Gerontological Issues and Bengali Films: a Critical Study of Select Ageing Characters

Journal of Critical Reviews

ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 6, 2020

Review Article GERONTOLOGICAL ISSUES AND BENGALI FILMS: A CRITICAL STUDY OF SELECT AGEING CHARACTERS

Ashoke Kumar Mandal1, Dr. Shri Krishan Rai2

1Ph.D Research Scholar, Humanities & Social sciences Department, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, West Bengal, India, Email: [email protected] 2Associate Professor, Humanities & Social sciences Department, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, West Bengal, India, Email: [email protected]

Received: 14.02.2020 Revised: 13.03.2020 Accepted: 10.04.2020

Abstract Population ageing is a globally acclaimed crisis of the 21st century and for the days to come. India is undergoing unprecedented demographic changes like the dramatic increase of population of adults aged 60 and up. Better nutrition, sanitation, healthy care, education, economic well-being, declining mortality, fertility rate, and infant mortality as well, increasing age at marriage particularly among women, lead to the expansion of life expectancy. As life expectancy is increasing, so also different types of problems on the physical, psychological, social, economic levels are rising up. The impacts of modernization and globalization leading to proliferation of old-age homes, changing family values and structure, overseas migration cannot be denied here. In this paper the gerontological issues have been focused in the lives of four select characters in the Bengali films Benche Thakar Gaan (2016) and Mayurakshi (2017) to show their challenges and struggles to overcome. This paper contextualizes the issues and shows the relevance in the present socio-cultural and economic fabric. This paper also puts stress on the policy initiatives, successful ageing and the united efforts of the society with a hope of creating a good atmosphere favourable for all round development of the elderly.

Key Words: elder mistreatment, Gerontology, healthy ageing, overseas migration, population ageing, urbanization

INTRODUCTION Both the films Benche Thakar Gaan— Song of Life (2016) and Like many other developed and developing countries, India is Mayurakshi -The Stream Within (2017) brilliantly show the use undergoing a demographic transition with an alarming of different ageing issues in the lives of Sushovan increase of older people. It is projected to reach 22 percent in Roychoudhury in Mayurakshi and Shiboprasad and Jaya 2050 worldwide. About 80 percent of the world’s older people Banerjee, and also Dipankarbabu in Benche Thakar Gaan from are projected to live in less developed countries by 2050 (UN, physical, psychological, and social perspectives. As 2009). Indian elderly constitute 8 percent of the total Mayurakshi highlights dementia, the musculoskeletal disorder population and it is likely to rise to 12 percent by 2026 (CSO, with high morbidity but low mortality( Victor,2005) impact, 2011). With ageing comes increased prevalence of age–related the former focuses cardiac and circulatory disease with high diseases and more seriously chronic diseases like mortality and high morbidity ( Victor, 2005) criterion and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and gastroenteritis problem. Besides the biological hazards, both other dementias. In 2019, ADI estimates that there are over 50 the films undertake various mental diseases (pseudologia million people living with dementia globally, a figure set to fantastica, for example), emotional crises (Loneliness, increase to 152 million by 2050. Someone develops dementia depression, anxiety, fear etc), social problems (elder abuse, every three seconds and the current annual cost of dementia is elder mistreatment, elder crime, social exclusion etc.). Here in estimated at US $ 1 trillion, a figure set to double by 2030 ( these films, there is an attempt to unveil how the elderly World Alzheimer Report, 2019). A markedly increasing people are mercilessly left alone to cope with their age, or how proportion of this total is in less developed countries. The horribly they are treated, beaten and attempted to be prevalence of dementia is expected to double in every 20 years murdered by their kin. The directors raise a critical awareness with growth being highest in developing countries including of the gerontological issues in the projection of the elderly India. In 2010, an estimated 3.7 million people of over the age people on-screen in the popular genre of feature or drama of 60 years in India were considered to have dementia films. Society is, often unknowingly, influenced by Mass media (Alzheimer’s & Related disorders Society of India: 2010). By and film, as a readily accessible medium, very often portrays 2040, this figure is expected to jump by 346 percent (Ferri et the grim reality that may impact large number of viewers. al. 2005). This dementia issue focusing on the gradual decline James Monaco, the famous American film critic in his famous of functioning of the victim, ill-fated prognosis, qualitative and book How to Read a Film: Movies Media and Beyond refers to quantitative increase of role stress of the caregivers has been the film’s function as the ‘close approximation of reality’ as ‘it appropriately projected in Bengali film Mayurakshi (2017) in can communicate a precise knowledge that written or spoken the life of a senior character Sushovan Roychoudhury, a language seldom can (Monaco, 2013,p.178). He further said: retired professor of History. It is true that many Indian films as Hindi (Black, 2005or Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara, 2005 Throughout most of film history, realism has been of more or 102 Not Out, 2018, for example) Marathi (Astu, 2013), interest to practical filmmakers than theoretical critics. Dziga Kannada (Godhi Banna Sadharane Mykattu, 2016) show the Vertov in the Soviet Union in the 1920s, Jean Vigo in France, use of dementia issue. There have been films from other and John Grierson in England in the 1930s, Roberto Rossellini, countries with dementia as central theme including A Moment Cesare Zavattini, and the Neoralists in Italy in the 1940s, all to Remember (South Korea, 2004), A separation (Iran, 2011), developed Realist positions in opposition to Expressionist and Still Alice (USA, 2014). But in Tollywood Bengali film theories. It was as if the filmmakers reacted against the industry, this is a new journey initiated by the director Atanu potential abuse of power of their medium, instead searching Ghosh. for a more “moral” position in Realism (Monaco, 2013, p.446).

