Movies

In Custody and The Proprietor (Comedy, Drama)

Two uplifting and moving dramas from director Ismail Merchant (producer of “Howards End”), “In Custody” and “The Proprietor,” are now available to own on Blu-ray and DVD from Cohen Media Group — both newly restored as part of The Merchant Ivory Collection.

Presented in Hindi and Urdu with English subtitles, “In Custody” follows university scholar Deven (Om Puri, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”), who is tasked by a magazine editor to interview the greatest living Urdu poet, the aging Nur (Shashi Kapoor, “Deewaar”). Thrilled to meet his idol and rekindle his interest in the dying Urdu language, Deven’s ideals are shattered when the poet proves to be a difficult subject. Forging ahead, and meeting numerous setbacks along the way, the unlikely pair eventually form a bond over their mutual appreciation for the beauty and power of words, and those elusive things that touch the human heart.

Meanwhile, “The Proprietor” tells the story of Adrienne Mark (Jeanne Moreau, “La Femme Nikita”), a respected French-Jewish writer who lives in New York — a virtual prisoner of her memories of growing up in wartime France. When her childhood home is placed up for auction, Adrienne’s desire to purchase the property and return to her homeland is complicated by feelings of betrayal, persecution and lingering secrets regarding her mother’s death during World War II. The film, presented in English and French with English subtitles, is a touching tale about change, friendship and of reconciling with one’s past as a way to make peace with the present.

Bonus features for “In Custody” include “Conversations from the Quad,” where director James Ivory (Ismail Merchant’s partner in Merchant Ivory Productions) and writer-director Nasheed Qamar Faruqi (“My Father’s Son”) discuss “In Custody;” three legacy interviews featuring Ismail Merchant and “In Custody” actors Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and Om Puri; and the film’s original trailer. Extras on “The Proprietor” include an audio commentary track from film critic Wade Major and the 1974 short “Mahatma and the Mad Boy” directed by Ismail Merchant.

Rose (Comedy, Drama)

Directed and co-written by Aurélie Saada (“Foon”), “Rose” is now available to own on Blu-ray and DVD from Cohen Media Group.

Rose (Françoise Fabian, “My Night at Maud’s”) has just lost her adored husband. The 78-year-old’s grief gives way to a powerful impulse to live, making her realize that she can still redefine herself as a woman. But in doing so, the whole balance of her family is upset.

Bonus features on the release include a Q&A with director Aurélie Saada moderated by Isil Bagdadi-Sergio, host of Cinema Arts Centre’s Preview Club, and the movie’s theatrical trailer. The film is presented in French with optional English subtitles.