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Recommended A Throw of Dice

Franz Osten, 1929

Star Review

This is a real treasure from the archives; a beautiful print of an Indian silent film, shot on location in the palaces and countryside of Rajasthan, that brings to life an episode of the Mahabarata. It tells of the rival Kings Ranjit and Sohan, both addicted to gambling. Sohan craves Ranjit’s kingdom, attempting to kill him during a tiger hunt, but Ranjit is nursed back to health by his old teacher, and falls in love with his daughter Sunita, who is also coveted by Sohat. On the eve of Ranjit and Sunita's wedding, Sohat arrives with his wedding gift, an exquisite set of dice. Would King Ranjit perhaps like a game before the ceremony? Ranjit cannot resist and soon his life, kingdom and the woman he loves are his stake.

This is a more intimate film than its 10,000 extras, 1000 horses and 50 elephants would lead you to imagine. Its cinematography is notable too, from some memorably lovely close-ups, especially during Ranjit and Sunita’s budding romance, to moments of surprisingly mobile camerawork. Nitin Sawhney's sympathetic score provides admirable accompaniment.

Graeme Hobbs on 8th October 2007

View all 224 of Graeme Hobbs’s reviews

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Film Ratings

Average Rating

4/5

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DVD Extras
  • Exclusive filmed interview with Nitin Sawhney
  • Fully illustrated 22-page booklet including essays by film historian Amrit Gangar and filmmaker Asif Kapadia (The Warrior), biographies and reviews.
Film Details

Director

Franz Osten

Year

1929

Country

Asia, India, India

Cast

Seeta Devi, Charu Roy, Himansu Rai

Technical Details

Certificate

U

Length

74 mins

Label

BFI

Format

DVD B&W

Region

2

Aspect

4:3 Full Frame

Cat No

BFIVD734

Main Language

Silent

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