Shree 420 (1955)

श्री ४२०

This is the second time in a couple of months that I've watched a movie and loved it so much that I had to wonder why I didn't get to it sooner.  While the other one, Parvarish, was only a silly, fun piece of masala candy that tickled me for personal reasons, Shree 420 is one of the all-time classics of Hindi cinema, one that helped me understand why Raj Kapoor is Raj Kapoor, and why Nargis is Nargis.  And I can't believe I waited this long.

Raj (Raj Kapoor) is a guileless, carefree vagabond, wandering the streets of Bombay in search of work.  He has a college degree - he carries his diploma in his pocket, along with a medal for honesty that he earned as a child.  In his wanderings Raj meets a merry band of beggars and working folk, the den mother of whom (Lalita Pawar) is charmed by his innocence and takes him under her wing.  They live on the footpath in front of the home of the blustery tycoon Seth Dharmanand (Nemo), who is kept awake nights by the vagrants' cheery singing.  Raj also encounters the beautiful Vidya (Nargis), a down-to-earth schoolteacher who has fallen on hard times, selling her books and her trinkets to the local pawn dealer to make ends meet.  Sparks fly between Raj and Vidya, but Raj frets that he cannot offer her a financially stable future. Opportunity knocks when Raj meets the vampish, scheming Maya (Nadira), a greedy socialite who recognizes in Raj a talent that she can exploit to separate others from their money.  From Maya's small-time cons Raj graduates into full-scale employment as a master of fraud with Seth Dharmanand, selling bogus shares in bogus companies and running other big-time schemes.   (The film's title, "Mr. 420," refers to section 420 of the Indian penal code; "420" is vernacular shorthand for a crook or a con.)  Raj is making real money, but it may cost him Vidya, who doesn't fit into his high-rolling world - and who anyway wants nothing to do with Raj as long as he is a con-artist and a fraud.

Shree 420 is rich with symbols of the promise and pitfalls of post-partition India.  Raj's emergence at the beginning of the film from his rural ramblings into the hard bustle of Bombay represents the country's transition from its traditional grounding to modern government and economics - and it is no coincidence that Raj is immediately taken advantage of upon his arrival in the city.  There is a running semiotic pun based around Raj's honesty medal as he pawns it and redeems it; Raj's honesty itself is for sale.  For most of the film, Raj is caught between a traditional simplicity, represented by Vidya (whose name means "knowledge") and the glitter and spangle of high-tone, high-stakes capitalism, represented by Maya (whose name means "illusion, trick, deceit").   The film pits pure, hardworking, homegrown virtue directly against the exotic, westernized world of greed and fraud.   Ultimately the film weaves a complex and powerful social message, exhorting the everyday people - who in the film literally sleep on the doorstep of the fat-cat's opulent home - to work together to build an India that is modern and yet free of exploitation by that greedy element. 

The richness of the narrative and its symbolic arsenal is matched - even exceeded - by Shree 420's pure entertainment value.  Raj Kapoor is a masterfully physical performer, moving fluidly between Chaplinesque antics and Cary Grantish suavity as quickly as changing a mask (another of the film's recurring symbols).  He is a delight to watch.  Nargis, one of the greatest stars of the era, has an ineffable grace that transcends beauty, a riveting poise and a presence.  She ranges from firmly proud in her early meetings with Raj, to bashfully passionate as their romance develops, to heartbreakingly wounded when she is insulted by Maya.  In either of the stars' performances it is clear why this film is a revered classic.  Nadira is car-wreck compelling (and maddeningly sexy) in her career-defining vampish turn as the bitter, manipulative Maya (screencap below).  Finally, there are the film's timeless songs, from Raj Kapoor's iconic "Mera joota hai japani," to the tender declaration of love in "Pyaar hua ikraar hua," to the exuberant peasant dance of the vagrants in "Ramaya vastavaya," to Nadira's seductive call to the dark side, "Mud mud ke na dekh".   I haven't named them all and I don't doubt that someone will chime in with another favorite - they are all that special.   My friend Sanket at Bollywood Music Club has more about the delicious music of Shree 420

There are volumes more that could be said and have been said about this film, its place in Hindi cinema, and the significance of its social commentary.  But if you haven't seen Shree 420, don't spend any more time reading about it - just go and watch it. 