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The Bengali directors Atanu Ghosh, Sudeshna Roy, and Abhijit there is his memory impairment which is an associated Guha here assume the “moral” position to uphold the grim criterion of dementia. Due to memory loss he confuses one reality understanding the social, cultural, and economic forces. incident with the other. Dr. Basu says: Tar mane apnar Chicago Through the character portraits, they have projected social theke asa ta or kache Lucknow theke fera. (That means your isolation, elder mistreatment, and elder crime which is some arrival from Chicago is return from Lucknow to him). In 1993 globally recognized challenges for the elderly. Further, it may Aryaneel went to Lucknow on part of Bengal at Ranji Trophy be said that modernization and urbanization, despite the claim Cricket Tournament. Professor Roychoudhury confuses the of better infrastructure and comfort to the citizens, have added fact that his wife Aparna passed last three months of her life in more segregation and isolation and frequent occurrences of hospital. That’s why he says: Aparnar hospital e khub bhoy crimes, creating more vulnerability to the elderly (Patel, (Aparna had hospital phobia). For correction, his son replies: 2005). Changing traditional family values, family structure, Ma to last tin mas hospital e bharti chilo (Mother was in overseas migration, transnational dispersal, changing role of hospital for the last three months). Telling the house keeper women also have adversely affected the situation. All these Mallika to keep the key, he quotes lines from Rabindranath but gerontological issues have been brilliantly used in the in the middle he forgets: Firae dinu darer chabi/Rakhina ar characterization of the films. gharer dabi/Sabare ami… (I return the key/ and give up right to home/ to all I…).Aryaneel informs the doctor: Pachis SUSHOVAN ROYCHOUDHURY (SOUMITRA bachhar ager katha sab kichu mane ache (He remembers all CHATTOPADHYAY) that happened 25 years before). But what the doctor replies is Sushovan Roychoudhury, an 84-year old former professor of more important: Se to chabir moto mane thakbe. Kintu jigges History of Srirampur College is presently suffering from karuk ajke dupur bela charchari kheyachen na dimer ranna, dementia, a neurodegenerative disorder and multiple balte parben na (He would remember it clearly. But he won’t cognitive dysfunctions, behavioural changes, loss of mobility say what he has eaten at lunch-spiced vegetables or egg curry). and executive functioning. He has also cervical spondylitis, Ranjit Basu as a physician could diagnose what type of vitamin deficiency, hypertension, phobic anxiety, loneliness, dementia Sushovan Roychoudhury has. There lies the depression and in the social context there are some social explanation why he clearly remembers the remote past but not sufferings like social exclusion and lack of informal social care. the recent one. It is true that there are a number of specific The attending doctor Ranjit Basu says to Aryaneel, Professor types and variants of dementia. Among older people three Roychoudhury’s only child: Apnar Babar ja boyas hoeche kichu main disorders account for the majority of cases—Alzheimer’s asukh bisukh thakbe. Jamon dhorun hypertension, cervical disease, Vascular dementia and Lewy body spondylitis unar chhilo. Tar sathe apni neurological dysfunctions dementia(LBD).Due to dementia, Mr. Roychoudhury forgets gulo jog karun- confusion, depression, dementia jar janya sab what type of coffee he had taken at the shop with his son the kichu affected hochhe-memory, judgment, movement, everything day before. He has forgotten that he got admitted to hospital (At this age some ailments are normal. He has already the day before. It is really horrible to think of the tragic old hypertension, cervical spondylitis Add neurological man who has even forgotten that his son came to him and was dysfunctions to them-confusion, depression, and dementia. For with him for a few days. them everything like memory, judgment, and movement is being affected.) Depression, confusion, delusion etc. are the Depression, the non-cognitive feature of dementia, is a mood ‘non-cognitive’ features, often described as BPSD- behavioural disorder which may be said to be the most frequently and Psychological symptoms of dementia. To Dr. Basu: Egulo encountered form of abnormal or atypical ageing Cervilla and typical delusions. Maner madhye emon sab dharona o biswas Prince (1997) stress on two aspects. One is the life stressor or janmachhe jar sathe bastober kono mil nai (These are typical the adverse life events and the other is the vascular change in delusions. Such emerging beliefs have no connection with the brain. The overseas migration of his only son, two reality). So besides normal ageing frailties, the only major recurrent failures of his marriage, the physical vulnerability, crisis of Sushovan Roychoudhury is his dementia. We may the lack of informal caregiver, bereavement for his wife, his know a bit more about dementia. acute loneliness are some adversities. Regarding vascular changes we may once again remember Dr. Basu’s comment to The two major, internationally accepted diagnostic Aryaneel: …Unar varied interests- sahitya, chabi, khela, gan, sab classification systems both define dementia as a syndrome kichu niechen. Akhon hatath kare kichu jaigai cells are not characterized by an acquired global impairment of cognitive functioning. Bujte parchen how grave the crisis is? (He has function, sufficient to impinge on everyday activities, occurring varied interests-literature, paintings, sports, music. He has in clear consciousness (DMs-IV, American Psychiatric taken all in his brain. Now suddenly cells are not functioning in Association, 1994; ICd-10, World Health Organisation, 1993). some parts. Can you understand how grave the crisis is?). ‘Global’ in this context has rather idiosyncratic meaning of ‘two Sushovan Roychoudhury is a victim to utter loneliness, and areas of cognitive function, one of which is memory’, with social isolation mainly due to overseas journey of his only son memory impairment being an essential, but not sufficient, Aryaneel. Dr. Ranjit’s observation is crucial: …Ebong unar component of the diagnosis of dementia. Change from a sathe katha bale bujlam you are the most important person in previous level is a key part of the definition, and dementias are his life. Ar apni akhane thaken na. That’s a big issue (And what I usually expected to show progressive deterioration (Woods, have understood from talking to him is that you are the most 2011). important person in his life and you don’t stay here).Another contemporary predicament of ageing is directly associated The term ‘progressive deterioration’ appropriately describes with overseas migration and transnational dispersal of the condition of Professor Roychoudhury. His Son Aryaneel families amidst global labours market and the rise of a new astonishes to see the gradually collapsing state of his father. Indian middle class. Lawrence Cohen in his book No Ageing in This is what he has expressed to Sahana: Ki horrible ekta India : Alzheimer’s, the Bad Family and Other Modern Things feeling. Erakam ekta brilliant manus aste kamon sab kichu (1998) paints compellingly the modern and the western as the theke disconnected hoe jachhe-ekdin hoito sabtai blank hoe jabe. central villains in the dominant middle-class and Parerbar asle hoito amake chinte parbe na. (How horrible a gerontological narratives of modernity, which repeatedly feeling it is! How such a brilliant man is gradually getting portray a fall from a state of moral superiority and traditional disconnected from all! Perhaps one day the whole will be Indianness (pp.104-106 passim). In modern times, the blank. Next time perhaps he won’t be able to recognize me). concern about dementia has increased because of the growing The decline is progressive. Although drugs slow progression, number of affected people due to a variety of social and there is no cure. Sushovan Roychoudhury now always feels environmental issues that characterize modern life. drowsiness. It may be the medicinal effect of his neurotic Projections of some of these trends into the future predict that disorder. He does not like to talk to other not even to his son more cases of dementia will burden individuals, their families, who has arrived after long days. His hands are shaking while and the health-care system in the twenty-first century lifting or lowering the tea cup. Aryaneel observes it minutely. (Whitehouse, 2007). Modernization and urbanization have It means that this is something new. For last few days he impacted negatively on our multigenerational family system. makes sound during sleep. Along with all these symptoms

