The art cinema movement, which started in India in the late ’40s, kind of reached its zenith in the ’70s and ’80s. The art-house films depicted the problems of the common man, were set in places where the masses lived and breathed and took up social causes as well. While they didn’t do well commercially, they found takers in the festival circuit and were instrumental in putting India on the world map. Today, when the boundaries between the art and mart are getting blurred, such films do deserve a re-watch. Presenting a list of some of the best art films to have come out of Bollywood in the ’70s. Enjoy them during the quarantine period.Koshish (1972)
Director: GulzarCast: Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri
Love is blind. Can it survive being deaf and dumb? In a profession obsessed with showing superfit people serenading each other with song and dance, Gulzar went ahead and made a film which said you don’t need words to express love. The film delved into the world of those born with ear and speech deformities and gave out the message that one can overcome anything by putting an extra burst of perseverance. What sets the film apart is the taut screenplay which highlights the day-to-day interactions of the deaf and dumb couple and their ingenious solutions to everyday chores. They laugh, they cry, they quarrel and then make up like any two normal married people. The most poignant scene in the film is when they try to see whether their newborn has normal faculties or not. Their relief when it is soon clear he’s all right seeped from across the screen and into your heart. Gulzar couldn’t have chosen better actors than Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri to play the lead roles. Both artistes had no hesitation in playing deglamorized characters and had a certain degree of respect and affinity to pull off the difficult roles.
Maya Darpan (1972)
Director: Kumar ShahaniCast: Aditi, Anil Pandya, Kanta Vyas, Iqbalnath Kaul
Taran (Aditi) is the daughter of a wealthy landlord (Anil Pandya) and lives with her father and her widowed aunt (Kanta Vyas) in their ancestral mansion. They kind of represent the upper class which is failing to come to terms with the Nehruvian socialism sweeping across India. The town is witnessing protests by newly formed labour unions which are partly being politically educated by the local railroad engineer (Iqbalnath Kaul), who seems to have a crush on Taran, though the relationship is only hinted at. Taran’s brother has rebelled against the father and gone off to live in an Assam tea estate and wants her to move in with him. The film is an exploration of India’s changing class structure and rapid urbanisation, through the constant interactions of the lead players. It was praised for its central theme and its cinematography and is witnessing a revival of late among the discerning audience.
Duvidha (1973)
Director: Mani KaulCast: Ravi Menon, Raisa Padamsee
This film, which can be called a ghost story after a fashion is based on a story by Vijayadan Detha, and is an interpretation of a popular folktale from Rajasthan about a merchant's son, Krishanlal (Ravi Menon), whose relationship with his young bride, Lachhi (Raisa Padamsee), is in doldrums because he has to go out for business. A ghost falls in love with Lachhi and starts impersonating him, resulting in a strange love triangle. In time, a child is born to the woman and her ghost-husband. When the real husband returns, this causes a major dilemma. Paheli (2005), directed by Amol Palekar and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles, was inspired by Duvidha.
27 Down (1974)
Director: Awtar Krishna KaulCast: Raakhee, MK Raina
The film, hailed as a modern classic when it first got released, is based on the Hindi novel Athara Sooraj Ke Paudhe written by Ramesh Bakshi and was the first and only film of Awtar Krisna Kaul before he reportedly died in a drowning accident in 1975. The film won the Best Film Award at the 1975 National Award and its cinematographer, Apurba Kishore Bir, too won the National Award for Best Cinematography. The film was shot using hand-held cameras and has realistic scenes containing glimpses of crowded Mumbai trains and platforms, as also of the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Sanjay (MK Raina) wanted to pursue a career in art but became a ticket-checker in the Indian railway instead. He works as a ticket checker in Mumbai locals and meets Shalini (Raakhee). They keep bumping into each other and attraction blooms. He wants to marry her but she doesn’t. He gets married to a girl chosen by his father and the marriage doesn’t work out from the start. Years later, when he meets Shalini on another train journey, he finds out they have nothing left in common any more.
Garm Hava (1974)
Director: MS SathyuCast: Balraj Sahni, Farooq Shaikh, Dinanath Zutshi, Badar Begum, Geeta Siddharth, Shaukat Kaifi, A. K. Hangal
The pangs of our country’s forced Partition into two entities have never been better expressed than in Garm Hava. Most films have hinted at things from a Hindu viewpoint but this film, based on a story by Ismat Chughtai, boldly stated the plight of Muslims post Partition. Those who migrated were called good riddance and those who stayed back were seen as traitors overnight. The society shunned them in general and no one understood that they want to stay back because they consider India as their home and don’t want to leave their ancestral land behind. The film’s protagonist, Salim Mirza, is denied a loan by banks as they think he would migrate to Pakistan without repaying the loan. His business suffers and from a respected shoe manufacturer, he becomes a humble shoemaker in order to fend for himself. He remains stoic throughout and even after much suffering decides to stay back and fight for a better tomorrow, a better India. Balraj Sahni, one of our finest actors, gave his best performance as Salim Mirza. His expressions react to every calamity faced by Salim’s character in vivid detail. The film marked the debut of Farooque Sheikh, who played Mirza’s younger son Sikander. This sensitive film should be made compulsory viewing in every school and college, especially in these uncertain times.