Comments

[Meera]

Hi Carla

Top marks again for the review!

Do you really want to watch a very enjoyable Raj Kapoor & Nargis movie?

Then pls watch Chori Chori - fabulous songs, good story, acting. This movie also confirms why Raj & Nargis are considered top class in hindi movies!

I saw it recently and enjoyed it very much.

cheers

[maxqnz]

"The richness of the narrative and its symbolic arsenal is matched - even exceeded - by Shree 420's pure entertainment value. "

Exactly! I agreed with your entire review, but this sentence encapsulated the movie's greatness for me. The social message was not buried, even addlepated anglo-indian antipodeans could get it, but the movie was also still fun. I can't understand how people can laud Gowariker's "Swades" to the skies when it is one long sermon, devoid of anything that might be mistaken for subtlety or finesse. RK showed that you can deliver a message without boring your audience witless, and movies like Swades do not bear up well when measured against a jewel like Shree 420.

[maajhi]

I'm surprised you left out the riddle song - a rarity.

[daddy's girl]

I can't wait to get my hands on this film. I was recently knocked off my feet by the spellbindingly beautiful and talented Nargis (she had this wonderful, effortless, je ne sais quoi quality to her acting, and just a great.. presence) and the charismatic and creative RK in Awaara - a wonderful, wonderful film. Interesting background on the '420'- we have something similar in Nigeria. Section 419 of our Criminal Code, which was influenced by the Indian PC; deals with advance fee fraud, such as the infamous scam emails. All kinds of scams are popularly known as '419' in Nigeria.

[carla]

Meera: Thanks very much! I was planning that *Awaara* would be my next RK/Nargis film, but if *Chori Chori* happens to come first that wouldn't be a problem.

max: I'm always so happy to get comments from you. The comparison to *Swades* is so interesting and one I'd never have thought of. I'm a big fan of art films so I tend to be slightly forgiving of heavy-handed messages but even so I appreciate the delicacy of *Shree 420*. The stuff with the honesty medal wasn't subtle, and there's NOTHING subtle about Nadira - but there was so much more there besides these things.

maajhi: I knew someone would mention at least one of the songs I left out - "Ichak dana bichak dana" is a wonderful song! Here it is to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKmHaAAr1Ho They are all spectacular.

DG: Unfortunately, the 419 email scams are often called "Nigerian scams" here in the US, even if they don't originate in Nigeria: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_scam

[Sanket]

I got into trouble today with my wife with leaving out HER favorite song as well (Ichak Dana) and have quietly rectified the mistake on my blog ;) I try to put two songs up per week - stretched it to three for this one but I guess if any movie is going to make a new record it might as well be this one!

[maxqnz]

I'm still waiting for anyone to tell me why the answer to the first verse of ichak dana is "pomegranate"

Oh, and thanks for the kind words, carla. Due to a VERY unexpected development, about which I've emailed you, this is now the only place you'll be hearing from me.

[Arun]

Hi Carla

Wonderful Review. Shree 420 is a great, thoroughly enjoyable film.

Arun

[yves]

Hi Carla,

Thanks for this great review... But there are so many good films to see, I just don't have the time! (You seem to be able to get hold of, watch, and review films as if it was a professional occupation!)

BTW, I'm the same Yves that has reviewed "Dharavi", and to whom you have written, but I can't seem to contact you directly, the address you used is a "do-not-reply" bounce address. If you have a personal email address, I wouldn't mind asking you a few questions about Jaman.
Cheers,
yves

[Amit]

maxgnz, think of a pomegranate. It has all those seeds next to each other - one on top of each other, in the middle etc. :)

This is one of the few movies where almost all the songs are beautiful (Barsaat, Chori Chori, Awara, Baiju Bawra, Madhumati etc.). Mukesh and Manna Dey at their best. Raj Kapoor didn't compromise in his movies when it came to music and songs.

[carla]

The volume of comments this film is generating is awesome.

Yves: you find my email address by clicking on the "about" link beneath Madhubala at the top of the page. You can also contact me via Jaman's messaging feature.

