More than two years ago, in May 2008, I had written an article about the love story of Sonali and Roberto Rossellini.
Over the past two years, my interest in the events linked to Sonali and Roberto story, that had occurred in mid-1950s has remained constant and I wish I could write a book on this story from Sonali's point of view. Some months ago, I did write to her daughter to ask if Sonali would agree to meet me, but I have not received any answer (I have also heard that following the death of her son Arjun/Gil in 2008, she has become reclusive and does not like to meet anyone).
However, recently I did receive some more information about this story which I am presenting in this post.
A little part of this information came from well-known actor and director Aparna Sen, whom I recently met in Florence during the River-to-River festival, where she has presented her new film, "The Japanese Wife".
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A few months ago, a person shared some letters and other documents of Roberto Rossellini with me and gave me the permission to write about these.
The letters were written in November 1957, around the time when Roberto and Sonali had left India and were living in Paris. It was the time when their daughter Raffaella was born. The handwritten letters written in Italian are addressed to "Aldo and Giuliana", persons probably living in India at that time, who seem to be confidantes and friends with Roberto (It seems that Aldo was running the Maidens Hotel and his wife Giuliana was running the Swiss/Suisse hotel in Delhi in those days and these letters were addressed to them).
In one letter dated 17 November, Roberto excuses himself for not having written earlier "because he was being followed by journalists and photographers". He also says that he is preparing a return to India in the beginning of December. He mentions some financial problems. At the same time, he is "excited about restarting my life at 51 years".
He awaits anxiously for the arrival of documentary films from India for completing the work. He asks, "What does Jennifer say? .. What does Blitz say?" And, he asks them to telephone Haksar to present his (Roberto's) apologies.
In another letter dated 7 December, it seems that Roberto's financial problems are continuing and he writes of selling his car. He also seems to worry about gossip, "The truth is that people love to gossip and make things seem more drammatic, even when there is nothing to drammatize..". He mentions lack of news from "our lawyer in Bombay" and he continues to wait for those "damned documentaries".
He also seems upset about reactions of certain persons "because I have separated from my wife? How does that concern him? ... I believe that people become easily hysterical, without understanding ... I don't think he understood what I had to go through to resolve the questions here."
He mentions a visit to Rome "for the separation from my wife".
Among the documents there are also some telegrams from Roberto to hotel Suisse in Delhi - these mention Haksar and the imminent arrival in India of Mrs. Selznick (Hollywood actress Jennifer Jones who was married to director David Selznick at that time). Roberto asks them to make arrangements for her stay in Maidens hotel, to avoid publicity about her visit and to inform Menon, so that Jones gets all assistance on her arrival in Bombay airport.
Among the papers, there is also a list of expenses for reimbursement for a total of 910 Indian Rupees, that includes the following items: 7 Rs for taxi on 29th October to film division; 6 Rs for taxi for Indira Gandhi on 26 October; 20 Rs for taxi to Palam for taking the monkey on 4 November (probably the monkey used in one of the documentaries).
Comments: I think that the expenses for reimbursement covering the period from 22 October to 22 January, relate to the period after Roberto's arrival in India in 1956, when his love story with Sonali had not yet started.
I am not sure about the telegrams concerning Jennifer Jones. Did she play a role in the documentaries made by Roberto in India? Was he planning to make a film with her in India, after completing the documentaries? If so, probably he was underestimating the strength of public scandal in India and didn't imagine that he would have to run away to Europe with Sonali? From the letter dated 17 November, it seems that he was still hoping to go back to India in December 1957.
Mr Haksar mentioned in these messages, could be to P. N. Haksar, who was in foreign service in that period, and later became personal assistant to Ms. Indira Gandhi.
A few months ago, a person shared some letters and other documents of Roberto Rossellini with me and gave me the permission to write about these.
