Pukar (1939)

A love affair and two feuding families who play out a Romeo and Juliet type drama in 17th century India, under the Emperor Jehangir.

Director:

Sohrab Modi

Writers:

Kamal Amrohi, Vishnupant Aundhkar,

Stars:

Sohrab Modi, Chandra Mohan, Naseem Banu

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sohrab Modi	...	Sardar Sangram Singh
Chandra Mohan	...	Shahenshah Jehangir (as Chandramohan)
Naseem Banu	...	Malika Noor Jahan (as Naseem)
Sheela	...	Kanwar
Sardar Akhtar	...	Washerwoman
Sadiq Ali	...	Mangal Singh (as Sadik Ali)
Jillo
Maya Devi
Shakir
Ghulam Hussein
A.B. Ramesh
Kusum
Ram Apte
G.M. Dass

Storyline

Set at the court of the harsh Mughhal Emperor Jehangir (Chandramohan), the film tells two separate love stories: the first of Mangal Singh (Ali) and Kanwar (Sheela) amid the violent feud raging between their families, and the second, the famous one of Jehangir and Nurjehan (Banu). Mangal kills the brother and father of his lover. His father, the loyal Rajput chieftain Sangram Singh (Modi), captures his son and Jehangir passes the death sentence. Jehangir's claim that the law knows no class distinction is put on the test when a washerwoman (Akhtar) accuses Queen Nurjehan of having inadvertently killed her husband during a hunt. Jehangir offers his own life but the washerwoman magnanimously forgives him.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Country:

India

Language:

Urdu

Company Credits

Production Co:

Minerva Movietone

Technical Specs

Runtime:

165 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

User Reviews

The Epitome of Imperial Justice

Seldom has there been a movie so captivatingly crafted, especially in the hey days of Indian Cinema. Seldom has a person (Sohrab Modi) acted, directed and produced such a remarkable piece of motion picture. Seldom is a film made which conjoins a powerful depiction of historical events bred with impeccable force of exemplary justice. Seldom are the dialogs laden with such immense logic and reasoning and lastly, seldom has a movie posted such acclaim and noble fame that it is said that after the release of this movie, the teachers/head masters of secondary and high schools in British India advised their students to watch this Gem of a Film which enumerates priceless moral lesson.

This black and white film with simple, austere but penetrating and cerebral depiction of some of the very subtle and forceful human values carries the enduring significance and substance which is not even remotely present in the tawdry, vulgar and temporal films which have swamped Bollywood, these days.