Paigham (1959)

Paigham 1959

*ring - Dilip Kumar, Vyjantimala, Raaj Kumar, Motilal , B Saroja Devi

Music – C Ramchandra ,Lyrics – Pradeep,  song  – Manna Dey Direction – Ramesh Saigal

Ek mamooli insaan ........

Ratan[ Dilip kumar]is an engineering student during the day and  a rickshaw puller at night  - acutely aware of how difficult it is for his brother Ram[ Raaj Kumar ]  to finance his education. And when he has to wait for passengers, he reads Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, sitting on the footpath.  Ever  a good samaritan , Ratan  fetches  a doctor [ who receives  rapping in fluent English from him for his non cooperation ] for Madhu’s ailing mother and saves her life . 

They meet again at the Sarvanand Mills, Rangpur -  Madhu is  works there as a typist  ,  Ratan’s brother Ram is a mill worker and Ratan too lands a job there .  Madhu wonders – is Ratan 

a rickshaw puller, a social worker or an engineer ?

 He replies,  ‘Main  ek mamooli insaan hoon ‘ [I am an ordinary person ]  

The ordinary person spurs  an uprising  in the factory – the workers strike  when  one of them dies in an accident and a paltry  compensation is offered to the family . Worse, the owners  try to pass it on as suicide . 

Ratan leads the revolt – there is loss , heartbreak , family break up, but truth wins at the end. Through all the travails   Madhu and Ratan stand by each other  – ‘ humsafars’ in  the journey of life. 

It’s 1959 and the hope of a New India where  equality, fairness, justice and parity reign ........ Kavi Pradeep’s song on  brotherhood plays as the film ends.  

Waiting  for a rediscovery in 2020 .......

Endnote –The movie was shot at Gemini Studios Madras. One day there was a flutter of activity as it was announced that the Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru would be visiting the sets. Panditji arrived on schedule and after the welcome, briskly walked up to Dilip Kumar and said “ Yousuf ,I heard you were here and I decided to drop in. “ He spent some time discussing the potential of the medium  to awaken social introspection and the desire to change stagnant customs and conventions .

Source of endnote – Dilip Kumar – an Autobiograpghy.