On my way to work,I was listening to a CD of S.D Burman’s songs, when Talat Mehmood’s soulful voice poured out of the speakers.The song was ‘Jalte hain jiss ke liye, teri aankhon ke diye’. After which it was easy to select my movie of the day.
‘Sujata’ released in 1959 but the topic that it so sensitively dealt with, is just as relevant today as it was 60 years ago. The tender story of a lower-caste, rather untouchable (as they were called then) girl, who is brought up in an upper-caste family is touchingly portrayed by Nutan. When her adoptive ‘ammi’ introduces her to visitors as ‘hamari beti jaisi’ but never ‘hamari beti’ we feel her pain. When she confesses to the very upper-caste man who is in love with her, that she is ‘achoot, bilkul achoot’ we weep with her. When she yearns for the happiness that is so tantalisingly within her grasp, but from which she has to turn away, the heart-break is not just hers alone.
The name Sujata means ‘of good family or jaat, as in- caste’ and the irony is made apparent in numerous ways. Her adoptive mother is always conflicted between accepting her as a loving daughter and pushing her away because of her low caste. The fiercely orthodox ‘buaji’ who refuses to even be in the same room as her, the smug pandit who leaves the house because there is an untouchable residing there, Sujata’s very existence is defined by what others think and how they behave around her. The issue of caste is bound not just by beliefs and tradition but also the monster called ‘What Will Society Think?’
The movie is like watching a poem that is breathed into life by its characters, its music and its imagery. The best part is that Sujata is not rescued from the shackles of her birth and situation by her upper-caste lover, but by her own actions.
I also liked the warmth and affection that existed between the bubbly, chirpy ‘beti’ Rama and the ‘beti jaisi’ Sujata. Shashikala almost steals the show with her infectious smile and teasing manner.The grace with which she accepts that the hero prefers her quiet, plain sister instead of being smitten by her lively charms, is truly endearing.
A salute to Sunil Dutt for accepting a role in which he plays second fiddle to not just the heroine but to all the female characters in the story. He seemed to me more symbolic than anything- he represented the educated, enlightened and progressive face of society, willing to forsake all to stand by his beliefs.
And finally- the music. Each one an unforgettable gem that stays with you long after the movie ends. From the lilting melody of ‘Bachpan ke din bhi kya din the’ to the evocative ‘Kaali ghata chaye’ and the universal birthday favourite ‘Tum jiyo hazaaron saal’, it’s a playlist that can be listened to on a loop.
As Talat Mehmood crooned ‘Geet naazuk hai mera sheeshe sey bhi, toote na kahin…’ So, play on!
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