Mirza Ghalib (film)
| Mirza Ghalib | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Sohrab Modi |
| Produced by | Sohrab Modi |
| Written by |
Rajinder Singh Bedi(dialogues) Saadat Hasan Manto (story) J.K. Nanda (screenplay) |
| Starring |
Bharat Bhushan Suraiya Nigar Sultana Durga Khote Murad Mukri Ulhas Kumkum Iftekhar Sadat Ali |
| Music by | Ghulam Mohammed |
| Cinematography | V. Avadhoot |
|
Release date
|
1954 |
|
Running time
|
145 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language |
Hindi Urdu |
Mirza Ghalib (1954) is an Indian Hindi and Urdu language biographical film, directed by Sohrab Modi. Based on the life of well-known poet Mirza Ghalib, the film was acclaimed upon release. It stars Bharat Bhushan as Ghalib and Suraiya as his courtesan lover. The film won (1) the President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film and (2) the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi in the 2nd National Film Awards for 1954. Suraiya's singing (of Mirza Ghalib ghazal's) and her acting was specially applauded by the Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, who remarked to her " You have brought back Ghalib to life", in a special screening of the film in Rastrapati Bhawan.
The film depicts an episode in the life of famous poet Mirza Ghalib during last Mogul King, Bahadur Shah 'Zafars times. The story revolves around the love and admiration of Moti Begum, (named "Chaudhvin"(moon-faced) by Mirza Ghalib), played by Suraiya, for Mirza Ghalib, played by Bharat Bhushan, and its end in the tragic death of 'Chadhvin'(Suraiya).
Ghalib is already a married man, married to "Begum" (Nigar Sultana), who is a pious woman, in love and awe of her poet husband. Emperor Bahadur Shah ‘Zafar’ (Iftekhar), himself a poet of considerable stature, is hosting a 'mushaira'(poetry recitation session). At the 'mushaira', the poetry of 'Zauq' is much applauded; Mirza Asadullah Khan ‘Ghalib’, on the other hand, finds no takers for his 'ghazals' (poems). (In another scene, when ghalib is reciting out of court, even the general populace thinks his ghazals are too profound and his Urdu too difficult.) In the more intellectual environment of the mushaira, nobody except the Mufti (Murad) and the Kotwal, Hashmat Khan (Ulhas) can find anything to appreciate in Ghalib's poetry. The Mufti expresses his appreciation to Ghalib; the Kotwal spends his time hurriedly writing down the ghazal Ghalib has just recited. Ghalib instead of reciting melodiously as others do, starts by just 'reading' his ghazals dryly (maybe he finds the poets below his calibre), and even calls himself a poet ('Sukhender') par excellence in one of his ghazals. This irks some of the poets present, at which Ghalib walks out of the court.
On his way home, he hears a woman singing one of his own ghazals. The singer is Moti Begum (Suraiya), daughter of a retired courtesan (Durga Khote). Moti's mad about Ghalib's poetry, and even about the man himself, even though she has no idea what her favourite poet looks like. Ghalib, delighted that someone likes his poetry, knocks on Moti's door and is admitted. Ghalib is awestruck not just by her enthusiasm for his ghazals but also by her beauty, and addresses her as Chaudhvin Begum (chaudhvin means ‘full moon’). When he realises she doesn’t know that he is Ghalib, he teases her by deprecating Ghalib's poetry. Moti, of course, leaps to her hero's defence and literally shoos the unexpected guest from her house. Right on Ghalib's heels (in fact, bumping into the poet in the doorway) comes another visitor to Moti's house: the Kotwal. He has just returned from the mushaira at the fort, bringing with him the transcript of the Ghalib ghazal he’d heard there. He hands over the ghazal to a grateful Moti, and astonishes her by identifying her recent guest as Ghalib himself.
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