Quest for the Pitcher of Nectar

The film documents one of the largest Indian religious fairs, the Kumbh Mela, which is held at the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. The action is seen through the eyes of Shubhendu Chatterjee who has come to the Mela not out of any religious sentiment but to see and understand people and seek the reason why “….multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys and endure the resultant miseries without repining.” (Mark Twain after visiting the 1895 Mela)

Directed by Dilip Roy, Quest for the Pitcher of Nectar leans on a strong ensemble — Aparna Sen, Subhendu Chatterjee, Ruma Guha Thakurta — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1982.