Amit: I think max's question refers not to the line about the seeds, but about the next line - the "girl dances on the roof, boy goes crazy" part. In my experience, pomegranates do not have that effect on people unless they are juiced and mixed with vodka. (-:

I'm delighted by the response to this review - thanks for all the comments, everyone.

[maxqnz]

You got it, carla. Every other verse is surprisingly straightfoward. The imagery is clear, and even the kids shouldn't have needed Raj's help to get "corn". But छत के ऊपर लड़की नाचे, लड़का है
दीवाना - अनार?!!

Sounds more like a case of too much भांग

[maajhi]

The "a girl dances on the roof and a boy is crazy after her" line is a refrain, as I understand it. It's not part of the riddle.

[maxqnz]

If it's not part of a riddle, like the others, why does she call for an answer. As with the other riddles, she finishes with "bolo kyaa", and the kids answer "anaar". If "छत के ऊपर लड़की नाचे, लड़का है दीवाना" is simply a refrain, to what are the children responding when they answer "अनार"? There is nothing preceding their response except her instruction, बोलो क्या, and the "refrain". Watching it again, I'm beginning to think that there may be a clue in her hand gestures. Time for some more research into pomegranates.

[maxqnz]

Carla, I can't find it now, but somewhere you wrote at length about Nargis. I can now say that you MUST see "Aag" if you haven't. It's fantastic. The number of different looks Nargis displays is very impressive, and RK's fantastic visuals are a treat. Some parts of the film remind me of Vincent Ward's work, in terms of the director's "eye". Plus the ending was a real surprise to me.

[Stella_1]

Hi, I also like this movie. My favorite songs are "mera joota hai japani", "pyar hua" and "raimaya vasavaiya". I have a bollywood lp collection,I just started a Bollywood blog. I posted pictures and songs from Awaara, Mughal e azam, Madhumati,and Shree 420 so come see and listen to some good songs.

[carla]

maxqnz, I don't think I've written more about Nargis than this, as this film was the first time I've seen her. I will definitely see *Aag* eventually, as well as *Awaara*, because after *Shree 420* I know I need to spend more time with Raj Kapoor and Nargis.

Stella, thanks for the note - your blog looks like fun!

Ah, Awaara - I must see this again. The dream sequence is stunning. As for Aag, here's one of my favourite bits of the film, visually.
http://maxqnzs.com/aag_solah-baras-ki.avi

It's 68MB, but worth it, imo.

[yves]

Hi Carla,
I owe you this one: thanks so much for letting me know about the existence of this masterpiece, Shree 420. I've written my impressions about it, if you're interested. Do let me know what you think.
BTW, do you know what is the meaning of the number 420 ?(We see a sign Bombay 420 at the beginning, but I think this must be in reference to the other meaning of the number!)
Cheers!
yves

[carla]

Yves, I am glad you liked the movie. As I said in my post, "420" refers to the section of the Indian criminal code relating to crimes of fraud and misrepresentation. In usage like "shree 420" the number refers to someone who is a cheat, a fraud.

[yves]

Thanks Carla, and sorry for not having read carefully enough about the n°420!

[Maajhi]

420 is Hindi slang for "conman/conwoman" :). And yes, it has its origins in the IPC, though that's not known in popular culture. Essentially, a 420 (pronounced chaar-sau-bees and nothing else, even in other languages) is a conman/woman.

[Maajhi]

I wasn't aware that 420 relates to drug-use before I'd lived in the US for about 3-4 years. And from my Indian perspective, I did use to wonder about the number's seemingly nonsensical appearance in the most unlikely places in US writing.

[Maajhi]

Sorry to carry on some more, but the title of this movie "Shree 420" is talking about people who get themselves rich by stealing and defrauding (420-giri) then masquerade as the most respectable in society (the prefix Shri or Shrimati).

[DG]

Totally unrelated to the review or the comments, but I'm glad to have finally discovered what 'Smt.' stands for... one of those little things I've always wondered about but always forgotten to look up... with the high praise it's earned here, 'Shree 420' is definitely high up on my dvd wish-list - I absolutely have to get myself a copy.