R. K. Narayan’s "An Astrologer’s Day"

 

This task is given by Professor Megha Trivedi ma'am as a part of academic activity. Click here. 

Truth in Shadows: A Cinematic and Literary Journey through R. K. Narayan’s "An Astrologer’s Day"

 R. K. Narayan: The Gentle Chronicler of Indian Life

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami universally known as R. K. Narayan stands as one of the literary pillars of modern Indian English literature. With his signature style marked by simplicity, humor, subtle irony, and human insight Narayan gave us the fictional town of Malgudi, a place where life is slow, stories are rich, and characters breathe with quiet realism.

His stories often revolve around ordinary people caught in extraordinary emotional or ethical situations. One such powerful short story is An Astrologer’s Day, first published in 1947. The story is a psychological tale woven with mystery, irony, and a twist that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

📖 A Glimpse into the Story: Summary of “An Astrologer’s Day”

At first glance, An Astrologer’s Day appears to be a simple story about a street astrologer performing his trade in a noisy Indian marketplace. But underneath the saffron turban, painted forehead, and cowrie shells lies a dark, buried truth.

The astrologer is not a man of mystical vision but a clever survivor who escaped from his village years ago after a violent incident. One evening, his past catches up with him in the form of a stranger named Guru Nayak, who challenges the astrologer to prove his skills. What starts as a routine palm-reading turns into a life-and-death encounter when the astrologer realizes he once tried to kill this very man. Through quick thinking, he convinces Guru Nayak that the attacker is dead and sends him away, thus saving himself while granting peace to his former victim.

The story ends on an ironic note, where the astrologer tells his wife, “A great load is gone from me today,” revealing the weight of guilt he has carried for years.

🎥 Pre-Viewing Reflection: Elements Observed in the Original Story

🌆 Setting:

The story is set in a bustling Indian marketplace near a Town Hall Park, brimming with sellers, magicians, beggars, and curious passersby. The astrologer operates under a tamarind tree amid flickering lights and shadows—a space both literal and symbolic for the illusion he creates.

 Plot:

Structured as a suspense narrative, the plot develops gradually before revealing a shocking truth in the climax. The astrologer’s encounter with Guru Nayak transforms the story from a casual slice-of-life to a gripping psychological drama.

 Characters:

Astrologer: Clever, secretive, guilt-ridden, and surprisingly human.

Guru Nayak: Seeker of revenge, emotionally scarred but unaware of the truth.

Wife: Grounded and practical; her innocence provides emotional contrast to the astrologer’s secret burden.

 Structure:

Linear narrative with a twist-ending that redefines everything that came before. It builds from mundane daily life to a tense climax.

 Style:

Narayan’s language is simple yet layered with irony and rich description. He never overstates—his restraint makes the twist more powerful.

Themes:

• Fate vs. Free Will
• Deception and Identity
• Guilt and Redemption
• The Performance of Truth

While-Viewing Reflections: Scenes Brought to Life

🔹 Opening Sequence: The Marketplace

The film opens with a realistic portrayal of the market—dust rising, vendors shouting, and people walking by. The visual medium gives us what Narayan only hinted: a crisscross of light and shadows, gas lamps flickering, and a fake astrologer preparing to play God in the middle of chaos.

The sound design—snatches of bargaining voices, jingles of coins, and the rustling of paper charts—adds to the mood. We feel the space as alive and deceptive.

🔹 Major Scene 1: The Encounter with Guru Nayak

This is the emotional and narrative heart of the story. As Guru Nayak throws a challenge, the astrologer’s expressions subtly shift—from professional calm to suppressed panic. The green shaft of light, which Narayan described so briefly, becomes a theatrical spotlight in the film, illuminating not just the palm but the astrologer’s haunted past.

The matchstick’s flame lighting up Guru Nayak’s face becomes the turning point—a flash of recognition and rising tension. The astrologer plays his cards with trembling fingers and trembling voice, carefully feeding lies that are actually truths, and truths that are actually lies.

