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Upkar (1967)
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Overview
User Rating:
Genre:
DramaPlot:
Cult classic highlighting the contrast between Indian and Western values in the newly independent state. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
4 wins moreUser Comments:
An August 15 Cult Classic moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Asha Parekh | ... | Kavita | |
| Manoj Kumar | ... | Bharat | |
| Prem Chopra | ... | Puran 'Kumar' | |
| Kanhaiyalal | ... | Lala Dhaniram | |
| David Abraham | ... | Major saab (as David) | |
| Manmohan Krishna | ... | Kishan (as Manmohankrishan) | |
| Madan Puri | ... | Charan Das (as Madanpuri) | |
| Aruna Irani | |||
| Sunder | ... | Sunder Lal | |
| Asit Sen | ... | Lakhpati | |
| Mohan Choti | ... | Mangal | |
| Shammi | |||
| Laxmi Chhaya | |||
| Mahesh | (as Master Mahesh) | ||
| Manmohan | ... | Kavita's Brother |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
175 minCountry:
IndiaLanguage:
HindiColor:
Color (Eastmancolor)Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Certification:
India:UFun Stuff
Soundtrack:
Aayi Jhoomke Basant moreFAQ
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Upkaar is shamefully ignored by the entire academic film theory / postmodernist community. It has probably been played on TV on independence day in India more than any other film, and is in my opinion a landmark film of sorts.
Manoj Kumar as the faultless Bharat is the epitome of 'Ram Rajya' and Asha Parekh is the immaculately subservient partner. Prem Chopra is the brother gone astray, turned over by the collusion of the western influences of the city, and the evil moneylender/landlord (and thus, both evils are one!). Several symbols of nationhood, benevolent military, self-sacrificing mothers (and westernized wenches) present a complete, unadulterated picture of the struggles of the rigteous in a rising nation-state. See Chinese propaganda films of the Great Leap Forward, the farm-worker parallels are astonishing.
Interestingly, this was not just a turning point in Manoj Kumar's career (he did a number of patriotic roles after this), but also in Pran's career - usually playing villain, Pran excelled here as a crippled peasant, a role that entirely changed his own career path in the Hindi film industry.