Plot: Wazed Ali Shah is one of the few remaining independent rulers of India. The Brits seek to extend their dominance in the region and send out a general to unite the remaining kingdoms. Once there the general is surprised to find the ruler isn't that interested in politics. Instead, he spends his time on music and chess.
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June 04, 2024
I know Satyajit Ray as a more arthouse-oriented director, the Indian representative of the neo-realist style. The Chess Players promised to be a very different kind of film though, closer to the Bollywood style that dominates their industry now. I was intrigued by the idea, but the result turned out to be terrible.
The performances are horrible, the presentation is iffy (costumes and cinematography are subpar) and the soundtrack is just irritating. I didn't really care much for the plot either, so the film started to drag pretty quickly, which ain't great knowing you're stuck with it for two full hours. Ray missed the mark here.