An Astrologer's Day

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Introduction:

R.K.Narayan's short story “An Astrologer’s Day” is full of mystery, cleverness, and surprise. It is a simple story with a deep twist, showing how people carry secrets and how fate sometimes gives them a second chance. I had already read and enjoyed the short story, but watching the film version (linked below) made me experience it in a completely new way. In this blog, I’ll share my experience before, during, and after watching the movie.

        

          An Astrologer's Day

Pre-Viewing: What the Short Story Told Me

Before watching the film, I carefully observed the elements of the original short story. Here's what stood out:

 1. Setting

The story is set in a busy Indian marketplace, full of noise, crowds, and activity. This place is where people come to get their future read, share their problems, or simply pass by. It’s a perfect setting for someone who wants to hide in plain sight, like the astrologer.

 2. Plot

The astrologer is not a real astrologer he pretends to read people's future by observing their clothes, faces, and behavior. One evening, a man named Guru Nayak comes to him, asking for answers. As the conversation goes on, the astrologer realizes that this man is the same person he once attacked and thought he had killed. He cleverly convinces Guru Nayak to give up his search for revenge, telling him that the man he’s looking for is already dead. In the end, we see the astrologer at home, telling his wife that he finally feels free.

 3. Characters

 The Astrologer – A clever man who uses lies and tricks to survive. He carries a guilty secret from his past.

 Guru Nayak – A strong, bold man who has been searching for his attacker.

 The Wife – A small role but adds an emotional layer to the story.

 4. Structure and Style

The story is short but powerful. It follows a straight path but ends with a surprise twist. The language is simple, and Narayan’s style is filled with irony and human emotion.

 5. Themes

 • Fate and free will

 • Guilt and redemption

 • Identity and disguise

 • Survival in everyday life

While Viewing: Watching the Story Come to Life

I watched the short film version of An Astrologer’s Day on YouTube. It stayed close to the original story but added visuals, sound, and performance to make it even more interesting. And there is difference of language. So R.K.Narayan is taking reference of fictional place Malgudi which is located in south India but in movie I have found there Marathi language, which we can not consider as south indian language. Here’s what I noticed during the key scenes:

 1. The Beginning Scene

The film starts with the astrologer in the marketplace. The camera shows his face, his clothes, and the people walking by. The mood is mysterious, and you can already feel that the man has something to hide. The lighting and background sounds made the scene feel real.

 2. The Market Scene

The market was shown very well it was crowded, colorful, and full of life. The noise of people talking, bargaining, and moving around added to the energy. The astrologer’s small space under a tree, with lamps and charts, looked exactly how I imagined it.

3. The Encounter with Guru Nayak

This was the most powerful part of the film. When Guru Nayak sits down and starts talking, the astrologer looks calm at first. But as the conversation goes deeper, you can see fear in his eyes. The moment he realizes who the man is was acted perfectly. His voice changes, and you can feel his panic. He quickly gathers his courage and starts controlling the conversation.

 4. The Climax Scene

This is where the astrologer tells Guru Nayak that the man he’s looking for is dead not knowing that he’s talking to the man who almost died by his hands. The scene is full of tension. The astrologer uses smart words and tricks Guru Nayak into leaving. This scene gave me goosebumps.

5. The Conversation with the Wife

Back at home, the astrologer sits with his wife and says he feels peaceful for the first time. It is a quiet scene, but it shows that the fear he was carrying for years is finally gone. His wife, not knowing the full truth, listens calmly.

 6. The Ending Scene

The movie ends softly. The astrologer looks relaxed, but the audience knows what he has escaped from. It is a peaceful ending, but it carries deep meaning.

Post-Viewing: My Reflections on the Story and Film

1. How faithful is the movie to the original short story?

The film is very close to the original story. All the important scenes are kept the same. The director adds small touches like the crowd noise, body language, and emotional expressions, which made the story feel more alive. The dialogues are also true to the original story’s tone.

2. Has my view of the characters or story changed?

Yes, after watching the film, I felt more sympathy for the astrologer. When I read the story, I thought he was just a clever man hiding a crime. But in the film, he looked more human someone who made a mistake and lived in fear every day. His fear and relief felt real.

3. Did I feel aesthetic delight?

Yes, I did. The climax scene when the astrologer tricks Guru Nayak and saves himself was the moment of aesthetic delight for me. It was tense, emotional, and full of dramatic irony. I admired how cleverly it was done and how everything fit together.

4. Did the movie help me understand the story better?

Yes. Sometimes, reading a story gives you the idea, but watching it helps you feel it. The movie helped me see the emotions in the characters’ faces, the fear in the astrologer’s eyes, and the mood of the market. It made everything more real and clear.

5. Was there a perfect moment in the film?

Yes the moment when the astrologer recognizes Guru Nayak. He doesn’t say it out loud, but his face changes. That small moment says so much without words. It shows fear, memory, guilt, and quick thinking all at once.

6. If I were the director, what would I change?

If I were the director, I would add a small flashback showing the fight from years ago when the astrologer attacked Guru Nayak. This would help viewers understand why he is so afraid. I would also end the movie with a close-up shot of the astrologer’s face showing half in light and half in shadow to show the dual life he lives: part truth, part lie.

Conclusion: A Story That Shines On Page and On Screen

Watching An Astrologer’s Day as a short film was a beautiful experience. The story by R.K. Narayan is already strong, but the film added emotion, visuals, and sound to make it even more powerful. I felt the fear, the tension, and finally, the relief of the main character.

This film shows us that even simple stories can hold deep secrets and that sometimes, people survive not by fighting fate but by outsmarting it.

References:

“An Astrologer’s Day| Hindi Short Film.” YouTube, 16 June 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tygoddU7W8. 

Afzal, Mir. “An Astrologer'S Day by R. K. Narayan Summary, Analysis, Theme and Question Answers - Smart English Notes.” Smart English Notes, 26 Mar. 2021, smartenglishnotes.com/2020/12/20/an-astrologers-day-by-r-k-narayan-summary-analysis-theme-and-question-answers.

Narayan, R. K. (1982). Malgudi days.

Profile, Visit. Worksheet :- Screening of Short Film “An Astrologer’s Day” Based on R.K.Narayan’s “An Astrologer’s Day”. 7 Sept. 2021, vaidehi09.blogspot.com/2021/09/worksheet-screening-of-short-film.html.