In this weekly column, we revisit the gems of Hindi cinema’s golden years. This week, we have a look once more at Sujata, which launched in 1959.
Mainstream Hindi cinema has hardly ever addressed caste discrimination successfully. So when a movie talks a few love story that’s doomed because of caste variations, it seems that the makers have disguised a capsule that may be ingested with the tastiest taste of flicks. Difficult – a love story. Bimal Roy’s 1959 movie Sujatha, starring Nutan within the lead, tells the story of an orphan who was born in a lower-caste household, however grew up in an upper-caste family and nonetheless lives in a world Struggling to seek out id. One who doesn’t see past caste.
As a new child, Sujatha loses her dad and mom to an epidemic and a noble couple, who’ve a daughter about Sujata’s age, resolve to have her briefly. Father Upen, performed by Tarun Bose, is form to the woman, and treats her like a daughter, however mom Charu, performed by Sulochana Latkar, is properly conscious of the foundations of society that won’t allow them to settle for the kid. For the primary 40 minutes of the movie, it’s firmly established that Sujatha is from a “neechi jaat” And the society considers him an untouchable. Upen is a rational individual so he treats Sujatha like one other human being however what about this world which won’t deal with Sujata like an individual?
Sujata successfully conveys the evils of caste discrimination.
In a stunning scene in these opening minutes, we see Lalita Pawar’s character holding child Sujatha in her arms, however as quickly as she learns of her caste, she actually takes the kid within the different course. An higher caste visitor leaves his home as a result of the household has a “neechi jaat ki ladki” at their home. It sounds ridiculous when he tells Upen that “Science has proved that lower caste people emit a certain kind of gas which pollutes upper caste people.” When Upen tries to motive with him, he provides a “scientific” rationalization that’s as weird because the flat-earth concept.
We meet an grownup Sujatha, performed by Nutan, and the efficiency is a delight. She is the one who was as soon as thought of the “perfect girl” in Hindi cinema – the one who retains her head down and is nothing greater than an obedient slave. Through numerous dialogues, it’s clear that Sujatha takes care of each little element of the home and the relations, whereas she is “beti-jaisi” no extra “Always.” When she learns that she would not like household, she asks her adopted mom, whom she calls Ammi, “Main kaun hun?”, And his existential spiral begins. It is in such moments that Bimal Roy’s awe-inspiring craft comes alive. In an important sequence, Sujatha is considering suicide, however we do not hear her saying any dialogue. The sharp reduce between the violent rustle of timber, the stormy waves of water and a few sturdy shadows, Sujata’s face tells all of it.
Every jiffy, Roy reminds his viewers that the story you’re watching is of a decrease caste girl and the way society views her otherwise, so we get a sequence the place she is pressured to suggest marriage. will get rejected, a sequence the place Sujatha is not noted for birthday celebrations, and so forth. But a major change comes within the story when Sujatha falls in love.
Sunil Dutt’s impatience mesmerizes you together with his charming character as quickly as he comes on display.
We meet the charming Adhir performed by Sunil Dutt, and together with his delicate appears and charming character, he wins over Sujatha and the viewers right away. “Tum mujhe itni achi kyun lagti ho Sujata?” He asks her as they sit by the river and also you notice that each one poetry on this planet is pointless when such easy phrases can specific one’s affection. They trade eyes with one another in a crowded room, the romantic pressure between them executed in an unconventionally sensual means that wins your coronary heart.
because the impatient sings “Jalte Hain Jiske Liye” With a rotary telephone and professing her love, you see that alternatively the heartbroken Sujata is totally conscious that her caste doesn’t permit her to take part on this love story. Unlike many different standard songs, it options two lovers related through a telephone in numerous settings, however Majrooh Sultanpuri’s lyrics flip it into one of the crucial romantic love songs and filming by Roy retains the space intimate. Is.
Music by SD Burman with songs like “Kaali Ghata Chhaye”, “Bachpan Ke Din” and eternal “Nanhi Kali Sone Chali” Make Sujata a traditional album. love songs “Suno Mere Bandhu Re” Create Sujata’s world with the suitable environment.
As with Sujatha, Roy picks up a difficult topic and whereas the movie tries to deal with it delicately, whereas conveying that caste discrimination is unhealthy, it resolves the battle at hand somewhat too merely. Adhir and Sujata’s opposition to the alliance ends after a movie sequence. The movie continually reiterates the truth that human beings needs to be handled like human beings, no matter caste, however the movie presents Sujata in a subordinate gentle by her run. Of course, one movie would not change the world and in 2021, after we are nonetheless residing in a world the place caste turns into the idea of 1’s id, Sujata remains to be related. The movie understands Sujata’s plight however would not do something particular to resolve her issues, which bothers you as it is vitally efficient in narrating her issues.
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Sujatha is streaming on ZEE5, ShemarooMe and YouTube.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
