Dancer: Raj Nartaki
About The Court Dancer: Raj Nartaki
In Manipur in the early nineteenth century, court dancer Indrani and Prince Chandrakirti love each other. Her low standing keeps her out of the city temple, and she goes instead to a ruined temple that lets everyone in. The prince is pressed to marry a neighboring princess so the kingdom can have peace. The head of a temple sect tells Indrani to give the prince up. She does, and she is cast out.
Cast & crew
More about The Court Dancer: Raj Nartaki
Modhu Bose directed. Manmath Ray wrote it. Wadia Movietone produced it, with Timir Baran as composer, Jyotin Das and Probodh as cinematographers, and Shyam Das as editor. Sadhona Bose plays Indrani and Prithviraj Kapoor plays Prince Chandrakirti. It was shot in Hindi, Bengali, and English versions at the same time, and Columbia handled it in Europe and the United States. It was released in 1941.
Themes
Background
The story is set in the Manipur kingdom in the early nineteenth century, when a marriage alliance is treated as a way to keep peace with a neighbor.
Making
Bose and his wife made the picture at Wadia Movietone in three languages rather than dubbing one negative, which is how the film covered its cost.
Look
Jyotin Das and Probodh photographed the film.
Music
Timir Baran composed the music.
Notes
- Protima Dasgupta plays Riya and Binita Gupta plays Priya, Indrani's companions. Jal Khambata plays the high priest Kashishwar. Nayampalli plays King Jaisingh.
- The three language versions let the film earn back its cost.
- Columbia in Hollywood distributed it in Europe and the United States.
- Sadhona Bose, the director's wife, was a classical dancer, and the Manipur setting was built around her dancing.
Scenes
- Indrani is turned away from the city temple and finds a ruined temple that will take her.
- She gives up the prince when the temple head tells her to, and the court casts her out.