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They have loosened our emotional bonding, eroded our sweet them to the old age home. Physical separation, emotional human relationship and made our life complicated. Even this distance, loosened patriarchal authority, intergenerational complication snaps away mental peace of both the son and the gap, adjustment crisis ultimately give rise to loneliness and father. This emotional turmoil and social disintegration are the depression among the elderly. In broad terms loneliness roots of all major physical and psychological frailties of implies that an individual recognizes the negative Professor Roychoudhury. consequences which come from experiencing inadequate relationships in terms of their quantity and/or quality (De Sushovan Roychoudhury may be compared to Debraj Sahai Jung Gierveld, 1998). Weiss, (1973) referred to two elements (Amitabh Bachchan), who develops Alzheimer’s disease and is of loneliness: ‘emotional loneliness’ and ‘social loneliness’. admitted, to hospital for his inability to remember his past and Shiboprasad Banerjee’s emotional loneliness finds context as even how to speak in the Hindi film Black (2005) by Sanjay he feels he does not have a close relationship with her sons Leela Bhansali. Professor Roychoudhury’s case finds and daughters in law. His social loneliness comes from his parallelism with Professor Uttam Choudhary (Anupam Kher) feelings of emptiness or of being abandoned. Mr. Banerjee has in another Hindi film Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara (2005) by another serious emotional crisis. It is his fear psychosis. He Jahnu Barua. Professor Choudhary develops dementia and his says to his wife and Paromita: Amader sabar mane kono na daughter Trisha Choudhary (Urmila Matondkar) overcomes a kono bhoy lukie thake. Tumi ato bachhar avinoyer bhut ta thik host of problems to find her father treatment through love, dhare rekhechho. Thik jamon bathroom er bhoi ta … mane ache understanding and commitment. Marathi film Astu (2013) baba bathroom e mara gachilen? Darojata bando chilo (All of us projects a Sanskrit scholar (Dr. Mohan Agashe) who has have some fear within us. You have kept up your ambition for dementia and wanders off. so many years. Just as I have lived with my bathroom phobia. Do you remember my dad died in the toilet? The door was SHIBOPRASAD BANERJEE (DWIJEN BANDOPADHYAY) closed). Shiboprasad Banerjee (Dwijen Bandopadhyay) and Jaya Banerjee (Anamika Saha) are the two important elderly Mr. Banerjee’s ‘bathroom phobia’ is a particular form of characters of the film Benche Thakar Gaan. They are the anxiety disorder as referred to by Lindsay, Briggs, and Murphy constantly wrangling couple outwardly trying to get rid of (1989) in their community survey report. It is a phobic each other but actually they have a close bonding with one disorder i.e. anxiety triggered by a disproportionate/irrational another. Both of them are socially excluded old parents, fear of a specific item or situation. An irrational bathroom suffering from ill-treatment in the hands of their own sons and phobic anxiety works in the mind of Mr. Banerjee and he daughters in law. They have some idiosyncrasies which their cannot win it over. This anxiety syndrome has close relation to kins cannot adjust to. As the elderly persons they have some his depression, co-morbidity and other health related physical vulnerability. But graver are their mental and social vulnerabilities. He cannot adjust to the spicy and oily food crises. Mr. Banerjee (Dwijen Bandopadhya) is a sincere patient habit of his sons and daughters in law. It may be because of his of constipation. His constipation problem reminds us of constipation, flatulence, or other age related health problems. Bhaskar Banerjee (Amitabh Bachchan) in Sujit Sircar’s Hindi Now this anxiety has given rise to a fear of falling. Fear of drama film Piku (2015). Very often Mr. Mukherjee suffers falling is associated with self-related health and previous falls, from flatulence (excessive passing of gas). Sometimes he is anxiety and depression Downton and Andrews, 1990; found to be pressing his lower abdomen with his two hands Howland et al., 1993; Tinetti, Richman and Powell, 1990). and after a moment he farts. For this physical frailty he Tinetti et al. (1994) suggest that for the 50 per cent of older cannot eat food