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Desh Premee
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| Desh Premee | |
|---|---|
Desh Premee poster | |
| Directed by | Manmohan Desai |
| Written by | Kader Khan K.B. Pathak Prayag Raj |
| Produced by | Subhash Desai |
| Starring | Amitabh Bachchan Hema Malini Navin Nischol Parveen Babi Shammi Kapoor Premnath Uttam Kumar Kader Khan Prem Chopra Parikshit Sahni Amjad Khan Sharmila Tagore |
| Cinematography | Peter Pereira |
| Edited by | Mukhtar Ahmed |
| Music by | Laxmikant-Pyarelal |
Production company | S.S. Movietone |
Release date |
|
Running time | 165 mins |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹30 million[1] |
| Box office | ₹72 million[1] |
Desh Premee (transl. The Patriot) is a 1982 Hindi action film directed by Manmohan Desai, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role alongside Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Navin Nischol, Parveen Babi, Uttam Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Premnath, Parikshit Sahni, Amjad Khan and Gita Siddharth. The film has musical score by Laxmikant-Pyarelal.
It was the fifth collaboration of Manmohan Desai and Amitabh Bachchan. The film fell short of the standards of the previous films by this duo garnering mixed reviews and becoming a moderate success at the box office. It did celebrate silver jubilee in Hyderabad.
The film is dedicated to the memory of Mohammed Rafi, who sang the film's title song and key cast member Uttam Kumar, both of whom died a little before the film was released. This was the only film for which music director Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar was a playback singer for a song. All the songs were penned by Anand Bakshi.[2]
Synopsis
[edit]Master Dinanath is a freedom fighter and participated in the war against the British in 1942 and independence was eventually won in 1947. But after independence, the people's love for their country seems to be diminishing and they are too busy betraying it like ex British landlord Thakur Pratab Singh. In 1967 Master Dinanath finds out about Thakur Pratab Singh's illegal activities such as smuggling of weapons and ammunition and gets him arrested. In revenge for putting him in prison, Pratab Singh gets Master Dinanath's wife Bharati and daughter Priti kidnapped by Thakur's partner in crime Sher Singh to try to change his ways but, to no avail. Thakur also provokes an attack on Masterji's home by the local villagers, who accuse Dinanath of betraying his country and he is forced to flee his home with his young son Raju. His wife becomes a victim of leprosy and escapes from Sher Singh, leaving her daughter Priti in a friend's care. Masterji is informed that his wife and daughter could be dead as they find a necklace of hers near the train tracks. Masterji is devastated by his wife and daughter's loss and he and his son move on with their life.
They settle into a slum called Bharat Nagar, which is divided into four sections with a don in each of different backgrounds: Punjabi, a Tamilian. Bengali and Muslim. All of them love their own section, but nobody thinks of themselves as Indian except Masterji. Masterji tries to bring peace between the four dons and once they settle their differences, the four underworld dons use the Masterji's stay in Bharat Nagar to cover up their own illegal activities.
15 years later in 1982, Masterji's now grown-up son Raju turns out to be the opposite of his father. He starts working for Thakur Pratap Singh, unaware that Thakur had once kidnapped his mother and sister. Will Raju find out what Thakur did to his family? Will Master Dinanath find out his son is not who he thinks he is? and will Master ever find his wife and daughter again?
Cast
[edit]- Amitabh Bachchan as Master Dinanath and Raju (dual role as father and son)
- Hema Malini as Asha
- Sharmila Tagore as Bharati (Master's wife)
- Parveen Babi as Dr. Preeti (Master's daughter)
- Navin Nischol as Inspector Deepak Singh
- Uttam Kumar as Ghosh Babu
- Shammi Kapoor as Shamsher Singh
- Amjad Khan as Thakur Pratap Singh
- Premnath as Puthu Anna
- Parikshat Sahni as Ghulam Ali
- Prem Chopra as Don
- Kader Khan as Sher Singh
- Jagdish Raj as Retired Major
- Sudha Chopra as Shamsher Singh's wife
- Geeta Siddharth
- Jeevan as Munim
- Yusuf Khan as Thakur Pratap Singh's aide
- Shivraj
- Gurbachan Singh
This is one of the last films of legendary actor Uttam Kumar who died during the filming. Actor Sudhir Dalvi has given a voice over to Uttam Kumar. "Mere Desh Premiyon" became his last song by Mohammad Rafi for a Manmohan Desai film. Manmohan Desai and Mohammed Rafi, with Laxmikant Pyarelal's music, created a magical era of music in Bollywood movies. Shammi Kapoor acted in a supporting role in the movie and had no songs to sing.
