The Chess Players

“Satyajit Ray's First Hindi feature Film”

Mirza Sajjad Ali (Sanjeev Kumar) and Mir Roshan Ali (Saeed Jaffrey) are two noblemen in Awadh in 1856 who ignore their duties and spend their days over a chessboard. Around them the British press toward annexation, General Outram arrives to clear the way, and the King, Wajid Ali Shah (Amjad Khan), fills his hours with pleasure and prayer. Satyajit Ray keeps the two men at their game while Mirza's wife Khurshid (Shabana Azmi) waits and the court goes unattended.