Hello Everyone!...
This blog is a reflective response to the class activity involving the screening of the short film “An Astrologer’s Day”, based on R.K. Narayan’s iconic story, and this task assigned by Megha Trivedi Ma'am. I engaged with both the textual version (as provided in screenshots) and the cinematic adaptation 👉 Watch Here which gave me a rich, layered understanding of the plot, characters, and message.
📘Pre-Viewing: Understanding “An Astrologer’s Day” by R.K. Narayan
Before watching the short film adaptation, I carefully read the original short story “An Astrologer’s Day” by R.K. Narayan to understand its setting, characters, plot, structure, style, and themes.
The story is set in a bustling South Indian marketplace, described with vivid sensory details — flickering gas lights, shouting vendors, busy crowds, and the faint scent of food and flowers. Under a large tamarind tree, surrounded by shops, sits the astrologer. The setting plays a crucial role: it is chaotic and noisy, yet the astrologer uses it as a stage to practice his trade.
The main character, the astrologer, is an ordinary man in disguise. He wears saffron robes, applies ash and vermilion on his forehead, and pretends to have mystical powers. However, we soon learn he is not a real astrologer. He merely observes people closely and uses his intelligence and quick judgment to guess their problems. His past is unknown at first, but it is later revealed that he had fled his village after attempting to kill a man in a fight.
Another important character is Guru Nayak, the stranger who visits the astrologer late in the evening. He appears strong and suspicious. Unaware of the astrologer’s identity, he seeks advice about the man who once tried to kill him. The astrologer instantly recognizes him, which leads to the story’s central twist.
The plot follows a linear path with a surprising climax. The astrologer, thinking his past has caught up with him, cleverly manipulates the conversation and tells Guru Nayak that his attacker is dead — thus saving himself. The story ends when he confesses the truth to his wife, saying,
“A great load is gone from me today.”This simple line carries deep emotional weight and gives closure to the reader.
The themes include fate vs. free will, deception, guilt, survival, and irony. Narayan’s style is known for its simplicity, realism, and subtle humor. The story’s structure is tightly constructed, moving from routine life to sudden suspense, and then to quiet relief.
◾️ Themes:
Style & Tone:
Narayan's narration is ironic, simple, and deceptively humorous, hiding serious existential and moral undertones.
🎬 What Might Be Different in the Film?
➡️ While the story gives internal thoughts and subtle irony through narration, the film adds visual and dramatic elements. For example, the flashback fight scene and matchstick lighting moment help the audience clearly see the past conflict and emotional tension. The expressions, lighting, background music, and pauses in the film visually highlight the guilt, fear, and relief that are only hinted at in the text. These cinematic tools can make the suspense and twist more intense than in the written version.
🎞️ While-Viewing: Scene-Wise Observations from the Film
➡️ So here, the short film based on real story but many different in this film so watch, below is summary of film.
In a close-up scene, he examines a man’s hand while speaking in a calm, mysterious voice. The background shows symbols of astrology, but his words are vague and emotionally suggestive.
“You have narrowly escaped danger. But don’t worry — the stars are now in your favor.”
This line is key — it shows his manipulative skill. His clients are impressed and satisfied, even though he has simply guessed their situation.
The market around him is full of movement, but his voice stays composed. This contrast builds the atmosphere — a man surviving through performance and wit.
Scene 3: Guru Nayak Appears
Just as the astrologer begins to pack up for the day, a mysterious stranger appears — Guru Nayak. He has a scar on his face and a suspicious attitude. He challenges the astrologer and offers a bet.
🗣️ Guru Nayak: “Tell me something true. If you’re right, I’ll pay you double.”
The astrologer hesitates. When Guru Nayak lights a matchstick, the brief flame illuminates his face.
Scene 4: Flashback – A Crime Resurfaces
Astrologer: “The man who attacked you… he is dead. Crushed by a lorry years ago.”
Guru Nayak: “Then my search ends. I’ve spent years hunting him. Now I can sleep.”
Ironically, the astrologer saves himself with another lie — but this time, it's to escape justice and guilt. The tension drops, and Guru Nayak leaves without ever knowing the truth.
Scene 6: The Astrologer Walks Home
The market winds down. The astrologer, now free from fear, walks through dimly lit streets. His body language is light. He’s been released from the fear of being caught, and for the first time in years, he feels safe.
The background score is soft, reflecting his inner calm. His face no longer holds the burden it did earlier. He is finally free — not through confession, but by clever survival.
Scene 7: Home – The Final Scene of Peace
He reaches home late. His wife, dressed simply, complains gently while serving food.
Wife: “You’re always late! I waited for so long.”Astrologer: “A great load is gone from me today…”
She doesn’t ask much. She’s used to his silence. He lies down quietly, feeling peace. The camera lingers on his face — he is not a saint, but a man who escaped his past.
Final Reflection:
👉🏻 The short film faithfully follows R.K. Narayan’s story while adding visual depth. The matchstick lighting, the black-and-white flashback, and the final line at home enhance the emotional impact. The astrologer is shown not as evil, but as a man caught in fate, guilt, and cleverness. He finds peace not by telling the truth, but by hiding it well.