The music of the movie was fairly popular. Two Kishore Kumar songs and one Mohammed Rafi song were pictured on Amitabh Bachchan. "Khatoon Ki Khidmat Mein" was influenced by "Hum Kaale To Kya Hua Dilwale Hain" from Gumnaam. For this song, Amitabh Bachchan also dressed and acted like Mehmood, on whom that song was picturized. Laxmikant sang "Gore Nahin Hum Kaale Sahi", a duet with Asha Bhosle, and his voice was used on both Amitabh Bachchan and Prem Chopra. Bhosle sang for Hema Malini. Navin Nischol had one song and Amit Kumar sang for him, a duet with Kishore Kumar "Jaa Jaldi Bhaag Jaa".
The movie celebrated a golden jubilee in Hyderabad Ramakrishna 70MM theatres, and was hugely successful on re-release in the 1980s and 1990s.
Soundtrack
[edit]| Song | Singer |
|---|---|
| "Khatoon Ki Khidmat Mein" | Kishore Kumar |
| "Ja, Jaldi Bhag Ja, Nahin Baba Nahin" | Kishore Kumar, Amit Kumar |
| "Mere Desh Premiyon" | Mohammed Rafi |
| "Jao Ji Jao" | Lata Mangeshkar |
| "O Bekhabar Bedardi" | Lata Mangeshkar |
| "Gore Nahin Hum Kale Sahi" | Asha Bhosle, Laxmikant |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Desh Premee 1982 Movie Lifetime Worldwide Collection". 4 August 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ ANI (23 April 2016). "Amitabh Bachchan marks 30 years of Desh Premee". financialexpress.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
External links
[edit]- Desh Premee at IMDb
Desh Premee
View on GrokipediaProduction
Development and Pre-production
Desh Premee marked the fifth collaboration between director Manmohan Desai and lead actor Amitabh Bachchan, following their joint efforts on Parvarish (1977), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Suhaag (1979), and Naseeb (1981).[3] Desai envisioned the project as a patriotic action drama emphasizing national unity and familial bonds, drawing from his established formula of high-energy masala films that integrated emotional storytelling with spectacle.[4] The screenplay was primarily written by Prayag Raj, with dialogue contributions from Kader Khan and additional screenplay input from K.B. Pathak, aligning with Desai's preference for scripts that fused historical reverence for India's independence movement with contemporary moral dilemmas.[5][6] Pre-production encountered setbacks, notably the death of Bengali actor Uttam Kumar in July 1980, who had been slated for a key role, disrupting initial casting and planning.[3] Produced by Subhash Desai under a reported budget of ₹30 million, the phase focused on logistical preparations for dual-timeline sequences requiring period sets and action choreography, though specific location scouting details for historical reenactments remain undocumented in contemporary accounts.[7] These efforts culminated in principal photography commencing shortly after Naseeb's release, paving the way for the film's April 23, 1982, debut.[3]Casting and Crew
Amitabh Bachchan was cast by director Manmohan Desai in the central dual roles of Master Dinanath, an elderly freedom fighter, and his son Raju, adapting Bachchan's dominant "Angry Young Man" archetype from the 1970s into a multifaceted patriotic figure to exploit his unparalleled box-office dominance following hits like Zanjeer and Deewaar.[1][8] This choice underscored Desai's strategy of centering narratives around Bachchan while incorporating patriotic elements amid India's post-Emergency cultural shifts.[1] Hema Malini portrayed the lead female character Asha, Raju's wife, leveraging her proven on-screen rapport with Bachchan from prior Desai collaborations such as Naseeb, to provide emotional balance and romantic appeal in the multi-starrer ensemble.[8] Supporting actors included Shammi Kapoor as the antagonist Shamsher Singh, Parveen Babi as Dr. Preeti, Navin Nischol, Prem Chopra as the villainous Don, Kader Khan, and Amjad Khan, selected for their established star power and ability to attract family audiences, aligning with Desai's formula of packing films with recognizable faces to ensure broad commercial viability.[2][9] The technical crew featured cinematographer Peter Pereira, responsible for capturing the film's action sequences and dramatic visuals, and editor Mukhtar Ahmed, who managed the pacing of its extended runtime.[9][2] Desai produced the film under his own banner, emphasizing indigenous talent in core roles while relying on proven Indian technicians to maintain cost efficiency and cultural authenticity over imported expertise.[1]Filming and Production Challenges
