Boot Polish (1954)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Director:

Prakash Arora

Writers:

Bhanu Pratap (dialogue)
Bhanu Pratap (photoplay)

Release Date:

20 August 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Preteen brother and sister, abandoned by their father to care of an abusive prostitute aunt, survive life in an Indian squatters' camp, aided by a friendly cripple, by learning to shine shoes instead of begging.

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Squatters Camp | Child Abandonment | Slum Life | Dance

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Kumari Naaz	...	Belu (as Baby Naaz)
Rattan Kumar	...	Bhola
David Abraham	...	John (as David)
Chand Burke	...	Kamla Devi (as Chand Burque)
Veera
Bhupendra Kapoor
Shailendra
Mohanbali
Nissar		(as Master Nisar)
Bhudo Advani	...	Pedro (as Budho Advani)
Prabhu Arora

Runtime:

149 min

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | India:U

Filming Locations:

R.K. Studios, Chembur, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Company:

R.K. Films Ltd.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Morad o Laleh (1965)

Soundtrack:

Lapak Jhapak Too Aare Badarwa

Touching Social Drama

This film ranks as one of the finest thought provoking social dramas asking how we look at ourselves given the limited resources and choices and faced with overwhelming odds. Raj Kapoor's presentation of the humble lifestyle of two children who wish to overcome the obstacles of abject poverty shows the importance of the spirit of endurance and dedication in the face of adversity. We can learn from children when they try to face challenges in the world created by greedy souls.

I would recommend this film as a lesson in the triumph of the human spirit when facing the evils of man made adversity. We probably can relate to the two youn protaganists of the film in our everyday lives. Life can be a bitch, and films such as BOOT POLISH show the more dramatic encounters of what we call the human struggle.