CAST
Anu Kapoor, Sreela Majumdar, Deepti Naval, Manohar Singh &
300 stage artistes from Bihar
CREDITS
Director & Producer - Prakash Jha
Story & Dialogue – Shaiwal
Camera – Rajan Kothari
Music - Raghunath Seth
STORY
The film reveals the problems of bonded labour in a village in
Bihar. Exploitation of the lower classes by those wielding power
is brought out in almost documentary style.
‘Damul’
(Bonded until Death), produced and directed by Prakash Jha under
his own banner of Prakash Jha Productions, is a stunning comment
on the happenings in contemporary rural India. The story of the
film, which is set in Bihar, dwells on the all-round exploitation
of the backward communities and the atrocities perpetrated on
them by a handful of powerful men who operate the ‘Panha’
system, ‘Panha’ meaning shelter and protection. The
landlords trap potential bounded labourers into committing petty
crimes (mostly planted) and then grant them shelter and protection
when the police arrive. The labourers are left with no choice
but to do the landlords’ bidding – they steal for
them and pay back the loans, the stealing being mostly confined
to cattle.
Though ‘Panha’ provides the thread line to the story
of ‘Damul’, the film also takes a very close look
at the rural milieu and the developments therein – caste
conflicts, atrocities on Harijans, labour problems and political
pollution.
Madho Pnade (Manohar Singh), the mukhia (village chief), is a
Brahmin and a very powerful landlord. His younger brother is an
overseer who has been given the contract to construct a canal.
There is rivalry between Madho Pande and Bachcha Singh (Pyare
Mohan Sahay), a Rajput, who is waiting for an opportunity to settle
scores with the former. At the time of the local election, Bachcha
Singh induces old Gokul, a Charmar (cobbler), to oppose Madho
Pande, although Gokul is a apprehensive and wails ‘bahot
khoon kharaba hoga’ (a lot of blood will be spilled). On
the polling day, the overseer and hired goondas prevent the Garijans
from leaving their basti and exercise their right to vote. A complaint
made to the presiding officer falls on deaf ears. Madho Pande
is elected. There is great jubilation in the victor’s camp
in the shape of a grand feast and a nautanki dance performance
to boot
UNPAID
LOAN
The standing crop in the field of Sanjeevan (Annu Kapoor), the
son of deceased Punia Chamar, is being sheared at the instance
of the Munshi of Madho Pande. The bullocks are also being led
away. Sanjeevan runs to Madho Pande, who pretends as though he
knows nothing of the whole affair. The Munshi refers to the loan
taken by Punia which has remained unpaid. Finally, Sanjeevan agrees
to pay back the loan, about which e knew nothing, and puts his
thumb impression on a blank sheet in the ‘wahikhata’
of the landlord. Back home, Sanjeevan’s wife (Sreela Mazumdar)
upbraids him for having put the thumb impression on a blank paper.
Comes the time when Sanjeevan is accused of theft. A police Jamadar
arrives and he heavily bribed. Sanjeevan hides in Madho Pande’s
house and is given shelter and protection after which the young
man agrees to steal cattle for the landlord and thus repay the
loan.
Around this time, Mahatmain (Deepti Naval), a young widow returns
to the village from Banaras where she had gone for an abortion.
Though she is a keep of Madho Pande, she is a spirited woman.
On her return, she tries to spurn the landlord’s advances
but does not succeed.
Sanjeevan’s brother-in-law Nageena also gets involved in
the cattle theft racket. On one occasion, Nageena is hit by a
bullet. Sanjeevan brings the body to Madho Pande’s house
and tells the Mukhia that Nageena has given his life for his (mukhia’s)
sake out the landlord retorts by saying that Nageena has been
killed while stealing.
At the canal site, there is trouble. The labourers, not happy
with the low wages being paid by the overseer, prepare to leave
for Punjab. Helping them make the trip is Bachcha Singh. As they
wend their way to the railway station, they are mercilessly fired
upon by the overseer and his hired men. Many of them are killed,
while the rest run back to the basti where their huts are set
on fire. When Madho Pande learns of the incident, he asks his
brother to disappear from the scene. He then has a dialogue with
Bachcha Singh and agrees to all his terms. Bachcha Singh, who
has been all along using the Harijans as pawns in his game of
power politics, is now a changed person.
A case is made out that dacoits raided the basti and were responsible
for the killings and burning. The Magistrate accompanied by newsmen
arrives on the scene to conduct an inquiry. A Minister also arrives
and blames the opposition for encouraging terrorists and assures
the residents that everything will be all right, that each and
every culprit will be apprehended and tried.
HEINOUS
CRIME
Everyone in the village knows what has happened but does not have
the guts to come forward and name the perpetrators of the heinous
crime. Finally, Mahatmain decides to come out openly and make
a statement before the authorities. Madho Pande learns of her
resolve and arranges to bump her off and sees to it that Sanjeevan
is arrested for her murder. Sanjeevan is tried and sentenced to
death by hanging.
On the day Sanjeevan is to be hanged, there is a congregation
at Madho Pande’s house where someone asks as to what could
be the last wish expressed by Sanjeevan before hanging. There
is some derisive laughter but it is cut short when Sanjeevan’s
wife deals a mighty blow to the Mukhia with a huge knife. The
mukhia collapses and writhes in pain while the others in gathering
try to hold back the angered woman with all their might.
‘Damul’ is almost documented life in the firs half
it picks up seed and momentum and achieves dramatic intensity
of a high order. Most of the time, the photography is in low key
in keeping with the backdrop and the nature of the theme. Parkash
Jha’s direction is competent and his treatment of the theme
is deft and skilled. He has been able to extract superfine performances
from the artistes, almost all of whom are new to films. Rajen
Kothari’s photography and Raghunath Sheth’s musical
score are other assets of the film. The story by Shaiwal, who
has also written the dialogue, is quite moving.
Manohar Sigh quite Madho Pande, Pyare Mohan Sahay as Bachcha Singh,
and Annu Kapoor as Sanjeevan are very impressive. Sreela Mazumdar
as Sanjeevan’s wife attracts notice. Deepti Naval’s
brief stint as Mahatmain is adequately enacted. |