Manthan (1976)
Director: Shyam BenegalCast: Smita Patil, Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin Shah, Amrish Puri
The film pays homage to the White Revolution pioneered by Verghese Kurien and traces how it all started. A set of poor farmers of Kheda district in Gujarat led by local social worker Tribhovandas Patel, lead to the formation of Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union. Soon the pattern was repeated in each district of Gujarat, which in turn led to the formation of Amul, a dairy cooperative in Anand, Gujarat in 1946, which is today jointly owned by some 2.6 million milk producers in Gujarat. 500,000 members of the milk cooperative jointly financed the film, by donating Rs. 2 each. Upon its release, farmers came to see their film by the truckloads and made it a box office success. The film is a fictionalised account of the difficulties of bringing about this huge enterprise. Girish Karnad acts as a visionary veterinary surgeon who inspires villagers from a remote village in Gujarat to let go of class and caste prejudices and for a milk cooperative. He’s beset by difficulties on every turn and in the end, has to face character assassination as well. But his integrity inspires others to take his teachings forward and keep the momentum growing.
Mrigayaa (1977)
Director: Mrinal SenCast: Mithun Chakraborty, Mamta Shankar
Set in the ’30s, Mrigaaya starred Mithun Chakraborty as a tribal who is considered one of the finest hunters around, even by the British. He’s sent to gallows after he’s found guilty of killing the moneylender who had kidnapped his wife, played by Mamta Shankar. His death, however, sparks a streak of revolt among the common folk who unite against both the British as well their zamindar oppressors. Mithun carried the film on his shoulders and deservedly won the National Award for Best Actor for the film. It also won Mrinal Sen a National Award for Best Film. The film marked the debuts of both Mithun and Mamta. While it didn’t do commercially back then, today it is counted as a classic. Its cinematography and Mithun’s realistic acting came in for a lot of praise.
Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977)
Director: Satyajit RayCast: Sanjeev Kumar, Saeed Jaffrey, Shabana Azmi, Richard Attenborough, Farida Jalal, Amjad Khan, David Abraham, Victor Banerjee, Farooque Shaikh, Tom Alter, Leela Mishra
Satyajit Ray's only Hindi film has Sanjeev Kumar squaring it off with Saeed Jeffrey. The film was about decadent nobility at the time of Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 and Sanjeev played a debauched nawab, who is more interested in playing a game of chess than the changes occurring around him. The film is based on Munshi Premchand's short story of the same name. Amjad Khan plays the role of Wajid Ali Shah, King of Awadh, and Richard Attenborough plays the role of General James Outram. Ray basically showed how the decadent nature of India’s ruling nobility allowed the British, who were smaller in number and came from a foreign land far away, to take over India. The film, hailed by the critics as a masterpiece, was narrated by Amitabh Bachchan.
Gaman (1978)
Director: Muzaffar AliCast: Farooque Shaikh, Smita Patil, Gita Siddharth
Ghulam Hasan (Farooq Shaikh), who hails from a remote UP village, decides to relocate to Mumbai, on the insistence of his close friend Lalulal Tiwari (Jalal Agha). He leaves behind his ailing mother and wife (Smita Patil). Lalulal helps him get a job cleaning taxis. Ghulam subsequently learns how to drive, and is hired to drive a taxi. In spite of his best efforts, he is unable to save enough money to visit Lucknow and his family. Farooque Shaikh turns into a portrait of despondency as a migrant cabbie aspiring for a better life in the city of dreams. It can be said to be one of his finest performances. He doesn’t say much in the film but his eyes, his facial expressions say it all. Jaidev’s compositions like Aapki yaad aati rahi raat bhar and Seene mein jalan, ankkhon mein toofan sa kyun hai, from the film are still remembered today.
Junoon (1979)
Director: Shyam BenegalCast: Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Jennifer Kendal, Naseeruddin Shah, Nafisa Ali
The film, based on a story, A Flight of Pigeons by Ruskin Bond, is a poignant love story set against the backdrop of the 1857 war of independence against the British. Shashi Kapoor plays a Pathan feudal lord who isn’t interested in the politics of the era and would rather breed carrier pigeons. This apathy by India’s royalty towards the realities of the hour is captured beautifully in the film. He gives sanctuary to a British woman, Miriam Labadoor (Jennifer Kendal), her daughter Ruth (Nafisa Ali) and mother (Ismat Chugtai) after Indian soldiers go on a rampage against the British. He falls in love with Ruth despite being married and she too is attracted towards him. His wife Firdaus (Shabana Azmi), naturally is upset with this and so is the girl’s mother. The two women conspire against him, leading to much heartburn for all parties concerned.
More on: Filmfare recommends The best Bollywood art films of the 70s, Koshish, Maya Darpan, Duvidha, 27 Down, Garm Hava, Manthan, Mrigaaya, Shatranj Ke Khilari, Gaman, JunoonSHOW COMMENTS
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