The letters were written in November 1957, around the time when Roberto and Sonali had left India and were living in Paris. It was the time when their daughter Raffaella was born. The handwritten letters written in Italian are addressed to "Aldo and Giuliana", persons probably living in India at that time, who seem to be confidantes and friends with Roberto (It seems that Aldo was running the Maidens Hotel and his wife Giuliana was running the Swiss/Suisse hotel in Delhi in those days and these letters were addressed to them).
In one letter dated 17 November, Roberto excuses himself for not having written earlier "because he was being followed by journalists and photographers". He also says that he is preparing a return to India in the beginning of December. He mentions some financial problems. At the same time, he is "excited about restarting my life at 51 years".
He awaits anxiously for the arrival of documentary films from India for completing the work. He asks, "What does Jennifer say? .. What does Blitz say?" And, he asks them to telephone Haksar to present his (Roberto's) apologies.
In another letter dated 7 December, it seems that Roberto's financial problems are continuing and he writes of selling his car. He also seems to worry about gossip, "The truth is that people love to gossip and make things seem more drammatic, even when there is nothing to drammatize..". He mentions lack of news from "our lawyer in Bombay" and he continues to wait for those "damned documentaries".
He also seems upset about reactions of certain persons "because I have separated from my wife? How does that concern him? ... I believe that people become easily hysterical, without understanding ... I don't think he understood what I had to go through to resolve the questions here."
He mentions a visit to Rome "for the separation from my wife".
Among the documents there are also some telegrams from Roberto to hotel Suisse in Delhi - these mention Haksar and the imminent arrival in India of Mrs. Selznick (Hollywood actress Jennifer Jones who was married to director David Selznick at that time). Roberto asks them to make arrangements for her stay in Maidens hotel, to avoid publicity about her visit and to inform Menon, so that Jones gets all assistance on her arrival in Bombay airport.
Among the papers, there is also a list of expenses for reimbursement for a total of 910 Indian Rupees, that includes the following items: 7 Rs for taxi on 29th October to film division; 6 Rs for taxi for Indira Gandhi on 26 October; 20 Rs for taxi to Palam for taking the monkey on 4 November (probably the monkey used in one of the documentaries).
Comments: I think that the expenses for reimbursement covering the period from 22 October to 22 January, relate to the period after Roberto's arrival in India in 1956, when his love story with Sonali had not yet started.
I am not sure about the telegrams concerning Jennifer Jones. Did she play a role in the documentaries made by Roberto in India? Was he planning to make a film with her in India, after completing the documentaries? If so, probably he was underestimating the strength of public scandal in India and didn't imagine that he would have to run away to Europe with Sonali? From the letter dated 17 November, it seems that he was still hoping to go back to India in December 1957.
Mr Haksar mentioned in these messages, could be to P. N. Haksar, who was in foreign service in that period, and later became personal assistant to Ms. Indira Gandhi.
Pandit Nehru's daughter Indira, who had married Firoz Gandhi in 1942, had separated from her husband and was living with her father in Teen Murti house during 1956-57. That Prime Minister's daughter travelled in a taxi, is a reflection of those times, when security was not an issue and leaders were closer to the people. Her use of a taxi for Roberto, also reflects on the importance given by the Nehru family to Rossellini visit in India.
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When I had found that the famous Bengali actor and director Aparna Sen was coming to River to River film festival in Florence, I had immediately thought that she would know details about the Sonali and Roberto story. Her father, Chidanand Dasgupta, was close friend of Satyajit Ray and of Sonali's ex-husband, Harisadhan Dasgupta. In 1956-57 when it had all happened, Aparna was 12 years old, so I had thought she will remember things from that period.
Aparna did confirm that her father and Harisadhan knew each other. She said that as a child, Raja, Sonali and Harisadhan's elder son, used to come to their house. But she didn't know much else. There hadn't been much discussion about this subject in her family in that period, and Harisadhan's family had been very discreet about the whole issue, so she couldn't say much about it.
You can imagine my disappointment!
PS: Much later, when I saw Aparna's film Paroma, I recognised echoes of the Sonali story in its screenplay, however that is another story.
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