Dharmputra by Yash Chopra was an ambitious political film that suffered due to its realistic depiction of some tragic events.
After India’s partition in 1947, the communal violence that followed left a lasting scar on the heart of the country’s conscience. So much so, that Indian cinema – which talked of several contemporary relevant issues – shied away from tackling Partition and communal violence. That is until 1961, when a young filmmaker by the name of Yash Chopra dared to make a film on the issue. But alas, the end result was not so desirable.
Dharmputra, Yash Chopra’s ambitious film on fundamentalism
The film was Dharmputra, based on a novel by Acharya Chatursen, was Yash Chopra’s second directorial venture after the 1959 film Dhool Ka Phool. While his debut film dealt with a Muslim family bringing up a Hindu child, in Dharmputra he reversed the premise. The film followed a young radicalised Islamophobic man who realised he is Muslim by birth. The film starred Shashi Kapoor in the lead role along with Mala Sinha and Rehman in pivotal roles.
Dharmputra’s tumultuous reception in theatres
Dharmputra was the first Hindi film that showed a realistic depiction of the Partition. The reconstruction of sloganeering and riots on the screen led to ugly scenes inside many theatres, with reports of riot-like situations in many places. Many theatres refused to screen the film after fights and brawls inside the halls and the film’s box office prospects suffered. However, it did win the award for the Best Hidi Feature Film at the 9th National Film Awards.
It is said that Yash Chopra was so affected by the film’s reception that he did not make another political film again and stuck to romances and family dramas. It wasn’t until his 2004 release Veer-Zaara that he ventured anywhere near politics with references to cross-border relations between India and Pakistan.
The recent Yash Raj Films release similar to Dharmputra
Last week, YRF released The Great Indian Family starring Vicky Kaushal. The Vijay Krishna Acharya film is a light-hearted take on the same issue that Dharmputra raised, wherein a man raised by a Hindu family discovers he is a Muslim. The film has been praised for its treatment of the sensitive issue but has not done well at the box office.
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