that his son’s family prepares. Paromita, the people, whose fear of falling leads to activities being avoided, gerontologist suggests him to visit them but he disagrees and confidence is reduced and the person is likely to have less self- confesses the reason: Pagal? Gargare tel diee manso ranna efficiency in avoiding falls, and indeed is at greater risk of kare, ora sab health food khai. Bauma sajya karbe Kano? Bauma falling (Spano and Forstl, 1992). sajya karte pare na. Bale chele amar roga hoe jachhe. (Are you mad? She will cook oily mutton for them, and they only eat JAYA BANERJEE (ANAMIKA SAHA) healthy food. How can our daughter in law tolerate it? She says Externally Mrs. Jaya Banerjee may appear to be a wrangling her son is losing weight). Adjustment problem lies not only in woman always quarrelling with her husband, but practically food but also in lifestyle and faiths: Week end e dupur she loves him dearly. Both of them are well conscious of their parjyanta ghumoi. Bale bouma niler uposh kare na Bhabun kon filial and social duty to each other. To each, the other is the jagate pare ache (They sleep till late weekends. Why doesn’t only informal caregiver. She can’t leave him alone for long. daughter in law fast in puja days? Just imagine the world she Like her husband, she also suffers from loneliness: Ar jano ekla lives in). This is a clash of beliefs that emerges out of the gumre mari (I sit alone). She confesses to Paromita the young dichotomy between the traditional family and modern family. gerontologist in the film. She is also a sufferer like her Older people carry the mindset of the traditional family husband of intergenerational gap, deteriorated family values, whereas the younger ones think in terms of the modern one. sense of community life and the growing concept of individualism. Mrs. Banerjee as an old mother has her own Rapid urbanization and modernization processes have made a idiosyncrasy but her sons or daughters in law cannot accept substantial impact on family and community values, and the her. Perhaps Mr. Banerjee means to it when he says to generation gap has widened, making the youngsters more Paromita: Chhle mera eta nite parlo na (Sons and daughters in individualistic than before (Dannefer and Western, 2010). The law can’t accept her). Mrs. Banerjee has been victimized to elderly are confronting the challenge of insecurity, loneliness, another psychological malady ‘Pseudologia fantastica’. This is weak intergenerational bonding, lack of safety and family care a practice of fabricating fictitious stories; she concocts tales (Patel, 2005). . The wide gap in the ‘ideology of living’, feeling, about her past, many with small truth, all self-aggrandizing. and thinking, particularly among young children and elder She told Paromita that she had offer from Shakti Samanto persons, is a matter of great concern for the well-being of the against Kaka (Rajesh Khanna). Grandiose lies typify the elderly. Due to rapid urbanization, modernization, narcissist, whose deep need to win the constant approval of industrialization and lastly some drastic demographic changes others impels her to present herself in the most favourable (population ageing and others) have altered the structure and position. This is exactly what she says to Paromita: Amake function of the family. Structurally and functionally the Shakti Samanto kano kono director e kakhono dakini. sab dynamics of interpersonal relations have changed a lot and mithya. Amar benche thanatai mithya sab banie balechlam.Ar importantly movements like migration, modernization play a jano ami ekla gumre mariar bhabi sab balbo jakhon thakhan crucial part here. Traditional joint family has broken into sabai amake ghire thakbe Sabai. Naika hothe na pari balle to nuclear families. Not only, has traditional family value system kono kshati nai. Ar aj Rimadir kache dhara pare gelam (Why been diluted into individualism, a western borrowing. The Shakti Samanto? No director ever approached me. It is a pack younger generation believe in consumerist culture, hostile to of lies. My very existence is a lie. I made up the stories. When I elderly care. For the gratification of their own interest they sit alone, I think up all these stories and imagine how others migrate to other cities of the country or even to other country leaving the elderly unattended at home or sometimes sending