📝 Post-Viewing Tasks:
1. How faithful is the movie to the original short story?
The question of fidelity is central when analyzing literary adaptations. The short film based on R.K. Narayan’s An Astrologer’s Day remains largely faithful to the original text in both structure and storyline. All major plot points are intact: the astrologer’s fake profession, his unexpected encounter with Guru Nayak, the twist revealing his dark past, and the emotional relief at the end. The setting of the marketplace, the tamarind tree, and the overall atmosphere are recreated authentically. However, the film introduces cinematic elements not present in the story, such as a flashback sequence of the violent encounter between the astrologer and Guru Nayak, and the matchstick-lighting scene that acts as a visual cue for the astrologer’s recognition. While these are not literal in the text, they serve the purpose of visually translating what the story implies through narration. Thus, the film is faithful in essence, while using creative visual storytelling to convey unspoken emotions and tension.
2. After watching the movie, have your perception about the short story, characters or situations changed?
Yes, this question opens up the emotional impact that a film can bring to a story. While reading the short story, I viewed the astrologer mainly as a clever fraud, using his street-smart skills to survive. However, after watching the film, I saw him more as a complex, guilt-ridden individual. His facial expressions, body language, and sudden silence after recognizing Guru Nayak all revealed a man who is haunted by his past. I also gained a new understanding of Guru Nayak. In the story, he feels like a device to create suspense, but in the film, he becomes a real person — a wounded man searching for closure, not just revenge. The film humanizes both characters. The visual presentation of the market, the lighting, and especially the astrologer’s final line to his wife,
3. Do you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen?
Yes, I absolutely experienced aesthetic delight, and it was felt most strongly in two distinct moments. The first was the matchstick scene — when Guru Nayak lights a match and the brief flame illuminates his face. In that second, the astrologer’s calm mask drops, and he silently recognizes his former victim. The light-and-shadow effect, the suspenseful silence, and the actor’s subtle shift in expression made this moment visually and emotionally powerful. The second moment of delight came at the very end, when the astrologer returns home and speaks with his wife. After the day’s drama, he sits down, eats quietly, and says,
“A great load is gone from me today.”That line, delivered with peace and relief, closes the story beautifully. The soft lighting, homely atmosphere, and the wife’s calm presence created a sense of emotional closure and poetic justice. These moments reflect what Keats called “truth and beauty” — a perfect blend of narrative satisfaction and visual grace.
4. Does screening of the movie help you in better understanding of the short story?
Yes, the film screening greatly enhanced my understanding of the short story. Reading the text, especially one as concise as Narayan’s, leaves some things open to interpretation. The film fills in the emotional and visual gaps — especially the internal conflict of the astrologer. Through camera angles, music, and performance, we understand the fear, guilt, and cleverness in his responses. The black-and-white flashback scene, though not in the original text, helps explain why the astrologer left his village and how traumatic that incident was. Even the depiction of the marketplace, full of color and sound, gave me a stronger sense of the setting. Watching the astrologer shift from confidence to fear and finally to relief helped me emotionally engage with the story, not just intellectually understand it. The movie acts as a bridge between text and emotion.
5. Was there any particular scene or moment in the story that you think was perfect?
Yes, the most perfect scene in the film was undoubtedly the matchstick-lighting moment. As Guru Nayak lights a match to see the astrologer’s face, the screen briefly glows, and that single flicker of light brings the entire story into focus. In that one second, the astrologer’s world shifts — he sees the man he believed he had killed. The silence in the scene, combined with his frozen expression, is more powerful than any dialogue. The filmmaker’s choice to show rather than tell makes it artistically flawless. It captures the theme of hidden identity, guilt, and fate in a cinematic style that remains faithful to the story’s tone while enhancing its suspense. This is a moment where literature and film meet perfectly.
6. If you are the director, what changes would you like to make in the remaking of the movie based on the short story “An Astrologer’s Day”?
If I were the director, I would keep the film’s core intact but make a few creative enhancements. Firstly, I would add a brief opening flashback — not just the fight, but scenes of the astrologer’s former village life, his youth, and what led to the fateful argument. This would deepen the emotional stakes. Secondly, I would expand the role of the wife. In the current film, she has only one small scene. I would add a short domestic moment before the market — to show the contrast between the astrologer’s home life and his public lies. A gentle conversation or a worried look could emphasize his dual life. Finally, I would include a voice-over of the astrologer’s thoughts, especially during the recognition scene. This would help viewers understand the psychological storm he experiences. These small additions would make the film even more emotionally layered, without compromising the simplicity of the original story.
Thus, “An Astrologer’s Day” is a timeless story — and the film does justice to its suspense, philosophy, and irony. The transition from text to screen deepened my appreciation. Watching the story unfold visually helped me feel the burden of guilt, the power of chance, and the peace of release.
References :
"An Astrologer’s Day| Hindi Short Film.” YouTube, 16 June 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tygoddU7W8.
Thank you!....
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