Badi Maa

Badi Maa (Elder Mother), also called Bari-Ma, is a Bollywood social war drama film. Released in 1945,[1][2] it was produced and directed by Master Vinayak. Made under the banner of Prafulla Pictures, Kanpur, it had story written by V. S. Khendekar.[3] Zia Sarhadi wrote the screenplay and lyrics for six songs.[4] The other lyricists were Anjum Pilibhiti and Raja Badhe. The music director was K. Datta (Datta Koregaonkar).[5]

Badi Maa
Directed byMaster Vinayak
Produced byPrafulla Pictures, Kanpur
Written byV. S. Khendekar
Zia Sarhadi Screenplay
StarringNoor Jehan
Ishwarlal
Sitara Devi
Yakub
Music byK. Dutta
CinematographyMadhav Bulbule
Distributed byManzoor Productions
Release date
1945
Running time
122 min
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

The film starred Noor Jehan, Ishwarlal, Yakub, Sitara Devi, Meenaxi, Baby Alka, Damuanna Malvankar, Leela Mishra and Girish.[6] It had playback singer Lata Mangeshkar in one of her rare early acting roles, performing alongside Noor Jehan.[7] Besides Mangeshkar, the film also had singer Asha Bhosle in a minor role with the other two singers.

Made at the end of WW II, the film factors the Japanese involvement, with Yakub and Sitara Devi acting as spies for Japan. The lead pair, Ishwarlal and Noor Jehan take them on, emerging victorious.

Plot

Set against the backdrop of WW II, it has the hero Dinesh, played by Ishwarlal, stuck in London during the Blitz. Dinesh's father Durgadas (D. S. Salvi) lives in a village (Dinapur) in India, with his daughter Usha (Meenaxi). Durgadas owes money to Ghanshyam (Girish), a money-lender with two children. Ghanshyam's son Rajinder (Yakub), is a spy for the Japanese and is helped by a dancer called Mona (Sitara Devi). His daughter Hema (Noor Jehan) is a compassionate, patriotic girl unaware of her brother's plans and is in love with Dinesh.

Ghanshyam offers to free Durgadas of his debt if he will agree to his daughter's marriage to Rajinder. When Durgadas refuses, Ghanshyam has his property confiscated. Dinesh returns to India and is shocked to find his father in penury and an attack on his village by the Japanese. He takes up arms to fight and is joined by Hema. His sister Usha dies under enemy firing, and a repentant Rajinder fights the enemy dying in the bargain. Hema and Dinesh survive the war having fought for Badi Maa (India), and get together.

Cast

Review

Filmindia, with its newly formed rating system of one to five stars with one being Rotten, Avoid and five being Excellent, Don't miss, gave the film a one star rating. In its September 1945 issue, it panned the film terming it a "propaganda social" and claiming the film to be "the year's most rotten show".[8]

Though the film came in for criticism for being a propaganda film, made "under the constant goading of the Information Department",[9] it was a commercial success at the box-office, becoming the third highest grossing Indian film of that year.[10]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by K. Datta with the songs written by three lyricists. Zia Sarhadi wrote the lyrics for six of the ten songs in the film, Anjum Pilibhiti three songs, and Raja Badhe one song. The singers were Noor Jehan, Baby Alka, Lata Mangeshkar and Ishwarlal.[11]

Song List
#TitleSingerLyricist
1 "Aa Intezar Hai Tera Dil Beqarar Hai Mera" Noor Jehan Zia Sarhadi
2 "Aana Kya Hai Ek Bahaana Jaane Ka" Meenaxi Zia Sarhadi
3 "Chhananan Chhum Chhananan" Baby Alka Raja Badhe
4 "Diya Jalakar Aap Bhujaaya" Noor Jehan Zia Sarhadi
5 "Khil Jao Bagh Ki Kaliyon" Baby Alka Zia Sarhadi
6 "Kisi Tarah Se Mohabbat Mein Chain Paa Na Sakey" Noor Jehan Anjum Pilibhiti
7 "Mata Tere Charnon Mein" Lata Mangeshkar, Ishwarlal Zia Sarhadi
8 "Pyara Pyara Mausam Hai Rut Suhani" Baby Alka Anjum Pilibhiti
9 "Tum Humko Bhulaa Baithe Ho" Noor Jehan Zia Sarhadi
10 "Tum Ho Maa Badi Maa" Lata Mangeshkar, Meenaxi Anjum Pilibhiti
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References
  1. "Badi Maa". Gomolo.com. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  2. Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1999). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  3. "Pictures In Making". Filmindia. 11 (1): 43. January 1945.
  4. Raj, Ashok (1 November 2009). "Zia Sarhadi". Hero Vol.1. Hay House, Inc. pp. 131–. ISBN 978-93-81398-02-9. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  5. "Badi Maa (1945)". hindigeetmala.net. Hindi Geetmala. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  6. "Badi Maa 1945". citwf.com. Alan Goble. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  7. Dharker, Anil (6 April 2011). "Lata Mangeshkar by Jerry Pinto". Icons. Roli Books Private Limited. pp. 120–. ISBN 978-81-7436-944-4. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  8. Patel, Baburao (December 1945). "Refresh Your Memory". 11 (12): 71. Retrieved 4 January 2016. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. "Bombay Calling". Filmindia. 11 (11): 17. November 1945. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  10. "Top Earners 1945". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  11. "Badi Maa (1945)". muvyz.com. Muvyz, Ltd. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
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