Watch The Householder

The Householder is a 1963 Indian film directed by Satyajit Ray, based on a novel by Gauri Deshpande. The movie is a romantic comedy-drama that explores the journey of a young couple living in the bustling city of Delhi. It stars Shashi Kapoor as Prem Sagar, a young teacher who is new to his job and still figuring out his life's path. Leela Naidu plays his wife, Indu, a modern and independent woman who struggles to fit into the traditional Indian society.

The story revolves around Prem's struggle to find his place in society, his marriage to Indu, and his complex relationship with his mother (played by Durga Khote). As a newly married couple, Prem and Indu face many challenges as they try to balance their traditional values with modern lifestyles. Indu is an ambitious young woman who wishes to pursue a career and establish a career for herself, while Prem is content with living a simple life.

The couple's lives take a turn when Prem's mother moves in with them after her husband passes away. She is a traditional Indian woman who is disappointed with her son's choice of career and wife. She believes that Prem should have gone into a more lucrative profession and married a woman who is more traditionally oriented. She constantly bickers with Indu and makes life hard for her.

Amidst all this, a young student named Nandu (played by Sharmila Tagore) enters the picture in Prem's life. Nandu is a lively and adventurous woman who becomes friends with Prem and gradually develops feelings for him. She is more in tune with his liberal values and open-mindedness than Indu, who tries to stifle them.

As the story unfolds, the relationships between the characters become more complex, and their lives become more intertwined. Prem struggles with his feelings for Nandu, his loyalty to Indu, and his desire to please his mother. Indu feels threatened by Nandu's presence in their lives and tries to compete with her for Prem's attention. Meanwhile, Prem's mother becomes increasingly critical of Indu and the couple's lifestyle choices.

The Householder has a lot of humor, satire, and social commentary. It explores themes of love, marriage, family, tradition, and modernity, and how they all intersect. The film is shot in black-and-white and has a simple, naturalistic style, which is typical of Satyajit Ray's films. The dialogues and performances are all top-notch, and the film's music by Pandit Ravi Shankar is a standout.

The Householder is a charming and engaging film that will appeal to audiences who enjoy romantic comedies and realistic dramas. Its themes and characters are timeless, and the film's message about finding one's place in society is still relevant today. The Householder is a classic of Indian cinema that showcases the talents of some of the industry's most talented artists.