All in A Day’s Journey: Goutam Ghose’s Rahgir Is a Microcosm of Human Emotions

I found this movie to be very powerful, thought provoking and deeply moving. The plot and the perspective is simple yet out of the ordinary. The film depicts the harsh reality of everyday lives of   numerous nameless, faceless men and women (read tribals) who live in abject poverty in nondescript remote villages. The protagonist of the film is a tribal housewife Nathuni  (Tillotama Shome) who is saddled with a crippled husband and two growing children. She frequently undertakes a tedious dreary journey to the nearest to as a manual-labourer-cum-daily- wage earner. On that particular day (as the narrative opens) while on her way to  town Nathuni accosts   a stranger (another villager) by the name of Lakhua (Adil Hussein) who is also going to the same town in search off  work.  Since it’s  a  long  journey over meadows  fields  and waterfalls the  duo strike up a camaraderie. On the way they bump into a cart man named Chopatlal (Neeraj Kabi) whose carriage   gets stuck in  a swamp nearby. Chopatlal desperately seeks their help to dislodge the cart. Tired ed and famished they  refuse. But when  they  discover to their  horror that the occupants  of  the cart are a seriously ill beggar couple whom  the driver is rushing to town for  medical aid,  they  are moved.  In the subsequent portion of the film we find the trio desperately struggling with the cart  in pelting rain Soon after, they manage to reach the hospital and hand over the patients to the doctor on duty. By then it’s already evening and there is no scope  for work. Hence the duo decide to spend the in a  temporary  roadside shelter  after frugal refreshments. Seeing  Nathuni fast asleep Lakhua gently  looks after her before sinking  into   deep slumber himself. The following  morning   they  are able to  find work. After work and  a wee  bit of  shopping  Nathuni  embarks on her overdelayed  journey home. Lakhua  decides to stay back (he  has no family )  in hope  of   more income. He asks  Nathuni to look for him when she comes round again. At this  crucial  juncture the director  leaves the viewers to ponder this:  Will they  meet  again? Or  won’t they? Therein lies the    master   stroke of his artistic craft! The movie  ends with  the  two of them going their separate carrying in their minds and hearts memories of some (albeit brief) emotionally charged hours.

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