‘মৃগয়া’ : সেলুলয়েডে মৃণাল সেন-এর শ্রেণি নিরিক্ষা/ ‘Mrigayaa’ : Mrinal Sen’s Class Analysis on Celluloid

Abstract

Mrinal Sen’s ‘Mrigayaa’ (1976) is a significant film based on Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi’s short story ‘Shikar’. The film portrays colonial oppression, the exploitation of the Santhal tribal community, class inequality, and the inhumanity of the judicial system. Ghinuya kills the moneylender Gobinda Sardar to avenge the dishonour inflicted upon his wife. Although he considers his act justified, British law sentences him to death. This tragic outcome exposes the conflict between indigenous values and colonial law. Mithun Chakraborty’s performance, K. K. Mahajan’s realistic cinematography, and Salil Chowdhury’s music deepen the film’s social and aesthetic significance. The varied use of light, shadow, silence, and camera techniques visually articulates the conflict between the oppressor and the oppressed. Thus, Mrigayaa is not merely a story of hunting; it is a significant cinematic portrayal of colonial power, social injustice, and the marginalised people’s aspiration for justice.