Principal photography for Desh Premee commenced in late 1980 and extended into 1981, spanning locations in Mumbai and Delhi to capture diverse settings from period-era freedom struggle sequences to contemporary action.[10] The production grappled with significant disruptions, including the sudden death of Uttam Kumar on July 24, 1980, midway through filming his role as a veteran freedom fighter, which necessitated Sudhir Dalvi dubbing his dialogues in post-production.[3] Similarly, playback singer Mohammed Rafi, who recorded the title song, passed away on July 31, 1980, prompting the film to be dedicated to him and contributing to overall delays.[3] These fatalities, combined with multiple casting shifts—such as Shivaji Ganesan's exit, replaced by Premnath—led to rescheduling and a production described as having gone "haywire," falling short of director Manmohan Desai's typical efficiency.[3] Logistical strains arose from orchestrating expansive crowd scenes for Quit India Movement depictions and patriotic rallies, requiring recruitment of hundreds of extras via newspaper advertisements for key sequences like the climax.[11] Desai maintained a hands-on directorial presence, prioritizing practical stunts and on-location authenticity over emerging visual aids, which amplified challenges in action choreography amid Amitabh Bachchan's dual role demands and period reconstructions without modern effects.[12] Technical shortcuts, such as reusing background scores from Desai's prior films Suhaag (1979) and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), reflected the pressures to complete shooting despite these hurdles.[3]Plot
Summary
Master Dinanath, a schoolteacher and active participant in the 1942 Quit India Movement against British colonial rule, exposes Thakur Pratap Singh's illicit arms smuggling operations that supported the occupiers, resulting in the antagonist's arrest on August 15, 1942.[13] In revenge, Thakur engineers the abduction and separation of Dinanath's wife Bharati and infant daughter Priti from the family, leaving Dinanath imprisoned and bereft during the final years of the independence struggle, which culminates in India's freedom on August 15, 1947.[13][14] Decades later in the 1980s, an elderly Dinanath reunites with his surviving son Raju and relocates to a crime-ridden urban slum dominated by four warring gang leaders.[15] There, Dinanath endeavors to locate and reunite with the now-adult Priti, who has become a physician searching for her long-lost mother Bharati, while Raju grapples with the pervasive corruption and moral decay in post-independence society.[16] Dinanath confronts these challenges by mediating conflicts among the slum dons and instilling patriotic ideals in the local youth.[15] The storyline resolves with the family's eventual reunion after overcoming Thakur's enduring vendetta and systemic injustices, as Dinanath's perseverance leads to the restoration of familial bonds and a symbolic victory against contemporary societal threats.[13][14]Cast and Characters
Principal Cast
Amitabh Bachchan played the dual roles of Master Dinanath, an elderly freedom fighter dedicated to patriotic ideals, and Raju, his rebellious younger son who initially strays but ultimately upholds familial and national values.[2][17] Hema Malini portrayed Asha, serving as a key figure in the family dynamics and romantic subplot intertwined with the protagonists' struggles.[2] Sharmila Tagore enacted Bharati, Master Dinanath's steadfast wife who anchors the emotional core of the household amid generational tensions.[18] Shammi Kapoor appeared as Shamsher Singh, a loyal comedic supporter aiding the central characters in their endeavors.[2]Supporting Roles
