Art and Time Collide in Two Quiet Stories

Read Time:4 Minute, 49 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
In Custody + The Proprietor: 2 Films by Ismail Merchant (Blu-ray)
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Genre: Drama
Year Released: 1993 / 1996, Kino Lorber Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 2h 6m / 1h 53m
Director(s): Ismail Merchant
Writer(s): Anita Desai, Shahrukh Husain / Ismail Merchant, George Trow, Beth Kaplan
Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi / Jeanne Moreau, Sean Young, Nell Carter, Sam Waterston
Language: English, French, Hindi, and Urdu with English subtitles
Where to Watch: Available now. Order your copy here: www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Two lesser-known directorial works from Ismail Merchant are paired together in this Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber and Cohen Media Group, and while they may seem like an unlikely duo at first glance, there’s a shared sensitivity in both that makes the collection worth watching. These aren’t showy prestige pieces and don’t lean on big twists or dramatic flair. Instead, they gently examine cultural displacement, memory, and creative identity themes with patience, care, and just enough sophistication to keep them from feeling too static. It’s a blend of modest storytelling and reflective filmmaking that invites viewers to lean in.

IN CUSTODY opens on a note of quiet yearning, tapping into the slow erosion of tradition in a world that prioritizes progress over preservation. The central character, a literature professor named Deven Sharma, is driven by his love for an artistic tradition that is slipping through the cracks of a modernizing society. His assignment to interview a revered poet, Nur, becomes a layered encounter with literal and symbolic decay. Nur’s world is no longer the dignified bastion of art Deven imagined, and the poet himself is less an icon and more a weary man, buried under chaos and emotional exhaustion. Om Puri gives Deven a tender earnestness, while Shashi Kapoor’s performance as the aging artist adds texture and edge to the poet's unraveling image.

The camera doesn’t rush, and the frames often feel intentionally cluttered, highlighting the physical and metaphorical disarray surrounding its characters. Rather than filling the screen with grand gestures, Merchant opts for a more meditative approach. The result is a film that challenges the audience to sit with discomfort and consider how cultural legacies wither from neglect and difficulty translating them into new contexts. It's a lament, but never melodramatic—it’s quiet, grounded, and deeply personal.

The second film in the set, THE PROPRIETOR, shifts the mood but continues the exploration of identity and memory. This time, we follow Adrienne, a writer living abroad, who is drawn back to her Parisian roots when her childhood home is auctioned. Her return isn’t framed as triumphant or sentimental but instead plays like a subdued psychological journey. She’s not searching for closure as much as confronting a version of herself left behind. Jeanne Moreau carries the role with remarkable restraint, and her performance conveys a woman at odds with her past and uncertain about where she now belongs.

While IN CUSTODY is grounded in stillness, THE PROPRIETOR introduces more fluidity in its visuals. The camera is looser, often tracking movement in a way that reflects Adrienne’s emotional drift. Merchant contrasts the Paris Adrienne remembers and the city she now sees, mirroring the disconnect between memory and reality. Supporting roles—particularly from Nell Carter and Sam Waterston—are emotional pivots that complicate Adrienne’s interactions without distracting from her story. Their presence doesn’t just fill space; they challenge her sense of place, pushing her to reassess what she truly values.

That doesn’t mean the work here lacks emotional payoff—it just arrives in quiet glances, uncomfortable silences, and the kind of long-unresolved tensions that reflect real life more than fiction. They’re mood pieces, yes, but they’re not hollow. They’re layered character studies asking viewers to reflect on what’s lost when we grow up, modernize, or leave places behind.

IN CUSTODY + THE PROPRIETOR: 2 FILMS BY ISMAIL MERCHANT doesn’t shout for attention but doesn’t need to. The collection operates in a lower register, trusting that viewers who engage with it will find meaning in its subtlety. Not every beat lands perfectly, and the pairing feels slightly mismatched, but there’s enough thoughtful thematic resonance and complexity to warrant a closer look. For audiences willing to adjust to its slower pacing and introspective tone, this double feature offers a rewarding—if uneven—glimpse into Merchant’s more personal work.

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[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER, COHEN]

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