Savitri (1937 film)

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Savitri
Savitri (1937) poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Franz Osten
Written by
Produced by Bombay Talkies
Starring
CinematographyJoseph Wirsching
Music by Saraswati Devi
Production
company
Distributed byRamniklal Mohanlal and Co., Bombay
Release date
  • 1937 (1937)
Running time
136 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Savitri is a 1937 Indian Hindi-language mythological film directed by Franz Osten. [1] [2] Adapted from a story in the Mahabharata by Niranjan Pal with dialogues by J. S. Casshyap. The cinematographer was Joseph Wirsching. Saraswati Devi composed the music. [3] According to Garga, Savitri was the "only mythological" produced by Himanshu Rai for Bombay Talkies, who were known for making "rurlist reform dramas". [4] [5] Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani played the lead roles supported by Maya Devi, Saroj Borkar, Mumtaz Ali, and Sunita Devi. [6]

Contents

The film is based on an incident from the epic Mahabharata and tells the story of Savitri and Satyavan, played by Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar. Savitri persists in getting the god of death, Yama, to revoke her husband Satyavan's death.

Plot

Savitri is born as a boon from the Sun God and thus shares a blood-relation with Karna as a sister, to Ashwapati, the King of Madra and his wife Malawi. Savitri meets and falls in love with Satyavan, the son of the blind King Dumatasena. Dumtasena's minister has taken over his kingdom and exiled the king, who now lives in the forest. When Savitri decides to marry Satyavan, the sage Narada advises against it, as according to the planetary charts, Satyavan will die a year following their marriage. However, Savitri insists on going ahead, ready to take on Yama the God of death. A year later when Savitri sees Yama carrying Satyavan's soul she follows and discourses with him, while continuing her pursuit. Finally, Yama tells her she can ask three boons of him except for Satyavan's life. The boons Savitri asks for are: sight for her father-in-law and restoration of his kingdom, her father should be granted a hundred sons, and last, she be granted a hundred sons. Yama gives in to her request, thereby restoring Satyavan's life. Her father-in-law's sight is restored and he learns of the death of his usurper.

Cast

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Saraswati Devi with lyrics by J. S. Casshyap. The singers were Devika Rani, Ashok Kumar, Sushila Bhiwandkar, Chandraprabha, and P. F. Pithawala. [7]

Songlist

#TitleSinger
1Uttho Uttho Begi Uttho Sajanwa Devika Rani
2Surya Wahi Chandra Wahi Ashok Kumar
3Koi Aandhi Ko Rok Sake Rok LeSushila Bhiwandkar
4Surya Kiran Navjivan LaayiChandraprabha
5Saath Saath JaayengeChandraprabha
6Wahan Der Sahi Andher Nahin P. F. Pithawala
7Yo Suno Geet Sangeet ManoharAshok Kumar
8Devi Devi Sur Nar Muni
9Dhanya Hua Dhany Hua Tav Kaaran Aaj
10Jab Koyal Ku Ku Karti Kya Veena Bhi Sur BhartiSushila Bhiwandkar
11Jal Bharan Aayi GujariyaAshok Kumar
12Hari Jab Jab Bhagat Par Bheer PadiP. F. Pithawala

Savitri In Indian cinema

There were about thirty-four versions of the Savitri Satyavan films made. One of the earliest was the film Savitri produced in 1913 by Dadasaheb Phalke. [8] The 1923 version, Savitri also called Satyavan Savitri, was an Italian co-production directed by Giorgio Mannini and J. J. Madan produced by Madan Theatres Ltd. and Cines. [9] Savitri (1933) was the first film produced by East India Film Company. Directed by C. Pullaiah, it received an Honorary Certificate at the Venice Film Festival. [10]

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References

  1. ↑ Karanjia, B. K. (1989). Genres of Indian Cinema. The Author. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  2. ↑ Shoma A. Chatterji (10 June 2014). 100 Years of Jump-Cuts and Fade-Outs. Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd 2014. pp. 11–. ISBN   978-81-291-3430-1 . Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Savitri (1937)". gomolo.com. Gomolo.com. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  4. ↑ Bhagwan Das Garga (1996). So many cinemas: the motion picture in India. Eminence Designs. ISBN   978-81-900602-1-9 . Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Savitri 1937". nthwall.com. NTHWALL.com. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Savitri". citwf.com. Alan Goble. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Savitri (1937)". muvyz.com. Muvyz, Ltd. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Savitri Films List". citwf.com. Alan Goble. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Savitri 1923". citwf.com. Alan Goble. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  10. ↑ Ponram P (1 December 2014). Life in India: Culture. Ponram P. pp. 153–. GGKEY:43NZKK4BRBF. Retrieved 18 April 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
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