Shammi Kapoor played Shamsher Singh, a family elder whose boisterous presence added comic relief and reinforced the film's multi-generational family bonds, balancing the high-stakes action with lighter ensemble moments.[2] His veteran status complemented the leads, drawing on his established comedic timing from earlier hits to support the patriotic theme without dominating the central narrative.[1] Amjad Khan portrayed Thakur Pratap Singh, the primary antagonist whose smuggling operations of weapons and ammunition created central conflicts, propelling plot progression and highlighting themes of national integrity against corruption.[19] Khan's menacing delivery, honed from iconic villain roles, intensified the ensemble's dynamics by positioning the supporting villainy as a foil to the protagonists' unity.[2] Navin Nischol enacted Inspector Deepak Singh, a law enforcement figure integral to investigative subplots, contributing to the film's layered family structure across generations.[2] His role underscored the blend of veteran actors like Kapoor and antagonists like Khan with mid-career performers, enhancing the ensemble's realism in depicting societal challenges. Parveen Babi appeared as Dr. Preeti, a key secondary character whose arc intertwined with the family, providing emotional depth and bridging personal stakes with broader conflicts; notably, this marked the only film where she shared both paternal and sibling dynamics with Amitabh Bachchan due to his dual role.[20] Child actors depicted younger versions of characters like Preeti, adding innocence to the multi-generational appeal, though specific credits for these roles remain limited in production records.[16]Music
Composition and Lyrics
The music for Desh Premee was composed by the duo Laxmikant–Pyarelal, known for their prolific output in Hindi cinema during the 1970s and 1980s, with all lyrics written by Anand Bakshi.[21] The soundtrack, recorded in 1982 ahead of the film's release, incorporated orchestral arrangements featuring brass and percussion sections to evoke patriotic marches alongside melodic strings for romantic interludes, aligning with director Manmohan Desai's emphasis on integrating songs to propel narrative momentum and emotional resonance.[22] Playback singing featured established vocalists selected for their ability to convey the film's dual tones of nationalism and personal drama, including Lata Mangeshkar for tender, expressive tracks and Mohammed Rafi for rousing anthems.[23] Rafi's rendition of "Mere Deshpremiyo," for example, reinforces the protagonist's commitment to national unity amid familial strife, using choral backing to amplify communal patriotic motifs central to the story's moral framework.[24] Similarly, Lata Mangeshkar's "Jao Ji Jao Par Itna Sunlo" advances relational tensions through its poignant plea structure, blending folk-inflected rhythms with Desai's signature formula of music-driven plot progression and cultural evocation of devotion.[23] The composition process prioritized thematic cohesion, with Bakshi's lyrics drawing on everyday Hindi idiom to ground abstract patriotism in relatable scenarios, while Laxmikant–Pyarelal's scoring avoided overly experimental elements in favor of accessible, hit-oriented melodies that sustained commercial viability.[21] This approach reflected the era's industry norms, where duos like Laxmikant–Pyarelal relied on live studio sessions with session musicians to capture dynamic energy suited to on-screen spectacle.[25]Soundtrack Listing
The soundtrack of Desh Premee, released in 1982 by His Master's Voice (HMV) on vinyl LP (catalogue number ECF-2392338), comprises six songs with a total duration of approximately 34 minutes 46 seconds.[26][27]| Track No. | Title | Singer(s) | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jao Ji Jao (Par Itna Sun Lo Thodi Chudiyan Pehen Lo) | Lata Mangeshkar | 4:18 | Situational song featuring maternal advice.[21][27] |
| 2 | Mere Deshpremiyo (Nafrat Ki Laathi Todo) | Mohammed Rafi | 5:37 | Picturized on Amitabh Bachchan as a patriotic call to unity against hatred.[21][28][29] |
| 3 | O Bekhabar Bedardi | Lata Mangeshkar | ~4:30 | Romantic lament; includes lyrical references to reliance ("tu mera hi sahare" in context).[21][23] |
| 4 | Khaatoon Ki Khidmat Mein | Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle | ~5:00 | Picturized as a comedic duet dance sequence on Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini.[30][21] |
| 5 | Gore Nahin Sahi | Laxmikant Kudalkar | ~4:00 | Sung by music director Laxmikant himself, emphasizing inner virtue over appearance.[21][31] |
| 6 | Tana Din Dindana | Amit Kumar | ~5:00 | Upbeat track with rhythmic elements, used in a light-hearted scene.[32][27] |