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GERONTOLOGICAL ISSUES AND BENGALI FILMS: A CRITICAL STUDY OF SELECT AGEING CHARACTERS will be fascinated by them. Even I can’t be a heroine; at least I Another major issue in Dipankarbabu life worthy to be focused can pretend to be one. Rimadi realized the truth today). is sexual dysfunction as well as his sexual attitudes and behaviours. At this age of 85 his physical illness and Mrs. Jaya Banerjee is also subject to anxiety and depression, particularly the chronic problems, have some negative impact other severer mood disorders. The negligence of her sons and on his sexual functioning. Despite the high prevalence of daughters in law, lack of informal care from her kin in the sexual dysfunction among elder adults and the clear and autumn of life, their overseas migration, and acute loneliness significant decline in the frequency of their sexual interest and contribute to her mental disorders. To get rid of loneliness, activity, sex and sexuality continues to be an important Mrs. Banerjee concocts fictitious tales and exaggerates her component in the lives of mature men and women. (Rebecca abilities or remains engaged in make-up, but her wilful Flyckt and Sheryl A. Kingsberg, 2011). At this age, his body suspension associates anxiety or phobia disorder. Such various may not support but still likes sex dream and fantasy. Perhaps forms of anxiety disorders were reported in Lindsay, Briggs, his excessive nurturing of sex fantasy provokes him to behave and Murphy (1989) large community survey. This is what her abnormally towards Beethi. Dipankarbabu suddenly touches husband has described as ‘abhinoyer bhut’. To Parpmita and her breast. And from his own speech, it is clear that it was an Dwiti Basu he suggests: Asale oi acting er bhut ta mathar theke involuntary deed for which he regrets: Chhi! Ki hoe galo! namate parte sab thik hoe jabe (Actually if she gets rid of her Chhya! Ki karlam ami esab? Khub annyai hoe galo (Disgusting! acting obsession, things will be normal).She feels irrational How could it have happened? How could I? It was very wrong.) fear of specific situation. Hya, kintu akhon jadi keu amake acting er offer dai? (Yes, but if suddenly someone offers me a Expression of his sex desire can be traced in his conversation role?). Co- morbidity with depression is always in relation to with Beethi, another important character, the formal caregiver phobic anxiety. Paromita acts here as an instrument to give looking after the elderly: Tor Didar buke ekta lal til chhilo. Khali her cure. Mrs. Banerjee expresses her depression: Na, na, na. dhyat korto (My wife had a red mole on her breast. She’d keep Paromita tumi amake chere dao. Ami osab parbo na. Abhinoy shying away). He suggests Shankar about the necessity of amar dara hobe na. Amar sab shes hoe gechhe. Ei mithye balar marriage and expresses his carnal sex desire very grossly: Na janya cholera maake chere chale gechhe. Baumara amake bie tha darkar, sharir, ekta dagar sharir chai (No, no, marriage apoman kareche (No Paromita, I can’t do it anymore. I have is required. The body has its demands).Dipankarbabu thinks lost everything. My sons have left me for my lie. The daughters that sexual urge is a basic instinct, one can’t shire it. He argues: in law have insulted me).Mrs. Banerjee’s depression emerges Mangsasi jantu, se ki nakuldanar katha balbe? (We are men of out of her difficult life events. Cervilla and Prince (1997) refer flesh, we don’t talk about seeds. He addresses Shankar as to two types of depressions. The first type relates to adversity ‘bloody impostor’ as, to him, he ignores the grim reality. He and the second to change in cognitive function. Mrs. Jaya added: Kat jato poretato tar fotfot shabdo bare, bayosh hok Banerjee’s case belongs to the fist category that suggests of her bujbe (The wood burns the longer it crackles, you’ll know difficult life circumstances. when you reach my age). The pretension to him is nothing but perversion of truth. That’s why he comments : Biral bale ash DIPANKARBABU (PARAN BANDOPADHYAY) chobo, na, mas khabo na, Kashi jabo (The cat says that he won’t Dipankarbabu in the film Benche Thakar Gaan is an touch fish). Dipankar’s sensuality can be attested in his octogenarian character. Physically, he is suffering from a comment on Sabita (maid servant): Maghitar khub buddhi serious cardiac problem. To Dr. Partha Sinha, the owner of the (That’s broad has a lot of brains), pachha dekhle na, jar pachha old age home: