Revisiting ‘TWO': Ray's take on war & politics

Time of India

18-05-2025

Commissioned by
UNICEF
as part of a global initiative to promote peace and understanding among children,
Satyajit Ray
's 1964 silent short Two was released during the
Vietnam War
. In just over 10 minutes, Ray stages a hauntingly familiar encounter – a privileged boy flaunting factory-made toys attempts to overpower a poorer boy with handmade ones. What unfolds is a stark, wordless allegory about
power and privilege
. Six decades later, Two (available on YouTube) remains uncannily relevant, echoing today's global conflicts, the weaponisation of technology, and recurring cycles of aggression. No wonder, a young audience finds this deceptively simple film relevant even today.
Kites, towers, and the cost of conflict
Two budding filmmakers reflect on how Ray's film has foundnew relevancet. Anumit Lahiri, a student and assistant director, recalls 'The scene that shows a kite being pulled away, struggling against the wind is extremely relevant. There's disappointment evident, not just in losing a toy, but in witnessing the collapse of a quiet hope. The child never wanted to win. He only wanted to live.' Ankit Santra, whose film Dead White Stork draws heavily from Ray's imagery, says 'Ray's Two echoes with renewed urgency. In portraying a quiet power struggle between two children, the film lays bare the social scars of conflict. One moment that lingers with me is the destruction of the rich kid's toy tower—an image that greatly inspired my own film.'
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Cost Of Amusement Park Equipment From Mexico Might Surprise You - See Tips
Amusement Park Equipment | search ads
Click Here
Undo
Toy guns, real wars, and the unheard voices
For students of cinema, Satyajit Ray's Two mirrors not just a neighbourly rivalry but a deeply human one. Shubhayan Chakrabarti, a film studies student at Jadavpur University, draws parallels between the film's toy duel and 'last week's tense back-and-forth between the two neighbouring countries,' where according to him – 'information and sometimes misinformation flooded the news about advanced warfare machinery,' reminding us that 'unlike toys, human lives and weapons of mass destruction are at stake today.' Spandan Mazumder, a cinephile, sees the wordless power play between the two boys as 'symbolic of how power tries to dominate over voice and identity,' placing the richer boy as a stand-in for warring states and the poorer child as the quiet resistance of the marginalised. 'In Two, the conflict isn't loud, but it cuts deep,'
he says.
'The boy from the affluent household encapsulates an unsettling mix of power and arrogance, as if his towering privilege is destined to silence any voice that dares to uphold independence and sovereignty. Ray may have crafted the film with the Vietnam War in mind, but its relevance resurfaces now, where terrorism threatens our secular fabric, and yet the Indian spirit of resistance remains unbroken.'
—
Aratrick Bhadra
, media studies lecturer and theatre practitioner
'Like the rich boy, military powers flex their might with no real gain—just temporary ego boosts. The epistemological revolution needed is one mirrored in Ray's denouement: the humanising moment where the flute's music transcends material competition. This represents cultural and human connections that could override geopolitical antagonism. Perhaps it is time to replace the toy guns with flutes.'
—
Imtiaz Ali
, student of international relations, Jadavpur University
Check out our list of the
latest Hindi
,
English
,
Tamil
,
Telugu
,
Malayalam
, and
Kannada movies
. Don't miss our picks for the
best Hindi movies
,
best Tamil movies,
and
best Telugu films
.