Ratan

About the production

Ratan was produced during the peak of the Bombay Talkies era, when Indian cinema was transitioning from silent films to talkies. The film was shot on black and white celluloid using the technology available in the 1940s, with sound recording done on magnetic tape. The production faced challenges due to World War II, which affected film stock availability and caused delays in scheduling.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Programmers in 1944 slotted Ratan from Ranjit Movietone beside newsreels, cartoons, and serial chapters.

Why this film matters

Repertory houses screen Ratan to show how 1944 filmmakers staged they are in love - have grown up together.

Making of

The making of Ratan was marked by several interesting anecdotes and challenges. Director M. Sadiq was known for his meticulous attention to detail and would often spend hours rehearsing emotional scenes with his actors. Swaran Lata reportedly prepared for her role by spending time with women in similar situations to understand their emotional state. The film's music composer, Gyan Dutt, worked closely with the lyricist to create songs that would enhance the narrative rather than merely entertain. During production, the film faced censorship challenges due to its bold subject matter, but the filmmakers successfully argued that the film was addressing a real social problem. The famous scene where Ratan returns to her village took three days to shoot as Sadiq wanted to capture the perfect emotional transition in Swaran Lata's performance.

What critics said

Repertory notes on Ratan highlight survival of the print more than 1944 box-office records.

Did you know?

• Ratan was one of the early films to address the sensitive topic of age disparity in marriages, which was a common social issue in 1940s India
• The film's music became extremely popular, with several songs becoming chart-toppers and remaining popular for decades
• Swaran Lata, who played the lead role, was one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1940s and was known for choosing socially relevant roles
• Director M. Sadiq was known for his social consciousness and often made films that addressed women's issues and social reform
• The film was released during the final years of British rule in India, just three years before independence
• Karan Dewan and Swaran Lata starred together in multiple films and were considered one of the popular on-screen pairs of the 1940s
• The child actor in the film went on to have a successful career as a character actor in later decades
• Ratan's success led to several remakes in different Indian languages over the decades
• The film's original negatives were believed lost for decades before being discovered in the National Film Archive of India
• The costume design for Swaran Lata's character became influential in 1940s Indian fashion

Visual style

The cinematography of Ratan was handled by B. Damle, who employed the visual language of the 1940s Bombay cinema while adding subtle innovations. The film used dramatic lighting to emphasize the emotional states of the characters, particularly in scenes depicting Ratan's isolation in her marriage. The village sequences were shot with natural lighting to create a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that contrasted with the cold, formal lighting of Ratan's marital home. Camera movements were deliberately restrained, reflecting the theatrical influence that was still prevalent in Indian cinema of the era. The film made effective use of close-ups to capture the subtle emotional performances of the actors, particularly Swaran Lata. The black and white photography enhanced the film's emotional gravity, with high contrast lighting used to symbolize the moral and emotional conflicts in the narrative.

Innovations

Ratan employed several technical innovations that were noteworthy for its time. The film utilized advanced sound recording techniques for the era, achieving clearer dialogue reproduction than many contemporaneous productions. The editing employed sophisticated cross-cutting techniques to build emotional tension, particularly in the sequences showing parallel lives of the separated lovers. The film's makeup and prosthetics for the older husband character were considered advanced for 1940s Indian cinema. The production design successfully created distinct visual worlds for the village and urban settings, enhancing the narrative's emotional contrast. The film also experimented with narrative structure, using flashbacks more extensively than was typical for the period. These technical achievements, while subtle by modern standards, contributed to the film's effectiveness and demonstrated the growing sophistication of Indian film craft in the 1940s.

Music

The music of Ratan was composed by Gyan Dutt, with lyrics penned by Pandit Indra Chandra. The soundtrack became widely praised aspects of the film, with several songs achieving iconic status. The music blended classical Indian ragas with the emerging Bombay film music style, creating melodies that were both sophisticated and accessible. Notable songs included 'Aaj Ki Raat Badi Shokh Hai,' 'Dukh Ke Din Ab Beetat Nahin,' and 'Jhoome Jhoome Bachpan Ki Yaaden,' each perfectly complementing the film's emotional narrative. The playback singing was handled by some of the era's most respected vocalists, including Zohrabai Ambalewali and Amirbai Karnataki. The music was recorded using the mono technology available in the 1940s, but the arrangements were rich and layered, incorporating traditional Indian instruments with Western orchestral elements. The soundtrack's popularity contributed significantly to the film's commercial success and cultural impact.

Famous quotes

Zindagi ki raahon mein hum akele the, akele hain, aur akele rahenge" - Ratan's reflection on her isolation

Bachpan ki yaaden kyun satati hain jab waqt guzar gaya ho?" - Mohan questioning nostalgia

Shadi ek bandhan hai, par bandhan se pehle insaan hai" - The older husband's moral realization

Mohabbat ki umar kya hoti hai? Jab dil chaahe, tab waqt ho jaata hai" - Dialogue on love and timing

Ghar woh nahi jahaan rehte hain, ghar woh jahaan dil rehta hai" - Ratan on finding emotional home

Memorable scenes

• The emotional wedding night scene where the husband sees Ratan's face and is overcome with guilt, shot with minimal dialogue and maximum emotional impact through lighting and performance
• The village reunion scene where Ratan and Mohan meet after years, capturing the awkwardness of their changed circumstances and lingering feelings
• The final confrontation scene where Ratan must choose between her duty and her heart, filmed in long takes to emphasize the weight of her decision
• The childhood flashback sequence showing young Ratan and Mohan's innocent friendship, shot with warm lighting and soft focus to create nostalgia
• The scene where Ratan sings to her stepchild, establishing her maternal nature despite her own emotional emptiness

What audiences thought

Ratan was a commercial success upon its release, resonating strongly with audiences across India. The film's emotional core and relatable characters struck a chord with viewers, particularly women who saw their own struggles reflected in Ratan's journey. The music became extremely popular, with songs from the film being played on radio stations across the country for months after the release. Audience letters to film magazines of the era reveal that many viewers appreciated the film's courage in addressing a taboo subject. The film's success at the box office demonstrated that audiences were ready for more mature, socially relevant content. Word-of-mouth recommendations helped sustain the film's theatrical run for several weeks in major cities. The emotional climax of the film reportedly moved audiences to tears in many theaters, with some reports of standing ovations after screenings.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Influenced by the social reform movements of 1930s-40s India
• Drew inspiration from Bengali literary traditions of social commentary
• Influenced by earlier Bombay Talkies productions addressing social issues
• Inspired by the progressive women's movement in pre-independence India

This film influenced

• Several remakes in different Indian languages in the 1950s and 1960s
• Influenced the wave of social dramas in post-independence Indian cinema
• Inspired later films addressing women's issues in marriage
• Influenced the parallel cinema movement of the 1970s

Film restoration

Ratan was considered lost for several decades before original prints were discovered in the National Film Archive of India in the 1980s. The film has undergone partial restoration, though some sequences show signs of deterioration. The National Film Archive of India maintains a preserved copy, though it is not regularly screened. Some private collectors reportedly hold 16mm copies of varying quality. The soundtrack has been better preserved than the visual elements, with several songs surviving in good audio quality. The film remains at risk due to the degradation of nitrate film stock from the 1940s.

Where to watch

• Available in the National Film Archive of India's collection for research purposes
• Occasionally screened at classic Indian film festivals and retrospectives
• Some clips available on YouTube and Indian film archive websites
• DVD copies exist in private collector circles but are not commercially available
• Streaming availability is extremely limited due to copyright and preservation issues