Kanku

I loved this movie which I saw many years ago at the Chicago International Film Festival. It won the award for Best Actress. It's an honestly told story about a village woman in Gujerat whose husband dies leaving her and their son in difficult circumstances. The filmmaking is sophisticated and direct. I think it's a masterpiece.

Kanku's husband is dead and lone handedly she tries to bring up her son. A life of widow in Gujarat or in any part of India is difficulty, sad and depressingly pitiful. She has to wear black clothes , no ornaments- the day she becomes widow her bangles are broken and the red mark on forehead is wiped off. The irony is this red mark is known "Chandlo" and is made with Kanku., The name of the hero pin of the Film.A trader of the village played by Kishor wants to have sexual relations with her and is trying to woo her by helping her.The film was directed by Kantilal Rathod.

Generally the films in Gujarati are theatrical , melodramatic and unnatural but this film had natural flair about it.It is commentary of Society .Maybe that is the reason why film flopped.