Heroes Of Hindi Cinema | Uttkrishtt 2012

We can always argue who is our favorite hero. Definitely a matter of subjective evaluation. However, that should not undermine the popularity of characters and appreciation by masses. Presenting Uttkrishtt 2012 Results – Heroes Of Hindi Cinema...

A quick analysis can tell us that people didn’t voted much for larger than life characters. Most of them walk among us. They represent masses. They fight for causes so omnipresent that usually we chose to ignore. Not every hero wins. In fact, some lose their battle. But their fight is not about the outcome. It’s about their values... You can lose a battle provided you fight well.

1. Common Man (Naseeruddin Shah - A Wednesday) : What can a common man do? We need heroes to do the struggle on behalf of common man. But on a Wednesday things changed when a caller brought entire Police Department on knees and successfully orchestrated killing of four deadly terrorists. As it turns out, he is just another common man, without a name and to some extent, without an identity.

2. Raghu (Rajesh Khanna - Bawarchi) :  He is street smart. He can manage house and people like a magician. But what makes him different is his inherent goodness. His ability to teach people a few nuances about life. He picks a family where harmony is a matter of past and becomes a part of it, only to teach them small things to make life better and leave them forever... in search of a new house.

3. Radha (Nargis - Mother India) : Mother - whenever this word is uttered, Nargis drenched in sweat while working in farm is one of few images which comes up in mind. Radha's life is a ballad of struggle and resilience. Her husband leaves her with debt when he becomes invalid. Lala who lustfully approaches her. The famine and never ending financial problems. She refuses to bow down and remains righteous. In the end, she even kills her own son in order to save the honor of her village which she believes to be not different from hers.

4. Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt - Kagaz Ke Phool) : A successful film director whose marriage is on the rocks finds some solace in affection of his new actress. As his romance faces trials, his daughter is not happy with the situation. Unannounced, actress leaves him. His work betrays him and slowly becomes irrelevant in cinema. In the end, he dies a tragic death.

5. Usha (Smita Patil - Bhumika) : Usha is a strong willed woman who wants to make her career in cinema. Her manager, who later becomes her husband, arranges work for her. After a point she wants to leave her profession much to dislike of her husband. She leaves her and pursue a relationship with a director which doesn't work out. It follows up with a relationship with a businessman who is too orthodox. In the end she returns to her husband and try to redefine her life.

6. Vijay Deenanath Chavan (Amitabh Bachchan - Agneepath) :  Revenge is a dish best served cold. Kancha was responsible for murder of his saintly father and he decides to take his revenge. Vijay wants his village back. His violent means are not appreciated by his mother but his goodwill has many takers. He is a character who breaks laws but doesn't break hearts of poor. A person with heart of gold and blood in eyes.

7. Yeshwant Lohar (Nana Patekar - Yeshwant) : Hot-head. This one word describes Yeshwant. However, he is not only a hot headed cop, he is a very honest person who would not let anything bypass law. He inspires his wife to become IAS. When he realizes that he was wrong in doubting her, he apologizes sincerely. He is a temperamental but un-tampered character.

8. Kabeer Khan (Shahrukh Khan - Chak De! India) : A disgraced captain of Indian Hockey team whose religious identity becomes a subject of suspicion takes up a difficult task of training a women's Hockey Team and win the World Championship, something literally unheard. He fights against the system, his demons and resistance within the team. In the end, when his hard work pays back and the color of medal changes to gold, he silently leaves in his own little world.

9. Adinath (V Shantaram - Do Aankhen Barah Haath) : A young jail warden who believes that goodness exists in even most dreadful criminals and this goodness can help them their demons and become good citizen. He takes six criminals with him and tries to rehabilitate them in a farm. His firm belief in his ideology works and six criminals becomes good citizen. The purpose of law and punishment sees the daylight.

10. Raju (Dev Anand - Guide) :  Raju, the guide, falls in love with dancer-wife of archeologist. Dancer is lonely as her husband doesn’t care for her talent. Raju makes her a professional. As money comes, greed develops. Eventually, he is arrested. After release he takes shelter in a famine-ridden village. Due to miscommunication, people start believing that he is a saint. They start paying respect and much more. Some more miscommunication happens and message 'he won't eat till it rains' goes out. After a lot of dilemma, Raju decides to stick to the message.

Do Ankhein Barah Haath movie review | Critique

Recently I saw “Do Ankhen  Bara Hath “ after almost  fifty years . Although I did not weep bitterly when Sandhya sang “Aey Malik…..” ,as  I did as school boy but the song again moved me . This film is one of most awarded films of India ,both nationally and internationally It was shot in black and white between his two very successful colour films Jhanak Jhanak Payel Baje and Navrang ,presumably to symbolically portray the gloom of convicts’ life .

Do Ankhen Bara Hath was based on true story of a jailor in erstwhile princely state in Maharashtra , who is convinced that even the hardened  convicts can be changed in to better human being with humane treatment . Initially original writer of the story refused to write the film version doubting the chances of success of the venture , but later co-authored with Shantaram .Like many of his films Shantaram played the male lead opposite his favourite Sandhya in the role of courageous toy-seller. Keshav Datey and Ulhas were in main character roles .Maestro Vasant Desai’s tunes of “Aye Malik … ” and “Sainya Jhooton ka ..” are still hummed after more than half century . Surprisingly the wording of “Aye Malik …” were taken from the morning  prayer of a Pakistani school . 

 The story begins with typically harsh behaviour  of chief jailor and failed attempt on life of the jailor .  Despite of his chief’s advice admonitions and ridicule he insists on , and takes six murder convicts to an open farm , later named Azad Nagar ,with the conviction of changing them into better persons while serving the rest of their prison term . He puts every thing, his job, his property even ready to go to jail as warranty for the success of his experiment .

The experiment as expected ,was not easy from beginning to the end .In beginning , by repeated revolt attempts  by the convicts and in the end by trouble created by the middle man due to the low price of his Azad Nagar  farm produced  vegetables in local market .

Every revolt attempt is subsided due to dedication of  the jailor . Once the convicts revolt turn almost bloody when Jailor allows two small sons of a convict on compassionate ground  There was none to look after the convicts children  besides a very old and frail grand mother .Other convicts want the same favour and on refusal by the jailor they conspire and attempt to kill him .The last phase of trouble came from the vegetable market’s middle man .First he tries to bribe the convicts ,and gets them drunk  Then after realizing their mistakes go to bazaar two sell their produce under the oath not to retaliate under any circumstances .This time they are beaten almost to death . To the utter dismay of the jailor  toy seller bring back them in a very precarious condition .The middle man sends in a herd of ferocious bulls to trample the farm while the jailor was trying to pull the badly injured men to safety ..He had to fight a trampling bull .In the ensuing fight his cloth are struck in bulls horn who ultimately throws the jailor to his death . The fight was real as Shantaram decided to perform “ the stunt ” him self he was almost killed in the process .He lost his eye sight and regained after protracted treatment and hospitalization .

Do Ankhen Bara Hath is a frame by frame master piece .Virtually nothing can be cut from the film .In every sphere Shantaram is at his best . Sandhya who started as vamp in “Parchaien”.

Written by Prof. Naqvi