“Ray’s film is an incisive dissection of culture shock and class privilege.”
Set on the eve of the Indian rebellion of 1857, Saeed Jaffrey and Sanjeev Kumar star as Mir and Mirza, a pair of noblemen who are more interested in playing chess with one another than in the imminent annexation of their country by British General Outram (Richard Attenborough). Amidst mounting intrigue and political manoeuvres, Mir and Mirza simply play on and on, while their relationship is gradually revealed to be not quite as amiable as it first may seem… The Chess Players is a brilliantly witty satire on class and politics, a comedy of manners, and a late masterpiece from Ray.
