Amar Jyoti | |
---|---|
Directed by | V. Shantaram |
Produced by | Prabhat Film Company |
Written by | K. Narayan Kale |
Starring |
Durga Khote Chandra Mohan Shanta Apte Nandrekar |
Music by | Master Krishnarao |
Cinematography | V. Avadhoot |
Production
company |
Prabhat Film Company
|
Release date
|
1936 |
Running time
|
166 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Amar Jyoti (Eternal Flame) is a 1936 Hindi social, action adventure, drama film directed by V. Shantaram. Produced by Prabhat Film Company and cited as a "noteworthy" film along with Shantaram's earlier Amrit Manthan (1934), the film had actress Durga Khote performing one of her most "memorable" roles. K. Narayan Kale wrote the story with dialogues by Narottam Vyas. The music was composed by Master Krishnarao. The director of photography was V. Avadhoot, and the cast included Durga Khote, Chandra Mohan, Shanta Apte, Nandrekar, Vasanti and Narayan Kale.
The film was about a "rebellious female pirate". The story's social relevance in the form of a costume action adventure involved a queen who becomes a pirate when she faces extreme "patriarchal laws" and is denied custody of her son.
Saudamini (Durga Khote) is denied custody of her son by the Queen (Karuna Devi) and the tyrannical Minister of Justice Durjaya (Chandra Mohan) after she separates from her husband. Durjaya tells her that a woman is the slave of her husband and essentially has no rights. This enrages Saudamini and she vows vengeance and becomes a pirate. She and her pirates capture a ship which is supposed to be carrying the princess Nandini (Shanta Apte). However, she finds her old enemy Durjaya and takes him prisoner cutting off one of his legs. Nandini has been hiding in chest, and when she comes out of it, the imprisoned Durjaya sees her. He falls in love with her and offers her his food. Nandini however falls in love with a young shepherd boy Sudhir (Nandrekar). When she meets Saudamini and her helper Rekha (Vasanti) she joins them as a pirate and tells Sudhir off. Durjaya escapes with the help of Sudhir and arrives to arrest Saudamini. Saudamini is captured but the others along with Nandini and Rekha escape. It is finally revealed that Sudhir is Saudamini's long-lost son. Nandini and Sudhir marry and Rekha carries forward Saudamini's legacy.
The film has been cited as a "great film", an "outstanding film", an "adventure classic" and the first Indian film screened at the Venice Film Festival.