Mojili Mumbai Explained

Mojili Mumbai
Director:Manilal Joshi
Cinematography:D. D. Dabke
Editing:R. G. Torne
Studio:Kohinoor Film Company
Country:India
Language:Silent film

Mojili Mumbai (English: The Slaves of Luxury) was 1925 silent social film directed by Manilal Joshi from India.

Plot

Wealthy businessman Nanavati was charmed by Roshanara, a dancer. Chhotalal who worked as a pimp/agent of Roshanara makes a plan to rob Nanavati who has bought a gold necklace to gift her daughter on her birthday. Chhotalal make Nanavati to visit Roshnara. Roshnara seduces Nanavati and gets the necklace. When Nananvati realises that he is robbed, he confronts Chhotalal who had replaced it with fake necklace by then.[1]

Cast

The cast is as follows:

Production

The film depicted the moral decline in urban middle class and rich people of colonial Mumbai which was one of the first film to depict contemporary culture. It provided the moral commentary on westernized rich and dark side of "modern civilization".[2] The character of Roshanara was reportedly based on a real-life cabaret dancer Roshnara.[3] This silent black-and-white film was 8220 feet long.

Reception

The film was one of the Joshi's best known films.

It sparked debate in Be Ghadi Mouj, a journal, about "morality and cinematic realism" between its editor Shayda and Joshi. Joshi defended that he only wanted to make social comment on common incidents in culture of Mumbai by his film. Several other films such as Baap Kamal (1925) depicted a character of dancer named Roshanara.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rajadhyaksha . Ashish . Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema . Willemen . Paul . 2014-07-10 . Routledge . 978-1-135-94325-7 . revised . 115, 248 . en.
  2. Book: Wollaeger . Mark . The Oxford Handbook of Global Modernisms . Eatough . Matt . 2012-05-31 . OUP USA . 978-0-19-533890-4 . 630 . en.
  3. Book: Sangita Gopal . Global Bollywood: Travels of Hindi Song and Dance . Sujata Moorti . U of Minnesota Press . 2008 . 978-0-8166-4578-7 . 25– . 17 May 2015.