Belaseshe 2015

75 years old Biswanath Majumdar [Soumitra Chatterjee] is at the helm of a publishing house, a life steeped in papers, editions, and deadlines. His wife, Arati Majumdar [Swatilekha Sengupta] is 66, and after 49 years of marriage they are parents to four children: Barin, Malasree, Kaberi, and Piu, all of them now married to Sharmistha, Bijon, Jyotirmoy and Palash respectively. The family’s North Kolkata home is a bustling stage where tradition and modernity clash and fuse in almost every room.

Within this large extended brood, trouble quietly simmers in the marriages of the siblings. Sharmistha, a mid-scale cloth merchant, is unhappy with Barin’s financial position as his father’s assistant in the publishing house and suspects that Barin may be involved with someone else. Malasree, who does not approve of Bijon—an unemployed man who lives off a rich inheritance and pursues the sarod—enters into an extra-marital affair. Jyotirmoy, a gold trader, is frustrated by Kaberi, a mother of three, who refuses to satisfy his sexual urges. Palash, meanwhile, works as a film director in Bollywood and has very little time for his wife Piu, who serves as his assistant more than a partner.

On Vijayadashami night, after Durga Puja in their North Kolkata residence, Biswanath publicly declares that he has decided to divorce his wife, Arati. The moment is jarring for everyone, and Arati seems unfazed by the announcement. Biswanath files a divorce case in court, explaining that their married life, while long, has become a routine of obligatory chores rather than genuine companionship. The judge proposes a 15-day vacation together, hoping the pair might reconsider or at least gain clarity before any final step.

To uncover the truth behind the mounting tensions, Barin and his three brothers-in-law install CCTV cameras in Biswanath and Arati’s bedroom—along with the spouses of the siblings—to eavesdrop on conversations and search for the real reasons behind the impending divorce. What they overhear is a long, shared history: grievances, disappointments, and small joys that punctuated decades of living side by side. They discover that despite little or no emotional connection at times—driven by Biswanath’s demanding work schedule and Arati’s focus on household duties—the couple still cares deeply for one another. This revelation stands in stark contrast to the haste and whimsy that marks their children’s approach to marriage in the modern era.

As the parents’ past unfolds before them, the siblings begin to confront their own flaws and the ways they treat their spouses. Love among the younger generation starts to rekindle as they see the steadiness and resilience of their parents’ bond. In a turn of decision, Biswanath convinces Arati to divorce him so she can step into greater independence, and she agrees—at least initially. Four months pass, and Arati proves capable and self-sufficient, yet Biswanath finds himself overwhelmed by loneliness and unable to fully sever the bond he shares with her. He returns to her, seeking companionship and companionship’s comfort. In the end, the family comes together to celebrate a renewed, matured sense of love across the generations: Biswanath and Arati mark their 50th marriage anniversary, surrounded by a family that has learned to balance tradition with change and to cherish the enduring ties that truly bind them.