Ekjan pachashi bacharer cerebral patient. Tar jato baro, buddhi tar besi (The bigger the broads are intelligent upor heart muscle weak (He is an 85 years cerebral patient. He the person). He tries to establish his argument with ‘Urdu has weak heart muscle). Additionally, he has an arterial couplets’ and quotation from Rabindranath. Nigaho jai kaha dilation. Dipankarbabu is suffering from long-standing chronic sine jarutkar, Uhate husan ka doulot pari hay (What will you disease of heart and circulatory disease. This pattern of notice beyond the breasts? The beauty of the women lies disease causes high mortality and morbidity. He becomes yonder!). Komol dukhani bahu sarame lukae/ Bikosito Ston duti senseless in a party arranged by the young gerontologist agulia rahe/Tari majkhane ki je roeche lukae/Atishai sajatane Paromita Sen. He is on the verge of life and death. Besides gopono hridaye (The tender arms hide the budding breasts in some physical vulnerability, Dipankarbabu is a victim to some shame/Shielding feelings of the heart within). He opines that psychological and social hazards. Mentally he suffers from as life is short, we may die any day, we should avoid all our depression and socially from social exclusion and elder pretensions. In spite of all the old age physical, psychological, mistreatment in the hands of his son and daughter in law. and social crises, Dipankarbabu bears a positive attitude Subjective depression comes from the objective social towards life. isolation and disengagement. His only son has settled in USA with his wife and son keeping their old father in Dr. Sinha’s CONCLUDING REMARKS home. We may associate the case of Dipankar’s exclusion from In fine, the four filmic portraits are the transmutation of the the point of Darkheimian frame of reference. true elderly persons of Bengali society at large particularly in the urban setting. For the settings of the films Mayurakshi and There has been a longstanding tradition within the field of Benche Thakar Gaan, the big house of a retired professor, and social exclusion with a broadly Darkheimian frame of an old-age home respectively in Kolkata have been used. reference where it represents a person’s social or normative Poverty issue among the elderly characters has not been so isolation from wider society (Judith Philips and et al. 2010). highlighted as their isolation, abuse, depression, anxiety, Dipankarbabu’s son and daughter in law won’t bring him with deadly psychosomatic problems, and sense of jeopardy. So them on the excuse that their house remains empty after they both the films reflect the urban picture. In the light of the part, go out on job: Baba USA te amader bari ta prai saradin fakai we should see the whole. And it is high time for the policy thake. O barie jai sath ta Samai, ami adh ghanta pare, firte makers to ensure adequate health care, economic and social amder prai atta nata baje Saradin barita fakai thake. Apnake support for urban, rural, and slum elderly. Hence governments dekhbar moto keu thakbe na :( Dad, our house in the USA stays may initiate provision of improved information and training empty all day. He leaves at 7 A.M., I leave half an hour later. We for health professionals and para-professionals on the needs of return at 8/9 in the night. The house remains empty all day. the older persons at all levels of the society. In the book An There will be no one to look after you).To old man agrees to Introduction to Gerontology (2011), Suzanne Wait in his article take care of himself so that he could see them at day’s end. But “Policies on Ageing” says: his informal caregivers won’t allow him to live alone. In order to stop his daughter in law refers to his age as an obstacle: Ar The need to foster ‘healthy’, ’active’ and ‘productive’ ageing is apnar bayos taoto ekta factor (And your age is a factor). The also a strong political motivator, as government and society in old father wishes to see his dear ones at the end of the day: general want to ensure that older persons remain healthy, Dinante to ekbar dhakte pabo tomader (I could be able to see active, financially secure and able to live independently in you at the end of the day). But who cares his desire? He is their homes for as long as possible. Cynics may claim that this miserably left in the old age home. This negligence and ill- political will is driven simply by fear that older people will treatment gives him a sense of wretchedness and jeopardy. become a drain on social resources. However, this author

