Padosi
About Padosi
In a village, the Hindu elder Pandit and his Muslim friend Mirza look after each other's families. The industrialist Onkar arrives to build a dam. The two men oppose him, so he sets the communities against each other. After a house burns, Mirza is pushed into casting Pandit and his son out, and the dam goes up. It later breaks. The two old men come back together and die trying to save people.
Cast & crew
More about Padosi
V. Shantaram directed the bilingual for Prabhat. Vishram Bedekar wrote the Marathi story and dialogue. Pandit Sudarshan wrote the Hindi dialogue and lyrics. It was Shantaram's last film at Prabhat before he opened Rajkamal Kalamandir. V. Avdhoot photographed it. Prahlad Dutt did the special effects.
Themes
Background
Prabhat released it in 1941, while the Muslim League was organizing and Hindu-Muslim fights were in the news.
Making
Shantaram cast across the actors' religions so the friendship on screen would not match the cast list.
Look
V. Avdhoot photographed it. Prahlad Dutt supplied the effects for the dam break.
Music
Master Krishnarao wrote the music, with Vasant Desai assisting. Pandit Sudarshan wrote the Hindi lyrics. The dance number "Lakh Lakh Chanderi" runs ten minutes.
Preservation
A Hindi print circulates. Wikimedia Commons holds a file of it.
Notes
- The Marathi version is titled Shejari. Padosi is the Hindi title, meaning neighbor.
- In the Hindi version Mazhar Khan, a Muslim, plays Pandit. Gajanan Jagirdar, a Hindu, plays Mirza.
- In the Marathi version Keshavrao Date plays Pandit, and Jagirdar still plays Mirza.
- Radhakrishan makes his screen debut as the villain Jayaram.
- D. D. Kashyap plays Onkar. Anees Khatoon plays Girija.
- Shantaram's other social films at Prabhat were Duniya Na Mane (1937) and Aadmi (1939).
Scenes
- A burned house is blamed on Pandit and his son.
- Mirza is pushed into cutting them off.
- The dam fails and the two men die in the rescue.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Padosi, 1941.webm)
