The Chess Players (1977)
Satyajit Ray's First Hindi Film
Starring Sanjeev Kumar, Saeed Jaffrey, Shabana Azmi
Directed by Satyajit Ray
It is the year 1856. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is the king of Awadh, one of the last independent kingdoms of India. The British colonialists, intent on controlling this rich land, have sent general Outram on a secret mission to clear the way for an annexation. Pressure is mounting amidst intrigue and political manoeuvres, but the Nawab whiles away his time in pursuit of pleasure and religious practice. The court is of no help either—Court nobles Mir and Mirza, ignoring the situation of their country and all their duties towards their families, spend their days playing endless games of chess. The film is based on Munshi Premchand's short story of the same name.
Runtime: 129 min.
Rating: 7.3
DVD
Languages: Hindi,Urdu
Countries: India
Genres: Drama
Keywords: chess,based on short story,colonial india,19th century
Cast
Mirza Sajjad Ali
Mir Roshan Ali
Khurshid
Nafisa
Queen Mother
Munshi
Prime Minister
Aqueel
Capt. Weston
Hirya
Kallu
Abbajani
Wajid Ali Shah
General Outram
Dancer
Narration (voice)