Echoes of Emotion: A Deep Dive Into Satyajit Ray’s “The Music Room”

Satyajit Ray’s The Music Room was a culturally, historically, and musically-enlightening feature film. Ray, as a director, is well known for weaving social themes into his works, and he continued his legacy to create a world of wonder and deep contemplation through this particular creation. Poverty, the caste system, and addiction are the three most prominent themes that are present throughout this film. Likewise, the director took upon himself to direct this entire film from the opposite viewpoint, a bold and meaningful decision for displaying the controversy between the old and the new. Also, through presenting the aristocratic side, I was able to sympathize and to contemplate the justifications and lifestyle choices of Roy.  

His main character, Huzur Biswambhar Roy, is a Brahman Zamindar, who has an unhealthy addiction to music and to the endless pursuit of it. With this addiction comes the insatiable pleasure of his “music room” and the crippling consequences of his choices: the onset of poverty and the corruption of his mind. For the most part, we can imagine that this room is symbolic of Roy himself and his status as an aristocrat. Roy is trapped within his lineage and his own desires, letting his obsession control him and affect the lives of his relatives (even to the point of death). Roy is an intriguing character, because he mainly represents the dying aristocratic society itself. With his death in the end, Ray signals the demise of the old and the birth of a new, more modern India—a society that has stripped off some of its ancient antiquities and adopted a fresh perspective and improved form.  

The most fascinating element of the movie was the background music track itself. The selection of these songs was astonishing and laudable, as the music ushered me into the core of the film, introduced me to a broad range of classical instruments (i.e. Sitar) and their live performances (i.e. Ustad Khan), and represented some of the most impacting symbols in key scenes. A range of music was utilized throughout the film, most notably conveying the internal emotions (and sometimes turmoil) of the characters and the external circumstances surrounding them. At times, even if the scenes were slower in nature, the background music served as a perfect way for me, as an audience member, to understand the intent and meaning behind the scene (albeit not knowing all of the cultural nuances presented).  

Concerning cultural context, there were multiple scenes that caught me off guard. Although this movie specifically detailed the push-and-pull forces between the aristocracy and the “modern man,” it also provided me with the ability to take a look at my own circumstances in a new light. Mahim Ganguli was the “modern man” of this film and seen as the antagonist from the viewpoint of the aristocracy. However, he is not someone I can hate or dislike, because I, in many ways, am him. Coming from a culture that does not adhere to strict customs and etiquette lessons, I am likely seen as a “Mahim” to other cultures. I can both sympathize and re-analyze myself through his actions and his treatment during the film. In a sense, Ray, most likely unintentionally, created a life lesson for not just the old aristocrats but also the new modernists.  

Overall, The Music Room was a culturally rich viewing experience, exploring the fine lines between the pride of the aristocrats and the wealth of the modernists. Likewise, there were a vast expanse of symbolic items and scenes (i.e. the chandelier which represented opulence and decay) which masterfully were mixed into the seams of the story. It proved to be a highly intellectual movie, making me question the very fabrics of the caste-based Indian society.