🔹 Major Scene 2: Conversation with Wife

After all the tension, the astrologer returns home and throws the day’s coins at his wife. The camera slows down here, capturing the emotional distance between the two. She speaks of coconut and jaggery for the child; he speaks of murder and relief. She sees daily struggle; he sees moral salvation.

This contrast is powerful. It reflects how ordinary lives often hide extraordinary secrets.

🔹 Major Scene 3: The Climax

Guru Nayak asks, "When will I find him?" and the astrologer replies with practiced calm, “Never. He died four months ago.” It’s a lie... and yet a truth. This moment is masterfully acted—the astrologer saves his own life not with divine power, but with the cleverness of a guilty conscience.

The visual of Guru Nayak walking away into the darkness while the astrologer is left behind—half in light, half in shadow—is a cinematic stroke of genius.

🔚 Final Scene: The End

The astrologer reveals his past to his wife—not dramatically, but in a tired, almost sleepy voice. It is this understatement that makes the truth more powerful. “I thought I had the blood of a man on my hands... but he is alive.”

The story closes not with justice or divine judgement, but with quiet relief.

Post-Viewing Reflections: Answering Critical Questions

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

In a larger context it was a faithful.

The director has paid close attention to even the smallest narrative details—whether it’s the setting, the mood, or the twist. Dialogues are directly lifted from the text, and the visual cues enhance rather than distort the original plot. It’s a textbook example of a respectful adaptation.

2. Has your perception of the story, characters, or situations changed after watching the film?

Yes, it has become deeper and more empathetic.

Reading the story, I admired the twist. But watching it, I felt the astrologer’s anxiety, guilt, and fear. I could now see him not as a liar, but as a man carrying emotional weight for years. His character moved from being clever to being tragic.

3. Did you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, when?

Absolutely—during the climax.

The aesthetic delight came when the astrologer calmly declares the attacker is dead. The music lowers, the lights shift, and the entire market scene seems to hold its breath. That moment—where truth, lie, guilt, and relief merge—was stunning.

Also, the last scene at home, with the wife counting coins while he releases his emotional burden, was quietly beautiful.

4. Does watching the movie help in better understanding the short story?

Definitely.

Reading gives us internal depth; watching gives us visual cues, gestures, emotional shifts, lighting, pauses—all of which deepen our understanding. The astrologer’s performance, the symbolic shadows, the market noise, and the change in voice tones bring the story to life.

 5. Was there any scene you found perfect?

Yes—the scene where Guru Nayak shows his scar and says, “I should’ve been dead.”

This is when both the astrologer and the viewer feel the full weight of past violence, fate, and irony. It was perfectly executed—emotionally and cinematically.

 6. If you were the director, what changes would you make?

As a director, I would:

Add a flashback montage of the fight in the village, shown in black-and-white or shadow silhouettes.

Use a voiceover for the astrologer’s internal thoughts during his encounter with Guru Nayak.

Show the daughter (whom the wife mentions) to reinforce the astrologer’s new life and emotional transformation.

Use symbolic props—e.g., the green light slowly fading as truth emerges.

 Final Reflection: Why This Story Still Matters

In just a few pages, Narayan gives us a profound story about identity, fear, and accidental redemption. The film adaptation does justice to its emotional and philosophical depth. It reminds us that sometimes, a man’s greatest truth is the lie he tells to save himself.

And in the flickering lights of a market, under a tamarind tree, a man who once fled his village finds his closure—not from the stars, but from his own clever tongue.

Conclusion: 

An Astrologer’s Day by R. K. Narayan is not just a tale of fate and deception—it’s a story that reminds us how people reinvent themselves to survive. Through a masterful blend of mystery, irony, and psychological depth, Narayan gives us a protagonist who is flawed, cunning, and deeply human. The film adaptation enhances the story’s emotional power by breathing life into its characters and setting, making the viewer not just understand, but feel the astrologer's fear, relief, and redemption.

By engaging both the eye and the heart, the screening transforms this short story into a vivid experience. The shadows, lights, sounds, and silences all work together to reinforce the story’s core message: that beneath the garb of fate lies a very human desire—to escape our past and begin again.

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.

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.