Ahindra Choudhury

An early example of social realism that reached its height with 'Udayer Pathey' and more memorably with 'Chhinnamul', 'Doctor' was meant as a stringent critique of practices that were beginning to be deemed as persistant evils that plague society, namely superstitions, religious dogma and discrimination on the basis of caste. However, that would be a far too simplistic reading of the multiple thematic elements that tie together the narrative of 'Doctor'.

Indranath's son is ill, Guru Omkarananda suggests he pray to the goddess Kamala. His son improves but bad luck follows Indranath; his son and daughter die. Unable to stand the grief the Queen/Kalyani loses her mental equilibrium. Goddess Kamala manifests as Rupasi, the daughter of Omkarananda. Virodhananda and his son Tribhanga are the incarnation of Narad and Narayan on earth. The kingdom goes through difficult times.

Manoj is from the aristocratic class but has some sort retrograde amnesia; he belongs to the upper-class but is also an outsider, something that enables the possibilities of movement across the class-lines for him. This trope is essential for Barua to articulate the criticism of the indolent upper class in the film. Thus Manoj is both an object of criticism and ridicule while also being one of the critics.

This is a biographical film concerning Sri Krishna Chaitanya's time in Nilachale (Puri, Orissa state in India), in the early 1500s.