Combines the political themes of Ganashatru with the extra-marital temptation of Charulata. On the first count, it succeeds admirably, weaving a complex issue. Although Ray clearly sympathizes more with Nikhil, it's not as blatantly one-sided as Ganashatru. As for the budding affair, that plotline isn't as deft and gets too melodramatic, but at least it's convincing. Technically, the film is far superior to most of Ray's color films, even majestic. Not a brilliant movie, but a very good one

Great ending. It's still nowhere near worth the time put into it, and I find it unbelievable Ray could craft this romance/political work so unsuccessfully on both fronts.

Good, but not great. My biggest qualm is that it, with the exception of a few scenes (most notably the end), didn't have the emotional resonance of Ray's best work. The political stuff was interesting, but not that interesting. I also thought it was technically underwhelming, or at least no more than adequate. I did like it, but I won't stay with me for anywhere near as long as the other Rays I've seen.