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GERONTOLOGICAL ISSUES AND BENGALI FILMS: A CRITICAL STUDY OF SELECT AGEING CHARACTERS would advance the more positive view that there is increased to running. Jadi sattick hotam na kabe fute jetam (I was used social consciousness of the realities of ageing and a growing to… I had done a lot of things, everything. That’s why I’m still recognition that we have a responsibility to ‘make it right’ for running. If I’d been a teetotaller would have gone by now). Not future generations of older people (Stuart-Hamilton, 2011, only he extends his hands to be grasped by Paromita, he p.318). dances with her, recollects his past ball dance with his wife with the accompaniment of saxophone played by a white man The policy makers are to keep in mind that older people are Patrick. In the party he sings the chorus song of the spirit of not ‘a drain on social’ resource. Rather from an optimistic spring. view, they may be used as a resource if this elderly group is to be engaged into a productive framework so as to contribute to Aryaneel in Mayurakshi can’t but go back to Chicago. He cries the society. On part of the governments there is an urgent bitterly. His father feels the pangs of separation but cannot necessity to create truly integrated policy responses to ageing express. The forgetful man perhaps has forgotten why his that may bridge across different departments and sectors of heart consumes as he has already forgotten that his son came society. Older people should be included as important to him. Here the director has diverted our attention to a stakeholders in the planning of social and economic structures positive angle and shown another way of expressing that and programmes. The notion of productive engagement of anguish. Professor Sushovan Roychoudhury is now engaged in older people remains anathema both politically and socially in a creative work i.e. drawing. Mr. and Mrs. Banerjee in another India as a developing country. This cultural attitude must be cinema Benche Thakar Gaan have won over their ingrained taken into account to promote age-inclusiveness within fear psychosis. Jaya Banerjee is now thinking about her acting. society. Policy initiatives must be taken to give employment Her husband Mr. Shiboprasad Banerjee gives her emotional opportunity for the older persons including the retirees who support. Dipankarbabu is busy in hearing the song of the want to work for full utilization of the potential and expertise spring sung by another important senior character Shankar. recognizing the benefits of increased experience with age. This All the four characters, conquering the oddities, mingle into positive imaging in gerontology relates to activity theory the mainstream of life. The fights of them may promote an developed by (Havighurst, 1963) in contrast to Disengagement active, safe and healthy ageing. theory originally formulated in Growing Old by Cumming and Henry (1961). Activity theory is the prescriptive view of NOTE ageing which argues that activity and engagement offer the Translated from Bengali by the first author. path to successful ageing. It centrally involves preserving the attitudes and activities of middle age. In Social Context of REFERENCES Ageing: a Handbook of Gerontology, Christina Victor writes: 1. Cervilla, J. A., & Prince, M. J. (1998). Cognitive impairment and social distress as different pathway to There are two central assumptions of activity theory. First, depression to the elderly: a cross sectional study. that morale and life satisfaction are positively related to social International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12,995- integration and high involvement with social networks: those 1000. with high levels of activity and integration are more satisfied. 2. Cumming, E., & Henry, W. E. (1961). Growing old, Basic Second, role losses such as widowhood or retirement are Books, New York. inversely correlated with life satisfaction and such losses need 3. Dannefer, D. &Phillipson, C. (2010). The handbook of to be compensated for by the substitution of compensatory social gerontology. London: Sage Publications Ltd. activities (Victor, 2005, p.21). 4. Cohen, Lawrence. (1998). No Ageing in India: At this age an individual may attain opportunity to find other Alzheimer’s, the Bad Family and Other Modern Things. roles, such as voluntary jobs, or to compensate the loss, one Berkeley: University of California Press. has done in one’s earlier ages. The social policy implications of 5. CSO (Central Statistics Office). (2011). Situation analysis this view is positive, for it argues at least for the integration of of the Elderly in India. Ministry of Statistics & older people as full members of society. On the basis of this Programme Implementation. Government of India. theory both the films may be contextualized. In the film Benche 6. De Jung, G. (1998). A Review of loneliness concept and Thakar Gaan, Mr. Shiboprasad Banerjee with all his definitions, determinants and consequences. Reviews in difficulties shows his optimistic attitude through his sense of Clinical Gerontology, 8, 73-80. humour. Anasuya Bhaduri, another character says: Apni satyi 7. Dix, A. (2010). Beginning film studies. Viva Books Pvt. advut (You are really strange). She makes this comment as a Ltd. feedback to Mr. Banerjee’s comparison of his wife with a lorry: 8. Ferri et al. (2005). Global prevalence of dementia: a Akhuni lorir moto gaggag kare chute asbe (She’ll come at me Delhi consensus study. Lancet, 366, (9503), 2112-217. like a lorry at any moment). Mr. Banerjee quarrels with his 9. Graham, N., Perel-Levin, S., Barclay, L. et al. World wife. But he also appreciates her to others particularly about alzheimer Report 2019: Attitudes to Dementia. her past beauty: Dakhte ek Samai khub misti chilo janen (She Alzheimer’s disease International, London, U.K:2019. was very nice looking at one point). Seeing his wife without 10. Havighurst, R. (1963). Successful aging. In R.H.Williams, make-up he feigns not to recognize her and says: A kire, chena C.Tabbits &W. Donahue. (Eds.). Processes of Aging, Vol 1, mane hochhe, Mohenjodaro, Haroppar keu naki? (Oh my! Who University of Chicago press. is this? Looks familiar, could be some relic from the 11. Howland, J. Peterson, E.W., Levin, W.C., et al. (1993). Mahenjodaro or Harappa civilization). All the examples attest Fear of falling among the community dwelling elderly, Shiboprasad Banerjee’s positive attitude to life. His attitude Journal of Ageing and Health, 5, 229-43. supports successful or positive ageing. His optimistic and 12. Linesay, J., Briggs, K., & Murphy, E. (1989). The guys/age progressive mentality can be understood from his emotional concern survey: prevalence rates in cognitive support to his wife in enacting. He says: Habe. Tumi parbe.Ami impairment, depression and anxiety in an urban elderly tomar sange achi. Chele bou ja boluk. Tumi jadi abhinoyta thik community, British Journal of Psychiatry, 155(3), 17-29. kare karo, amio katha dilam ami ar darja khule bathroom e 13. Monaco, J. (2009. How to read a film: movies media and basbo na (Yes. You can. I am with you. Let the boys say what beyond. New York: Oxford University Press. they want. If you can enact properly, I too will never go to the 14. Patel, T. (2005) The family in India: structure and toilet with the door open). Dipankarbabu, another character is practice. New Delhi: Sage Publications. also bears optimistic views to life. Paromita Sen, the 15. Philips, J., Ajrouch, K., & Hillcoat-Nalletamby, S. (2010). gerontologist declares the news of a party. Dipankarbabu Key concepts in social gerontology. New Delhi: Sage describes himself as romantic. Ami abar ektu romantic to (I am Publications. romantic). His sense of humour, loss and gain calculation is 16. Ranjay, V. (2017). Elder abuse and elder victimization: a praiseworthy. Conquering all barriers, he enjoys life. On sociological analysis. International Annals of hearing the news of party, he asks Paromita if there will be any Criminology; Paris, 55(1), 99-113. drinking arrangement: Ami khetam to. Ei Dr. Sinha majkhan DOI:10.1017/cri.2017.7 thake…Are ami anek kichu karechi, sabkichu karechi sai jannyoi

