Utsav
Utsav (Hindi: उत्सव; English: Festival) is a 1984 Hindi erotic drama film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad. The film is based on the 2nd-century BC Sanskrit play, Mrichakatika (The Little Clay Cart) by Śūdraka.[1]
| Utsav | |
|---|---|
 Movie poster | |
| Directed by | Girish Karnad |
| Produced by | Shashi Kapoor |
| Written by | Krishna Basrur, Girish Karnad (Screenplay) Sharad Joshi (Dialogue) |
| Based on | Mrichakatika by Śūdraka |
| Starring | Shankar Nag Rekha Anuradha Patel Amjad Khan Shashi Kapoor Shekhar Suman |
| Narrated by | Amjad Khan |
| Music by | Laxmikant Pyarelal Vasant Dev (lyrics) |
| Cinematography | Ashok Mehta |
| Edited by | Bhaudas Divakar |
Release date |
|
Running time | 145 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
The film stars Shankar Nag, Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Amjad Khan, Anuradha Patel, Shekhar Suman, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Annu Kapoor, Sanjana Kapoor and Kunal Kapoor.
The role of Samsthanak is played by Shashi Kapoor, who is also the producer of the movie. It was originally supposed to be played by Amitabh Bachchan. However, in July 1982, Bachchan met with a major accident in Bangalore. So the producer himself decided to step in.[2] The film's music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal and is noted for its songs like, 'Mann Kyun Behka', a rare duet by sisters Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar, and Anuradha Paudwal's 'Mere Man Baje Mridang' for which she won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award in 1985. Suresh Wadkar also has a song, 'Saanj Dhale Gagan Tale'. The Central Board of Film Certification of India gave the film an "A" certificate on 23 August 1984.[3]
Overview
The film is an adaptation of Mṛcchakatika (The Little Clay Cart), a ten-act Sanskrit drama attributed to Śūdraka, an ancient playwright generally thought to have lived sometime between the second century BC and the fifth century AD whom the prologue identifies as a Kshatriya king and a devotee of Siva who lived for 100 years.[4] The play is set in the ancient city of Ujjayini during the reign of the King Pālaka, near the end of the Pradyota dynasty that made up the first quarter of the fifth century BC.[5]
Plot
The story is about a courtesan, Vasantasena (Rekha), and her chance meeting with a poor Brahmin man, Charudatta (Shekhar Suman), in Ujjain.
Cast
- Shashi Kapoor as Samsthanak
- Rekha as Vasantsena
- Amjad Khan as Vatsayana, author of Kamasutra; narrator
- Shankar Nag as Sajjal, the thief
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Teacher of Aryak
- Shekhar Suman as Charudutt
- Neena Gupta as Madanika, courtesan slave in Vasantsena's house
- Anuradha Patel as Aditi, Charudutt's Wife
- Anupam Kher as Samsthanak's friend
- Annu Kapoor as Masseur who is trying to be an ascetic
- Sanjana Kapoor as A courtesan slave in Vasantsena's house
- Kunal Kapoor as Aryak, the revolutionary.
- Harish Patel as Maitreya, Charudutt's friend.
- Yunus Parvez as One of the gamblers, who later becomes the owner of the masseur
- Satish Kaushik as Cart driver
Production
The film was shot in Bangalore in 1982–83. Producer Shashi Kapoor incurred a loss of Rs 1.5 crore after the film's release in 1984.[2]
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack[6] was composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal and the lyrics were penned by Vasant Dev.
| # | Title | Singer(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Mera Man Baaja Mirdang Manjira” | Anuradha Paudwal, Suresh Wadkar, Aarti Mukherji | 07:03 |
| 2 | “Mann Kyun Behaka Re Behaka” | Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle | 05:41 |
| 3 | “Saanj Dhale Gagan Tale” | Suresh Wadkar | 04:13 |
| 4 | “Neelam Pe Nabh Chhayee” | Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle | 03:45 |
Awards
- 1985 National Film Award for Best Art Direction: Nachiket Patwardhan, Jayoo Patwardhan
- 1985 Filmfare Best Lyricist Award: Vasant Dev - "Mann Kyun Behka" [7]
- 1985 Filmfare Best Female Playback Award: Anuradha Paudwal - "Mere Man Baje Mridang"
References
- https://twitter.com/NFAIOfficial/status/1192764152235708418
- "Of Jennifer and MTR (Shashi Kapoor interview)". The Hindu. 31 January 2005. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- "Utsav (1984)". Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). 23 August 1984. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- Richmond, Farley P. (1990). "Characteristics of Sanskrit Theatre and Drama". In Farley P. Richmond; Darius L. Swann; Phillip B. Zarrilli (eds.). Indian Theatre: Traditions of Performance. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 55–62. ISBN 0824811909.
- Oliver, Revilo Pendelton (1938). "Introduction to 'The Little Clay Cart.'". In Rozelle Parker Johnson; Ernst Krenn (eds.). Illinois Studies in Language and Literature. 23. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 9–44.
- http://www.hindigeetmala.net/movie/utsav.htm
- "Best Lyricist (Popular)". Filmfare Awards Official wlistings, Indiatimes. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2014.