• Writer/Director:   Deepa Mehta

• Producer: David Hamilton

• Starring: Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, John Abraham. Sarala Kariyawasam & Manorama

• Genre: Drama, Romance

• Country: India

• Language: Hindi

'Water' (2005) audio is in native Hindi language. To fully enjoy the effect of the film--it is highly recommended that you enjoy the original language version with English subtitles--without English voice dubbing.

What is it about love that seem to snag someone in the most desolate of places? I was taken quite by surprise by this film. I love watching movies from India--and this one was a treat! I would not say that this is a sad film--but I will say that it is the most beautiful screened film--the locations are the most intimate location for theses characters. But the whole of this story surrounds a small widow named Chuyia (Sarala Kariyawasam).

Chuyia is an 8 year-old girl whose husband had died. According to this film, this makes Chuyia a widow. In 1938--when a husband dies, the woman is sent to an ashram to pray and make amends for her husband. Chuyia does not understand the gravity of her situation and at times, cause trouble--as an eight year old does--and befriends a prostitute that also lives there named Kalyani (Lisa Ray). Kalyani's job is to make money for the ashram. She is brought across the river by Gulabi (Raghubir Yadav). The money she earns purchases food and necessities for the women at the ashram.

One day while Kalyani and Chuyia were out she meets the very handsome Narayan (John Abraham) who is instantly attracted to Kalyani. Thereafter starts the romance of this story and also starts the understandable conflict of the younger character Chuyia and her attempting to understand why the relationship between Kalyani and Narayan is forbidden. From the eyes of Chuyia's innocence and her forced acceptance of how she came to her current circumstances--and her realization that her mother will not come to rescue her from the ashram.

I had to research a bit more about the ashram Chuyia was sent to in the film, and if places like this still existed--I came upon a film by the writer and director's brother named The forgotten woman--which gives a more poignant view of how women or the widows in some communities in India come to live in such places after their husbands die. I have not seen The forgotten woman--but I am understanding that a few communities in India still believe in the practice of sending widows to these places to live. From what I am understanding so far from reading--it is an unfortunate set of circumstances.

I also found that in the making of Water stirred much controversy because there were protest as to the making of this film:

"...Deepa was harassed for making films that targeted aspects of the Hindu religion rather than looking into other religions such as Christianity or Islam. Why were her films saturated with this content? The answer is simple: she is Hindu; she is an Indian woman; these are the things she is familiar with. The RSS claimed that the world did not need to hear the problems of widows in India, arguing that Deepa Mehta had been poisoned by western influences and was simply looking for a story to sell to the world" (Yven-Carrucan, 2000).

Please--do not let this destroy your reasons for watching this brilliant and romantic film. Enjoy Water--it is indeed a beautiful and romantic tale. With an ending that will astonish!

'love has its many splendors--no matter the adversities'

Water (2005). Writer/Director Deepa Mehta. IMDb.

Yven-Carrucan, J. (2000 April). The Politics of Deepa Mehta's Water. Retrieved November 7, 2009 from Bright Lights Film Journal. Issue 28