Die Schachspieler (1977): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1977, Die Schachspieler is a drama film directed by Satyajit Ray, running about 129 minutes. “Satyajit Ray's First Hindi feature Film” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. It is the year 1856. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is the king of Awadh, one of the last independent kingdoms of India. The British colonialists, intent on controlling this rich land, have sent general Outram on a secret mission to clear the way for an annexation. Pressure is mounting amidst intrigue and political manoeuvres, but the Nawab whiles away his time in pursuit of pleasure and religious practice. The court is of no help either—Court nobles Mir and Mirza, ignoring the situation of their country and all their duties towards their families, spend their days playing endless games of chess. The film is based on Munshi Premchand's short story of the same name.

Who’s in it. Die Schachspieler stars Sanjeev Kumar as Mirza Sajjad Ali, Saeed Jaffrey as Mir Roshan Ali, Shabana Azmi as Khurshid and Farida Jalal as Nafisa, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Die Schachspieler has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In Indien you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Die Schachspieler page.

If you liked it. Fans of Die Schachspieler tend to enjoy Die Verurteilten, Der Pate, Schindlers Liste and Der Pate - Teil II.