The Expedition (Abhijan) finds Ray returning once again to India's social upheaval, this time through the eyes of recently divorced, borderline alcoholic taxi driver, Narsingh (played by Apu the elder, Soumitra Chatterjee). After flipping out at his boss and losing his taxi licence, Narsingh and his trusty assistant Rama (Robi Ghosh) pack up his beloved 1930 Chrysler and make their way to Narsingh's childhood home. En route they fall in with Sukhanram (Charuprakash Ghosh), a shady businessman, who tempts Narsingh into drug smuggling with the promise of a partnership in his new venture. While he is wrestling with his decision, Narsingh attempts to fill a gap in the market by opening the small town's first taxi service, something he accomplishes with the help of his childhood friend, Joseph (Ganesh Mukherjee).
Narsingh is a tormented individual desperately struggling with his own self pity, endowed with a tragic flaw of Shakespearean proportions. His pride and his deep-seated desire to recapture the power of the warrior caste he was born into gradually corrupts his day to day thinking. He wilfully disregards his own considerable moral fortitude to meet the self-sufficient end he dreams of.
The Expedition's parochial setting, with its petty rivalries and religious intolerance, makes for an interesting backdrop to Narsingh's internal conflict. Ray is patient in the way he puts his characters in play. While his central concern is Narsingh's moral dilemma, he is equally interested in laying out the community in which he makes his decision. Each new relationship tips the balance. Ray takes this one slowly. His work is methodical but never difficult to watch; the warmth of his characters, especially the goofy but good-hearted Rama, keeps the affection burning.
Of the intricate network of influencers which sway Narsingh's moral compass, the most prominent are Joseph's well-schooled sister, Neeli (Ruma Guha Thakurta), who he has taken a liking to, and Sukhanram's "indentured" servant girl, Gulabi (Wahida Rehman), who has taken a liking to him. Narsingh's attitude to both these women, how he deals with their affections, advances and rejections in the wake of his wife's desertion is involving, emotionally and morally. Narsingh's consuming, caste-driven pride blinds him to each woman's intentions but the fallout, on both counts, gives him cause to reflect and ultimately leads him to his final call.
It all builds to a trite and rather sentimental ending, perhaps not befitting the rural tragedy of the preceding film, but it is satisfying nonetheless.
Next up The Big City...
This post contributes to Director Focus: Satyajit Ray.
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