Chhalia Explained
Chhalia is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Manmohan Desai.[3] It stars Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Pran,[4] Rehman[5] and Shobhna Samarth. The story is loosely based on the 1848 short story "White Nights" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, but is focused on the issue of estranged wives and children in the aftermath of Partition.[6] [7] [8] [9] Chhalia was shot in black-and-white. Music by Kalyanji-Anandji, played a part in the film's box office success.
Plot
Shanti is married off to Kewal on the eve of Partition. But while the two families move away to Delhi from Lahore, she inadvertently is left behind, and is forced to share a roof with Abdul Rehman, who has a sister of Shanti's age in India. When she returns to India five years later with her son, she is first welcomed by the husband with open arms but disowned when the child identifies himself as Anwar, and his father as Abdul Rehman. Even her own father refuses to give her shelter, though in the years she had lived with Abdul Rehman she hadn't even seen his face.
Physically and emotionally shattered, Shanti tries to commit suicide after leaving Anwar in a remand home, but is rescued by an outlaw, Chhalia who as time and events progress, flips for the lady. Rehman lands in Delhi to settle old scores with Chhalia and threatens to kidnap Shanti. The bloody fight that ensues between the two adversaries eventually ends in a truce. The hurried climax, set amidst Dussera festivities, has Chhalia bringing about a rapprochement between the estranged couple, and himself walking into infinity, while Rehman is reunited with his sister on the return train.
Cast
Production
Chhalia was the debut film of director Manmohan Desai.[11] Chhalia was amongst the first of the lost-and-found-formula films that Desai went on to chisel to perfection, the most popular being Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) [12] (except perhaps his last two Ganga Jamuna Saraswati and Toofan), Chhalia was also first amongst his 13 star-studded films out of a total of 20 that Desai churned out in a career spanning 29 years. Laxmikant Pyarelal were the assistant music directors; who went on to be music directors for most of Manmohan Desai's films.
Release
Chhalia was released in 1960 and was a moderate box office success.[13] Raj Kapoor and Nutan were nominated for 1961 Filmfare Awards in the category of Best Actor and Best Actress respectively. Chhalia was made available on DVD from the Indian distributor Shemaroo and the international firm Baba Digital.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Chhalia is composed by the duo Kalyanji-Anandji with lyrics by Qamar Jalalabadi. The initial vinyl ep release of the soundtrack by Angel Records consisted of 4 songs sung by singers Mukesh[14] and Lata Mangeshkar. The complete soundtrack was released by EMI with 3 new songs and an Instrumental added to the initial soundtrack. Chhalia is considered a landmark in the career of Kalyanji-Anandji.[15] [16] The duo composed the kind of folksy, simple tunes that had come to be associated with Raj Kapoor's collaborations with Shankar-Jaikishan.[17] The songs "Dum Dum Diga Diga" and "Chhalia Mera Naam" are still popular today.[18]
Notes and References
- News: Kohli. Suresh. Chhalia 1960. 12 October 2016. The Hindu. 9 May 2009. en-IN.
- Web site: Chhalia Indian Cinema. uiowa.edu. 13 October 2016. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013221845/https://uiowa.edu/indiancinema/chhalia. live.
- Elizabeth Sweeney. Ellen. Partition and its legacies: a cross-cultural comparison of Irish, British and South Asian cinemas. 2013. PhD. University of Iowa. 33.
- News: One of the most loved villains of Bollywood bids adieu: Pran Sahab. 13 October 2016. IANS. India TV. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013220247/http://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/bollywood/one-of-the-most-loved-villains-of-bollywood-bids-adieu-pran-sah-8608.html. live.
- News: Bokhari. Shoaib. Remembering the Muslim greats of Bollywood. 13 October 2016. The Nation. 3 June 2016. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013221805/http://nation.com.pk/entertainment/03-Jun-2016/remembering-the-muslim-greats-of-bollywood. live.
- News: Yesterday once more . https://web.archive.org/web/20111010204934/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-12-16/special-report/27959340_1_vu-remakes-raj-kapoor . dead . 10 October 2011 . . 16 December 2007.
- News: Bali. Karan. The break in the script: How did Partition affect the film industry?. 12 October 2016. www.hindustantimes.com/. Hindustan Times. 13 August 2016. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013223248/http://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/the-break-in-the-script-how-did-partition-affect-the-film-industry/story-12NhRiWPYwiFKRJyb0ejgN.html. live.
- Book: Daiya, Kavita. Violent belongings: partition, gender, and national culture in Postcolonial India. 2008. Temple University Press. Philadelphia. 978-1-59213-743-5. 89. 23 October 2020. 25 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231125132633/https://books.google.com/books?id=P7a-FuiMcTYC&q=Chhalia+Partition&pg=PA89#v=snippet&q=Chhalia%20Partition&f=false. live.
- News: Parmar. Prabhjot. Films and Partition: Trains of History. 13 October 2016. www.tribuneindia.com. The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum. 5 August 2007. 20 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160720155818/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070805/spectrum/main1.htm. live.
- News: The unforgettables. 13 October 2016. Deccan Herald. 4 December 2010. 25 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231125132631/https://www.deccanherald.com/content/118025/unforgettables.html. live.
- News: Pinto. Jerry. Tribute to a century of Bollywood: Part six 1964-1973. 13 October 2016. The National. 11 May 2013. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013222516/http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/tribute-to-a-century-of-bollywood-part-six-1964-1973. live.
- Web site: Kahlon. Sukhpreet. 'Jab insaan haiwaan nahin bana tha' – Impassioned plea for humanity in Manmohan Desai's debut film Chhalia (1960). Cinestaan.com. 15 Aug 2018. Chhalia. 28 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180928202204/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2018/aug/15/15050/jab-insaan-haiwaan-nahin-bana-tha-impassioned-plea-for-humanity-in-manmohan-desai-s-debut-film-chhalia-1960. live.
- News: Manwani. Akshay. Manmohan Desai and Hindi cinema's secularism!. 12 October 2016. dna. Daily News and Analysis. 16 May 2016. 6 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161106054742/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-manmohan-desai-and-hindi-cinema-s-secularism-2213086. live.
- News: Mishra. Tulsidas. MAGIC OF THE MELLIFLUOUS MUKESH. 13 October 2016. Odisha Sun Times Editorial Desk. OdishaSunTimes.com. 27 August 2014. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013222118/http://odishasuntimes.com/2014/08/27/mellifluous-mukesh/. live.
- News: Holla. Anand. A trip down melody lane. 13 October 2016. Gulf-Times. 4 May 2016. 22 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161022070130/http://www.gulf-times.com/story/492297/A-trip-down-melody-lane. live.
- News: बचपन से संगीतकार बनने का शौक का था कल्याणजी को - Death anniversary of Kalyanji. 12 October 2016. www.patrika.com. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013221350/http://www.patrika.com/news/today-special/death-anniversary-of-kalyanji-1381885/. live.
- News: Arunachalam. Param. Bollywood Retrospect: 'Yeh Mera Dil' from 'Don' and other gems by the underrated Kalyanji–Anandji. 12 October 2016. dna. Daily News and Analysis. 25 June 2016. 9 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160909170648/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/column-bollywood-retrospect-yeh-mera-dil-from-don-and-other-gems-by-the-underrated-kalyanji-anandji-2227569. live.
- News: कड़े संघर्ष के बाद कल्याणजी-आनंदजी को मिली थी पहचान - Kalyanji-Anandji tasted success after hard struggle. 12 October 2016. www.patrika.com. 13 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013222315/http://www.patrika.com/news/today-special/kalyanji-anandji-tasted-success-after-hard-struggle-1182182/. live.
