Pukar (1939 film)
| Pukar | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Sohrab Modi |
| Produced by | Sohrab Modi |
| Written by |
Kamal Amrohi Vishnupant Aundhkar S. Ameer Hyder |
| Starring |
Sohrab Modi Chandramohan Naseem Banu |
| Music by |
S. Fernandes Mir Saheb |
| Cinematography | Y. D. Sarpotdar |
| Edited by |
A. K. Chaterji D. Shirdhankar |
Release date |
|
Running time | 165 min. |
| Country | India |
| Language | Urdu |
Pukar (Urdu: پُکار, Hindi: पुकार) is a 1939 Urdu film produced and directed by Sohrab Modi at the production house, Minerva Movietone. The film is about Mughal emperor Jehangir's legendary justice and focuses how Jehangir offers himself to be killed when a washerwoman accuses the empress Noorjehan (Naseem Banu) of killing her husband in a hunt.
The movie is a typical Sohrab Modi production (which always seemed to be historical) with heavy and lengthy Urdu dialogues said in a loud and dramatic style. Story and lyrics are by Kamal Amrohi. Pukar is considered to be the earliest Muslim social film.[1]
Plot
Set at the court of the harsh, but just Mughal Emperor Jehangir (Chandra Mohan), 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 story of Jehangir and Nurjehan (Banu). Mangal kills the brother and father of his lover when they accuse him of dishonouring them and attack him. 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 while shooting a bow and arrow. Since the washerwoman's husband was killed by the Queen, claiming to be acting in justice, Jehangir says that the washerwoman should shoot him in the same fashion, as he is the Queen's husband. All the courtiers protest and Sangram Singh says that the emperor's life belongs to the people and the washerwoman agrees to take compensation in the form of wealth. Nurjehan suggests a general amnesty for all prisoners, which is granted by Jehangir so that Nurjehan is then not a special case, thus Mangal Singh and Kanwar can marry.
Cast
- Sohrab Modi... Sardar Sangram Singh
- Chandra Mohan... Shahenshah Jehangir
- Naseem Banu... Malika Noor Jahan (as Naseem)
- Sheela... Kanwar
- Sardar Akhtar... Washerwoman
- Sadiq Ali (actor)... Mangal Singh (as Sadik Ali)
- Jillo
- Maya Devi (actress)
- Shakir
- Ghulam Hussein
- A. B. Ramesh
- Kusum
- Ram Apte
- G. M. Das
- Babu Singh... Washerman