04 May 2009
The film started slow with 7-year-old Chuiya being carried off to the widow house. Her husband just died and as per religious law in India, a widow has three choices, 1. to be buried with her husband, 2. to marry the husband’s younger brother, or 3. to live her whole life in denial. Apparently, women who became widows at such a young age were taken to this house to live a life of denial. There was this part I like when the old matron of the widow house explained to the young Chuiya why they should live their life in poverty and suffering. She said, “a wife is a part of the husband, so when the husband dies, the wife also had half-died. So tell me why should a widow live life when she’s half-dead?” In which Chuiya answered, “because she’s half-alive.”
One word. Amazing writing. (Sorry make that two)
The vision that is Lisa Ray in the character of Kalyani, a beautiful widow who is the source of livelihood of the house then appears. Her hair is uncut unlike all the widows in the house. Apparently, she’s being pimped by the house matron with the help of a “eunuch” to Brahmins (men who has no regard for religious law or something to that effect). Kalyani and Chuiya became fast friends, including the figure of righteousness inside the house, known as Shakuntala Didi (who looks like Nora Aunor). Even without make-up, Lisa Ray is breathtakingly stunning. I missed some subtitles and had to repeat the scene again when she speaks because I need to look at her even though I don’t understand what she’s saying. I cannot look away when she lights up the screen.
Moving on, an old widow was continuously craving for sweets because she got taken into the house too when she was only seven years old. One day, Chuiya was among the widows who were begging in front of a temple when she got frustrated and ran away with the begging money. She saw a peddler selling sweets and bought a ladoo (it looks like a big munchkin) and gave it to the old widow. A simple gesture of thoughtfulness and generosity that is rare at that time, even nowadays. Apparently, the old widow was just waiting for the ladoo and she died happily that night.
When Kalyani and Chuiya were bathing a dog in the river, they met a man (w
ho looks like Albert Martinez) and both were immediately drawn to each other. But, according to religious law a widow cannot remarry because it’s a sin. So Kalyani didn’t let herself fall for Narayan (the guy) but he was actually persistent. It’s the first time that I saw a male character standing up for the woman that he loves and going against all odds in such a conservative environment. Narayan was a law student and is a passionate follower of Gandhi. He believes in equality and love. He offered marriage to Kalyani and confessed to his conservative mother that he’s going to marry a widow. On the other hand, it was the women who were cruel to other women. Like the house matron, who claims that they should live in suffering but pimps out Kalyani for money. Eats good food while the others only eat once a day; and the woman in the bath who Kalyani accidentally bumped into, she said she needs to take a bath again since she’s been soiled by a widow.
Nonetheless, Kalyani was so happy that she told Chuiya about the wedding 
proposal. Chuiya being a silly child cannot keep secrets and constantly fights with the house matron blurting out Kalyani’s secret. In a rage, the house matron cut Kalyani’s long hair and locked her inside the room warning everybody that if Kalyani would get married, she will all drown them into more sin. At this point, Shakuntala (or Nora) believed that what Kalyani was about to do was a sin since according to religion, widows are forbidden to remarry. But she was told that there is a law already permitting widows to remarry and she fought her faith and went with her conscience... She freed Kalyani who is now half-bald.
I was in that moment where I thought perhaps this could have a happy ending but it seems that the Brahmin that Kalyani has been servicing was Narayan’s father. Kalyani felt ashamed of herself and the momentary period of happiness was lost. In that part, she had lived her life not knowing how to love and just following traditions and it was okay. She was okay with that, but when shown a glint of hope and true love, and then was taken away again… she can no longer live the same life knowing that she could have been someone better. But it’s all ruined in an instant. So she drowned herself in the river. But Narayan was persistent and had come to take Kalyani but he was too late.
The house matron, since losing Kalyani, has been grooming Chuiya to be 
the next Kalyani. One night she had Chuiya taken into the Brahmin’s house tricking her of only playing. Shakuntala (a.k.a. Nora) went berserk and looked for Chuiya only to find her in the boat along the river, weakened from her ordeal. This part, my eyes are beginning to moist. The care that Shakuntala was showing Chuiya was so intense that she went to the assembly by Gandhi and asking them to take Chuiya away from that place. The suspense leading to the climax of Narayan saving Chuiya finally made my tears drop like a waterfall. The situation, the acting, the music, the cinematography… it’s heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time.
Since the title of the movie is “Water”, the river played an importa
nt part in the movie. It is where Kalyani and Chuiya met Narayan; it is by the river that they send off their dead; it is in the river where Kalyani took her life; and through the river, Chuiya had been presented with the worst nightmare of her life. The color of the movie is essentially toned down. Colors used were only hues of white, light blue, brown and black. The photography was splendid and the editing was alright as well, although there are some parts that could be edited out but well, who am I to say that? The music was brilliant as well since the man who composed the music for Slum dog Millionaire made the music of Water too, RA Rahman. All in all, I would give this movie a rating of 5 stars. A must-see!