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17. Ratnakaran, B., Anil, S.S., & Suresh, N. (2018). Dementia in Indian cinema: a narrative review. Journal of Geriatric Mental Health, 5, 4-9. DOI:10.4103/jgmh.jgmh_14_17 18. Rebecca, F., & Sheryl, A. K. (2011). Sexuality and ageing. In I. Stuart- Hamilton (Ed.), An introduction to gerontology (Latest ed., pp.12-13).Cambridge University Press. 19. Shaji, K.S., Jotheswaran, A.T., Girish, N. et al. The Dementia India Report: Prevalence, Impact, Costs and Services for Dementia. New Delhi, India: Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India: 2010. 20. Spano, A., & Forstl, H. (1992). Falling and the fear of it, International journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 7,149-51. 21. Stuart- Hamilton, I. (2011). An introduction to gerontology. Cambridge University Press. 22. Tinetti, M.E., Mendes de Leon, C.F., Doucette, J.T. et al. (1994).Fear of falling and fall related efficacy in relationship to functioning to functioning among community living elders, Journal of Gerontology, 49, M140-7. 23. Tinnetti, M.E., Richman, D., & Powell, L. (1990). Falls efficacy as an efficacy as a measure of fear of falling. Journal of Gerontology, 45, P239-43. 24. Tyagi, R., Kapoor, S., & Kapoor, A.K. (2008). Environmental influence and health status of 25. elderly. The Open Anthropology Journal, 1, 14-18. 26. UN. (2009). World Population Ageing. Development of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division. New York. 27. Victor, C. (2005). The social context of aging: A text book of gerontology. London/ New York: Routeledge. 28. Wait, S. Policies on ageing. (2011). In I. Stuart- Hamilton, (Eds.), An introduction to gerontology (pp.317-339). Cambridge University Press. 29. Weiss, R.S. (1973). Loneliness: The experience of emotional and social isolation. Cambridge: The MIT Press Reader. 30. WHO, Regional Health Forum. (2012). South East Asia region. Special issue on ageing and health, 16 (1). 31. World Health Organisation. (1993). The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders: diagnostic criteria for research. Geneva: WHO. 32. Woods, B. (2011). The psychology of atypical ageing. In I. Stuart- Hamilton, (Eds.), An introduction to gerontology (pp.168-192). Cambridge University Press

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