Shree 420

Shree 420, one of the best films from the prolific bouquet of Showman Raj Kapoor, is a popular Indian film that probes the unending moral clashes between virtue and sin. The film hits the Indian Box Office in 1955 and won millions of hearts for its unique representation of nitty-gritty of life and impeccable characterization. Shree 420 is one among those Bollywood Classics that showcase Raj Kapoor’s talent as an actor, director and producer. Raj Kapoor presents the story that not only engages audiences but makes them think about certain issues that were plaguing newly independent India. Apart from India, Shree 420 was well received in the Soviet Union and Romania also. The film proved to be a great hit with a Box Office Collection over Rs.20 million. This record was broken 2 years later by Mehboob Khan’s Mother India in 1957.

Shree 420 is the perfect collaboration between Showman Raj Kapoor and writer Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. The movie is embellished with the melodious music composed by Shankar Jaikishan, and lyrics were penned by renowned lyricist Shailendra. The album was adorned with an impressive array of melodic songs like Ramaiya vastavaiya, Mud mud ke na dekh, Pyar hua iqrar hua, Ichak daana, Dil ka haal sune dilwala and Mera joota hai Japani. The song "Mera Joota Hai Japani" became an instant hit among Indian masses. It was like a patriotic symbol of the newly independent India. On the other hand “Pyar hua iqrar hua” turned out to be a classic song that still teases the strings of billions of hearts in India and abroad.

SYNOPSIS

Shree 420 delves into the harsh realities of a big city that treats an innocent man and his simple soul with the utmost insensibility. The main story of the film revolves around Raj, a poor but educated and cultured orphan from Allahabad who comes to Bombay with millions of dreams in his eyes. He lands in Bombay to live his bread and butter and soon falls in love with the poor Vidya, a character effervescently essayed by Nargis. As the story progresses, Raj becomes the victim of life’s vagaries and falls for an unprincipled and devious way of life. Now he is under complete influence of an insincere businessman, Seth Sonachand Darmananda and a coquettish lady Maya. Maya feels Raj could be very helpful his gateway to big money. To make her evil plans successful, she transmutes Raj into a fake prince and, along with a greedy capitalist, Seth Sonachand Darmananda, makes Raj a money-oriented card sharp. Raj’s love interest tries her best to save her love from the trap of unprincipled lifestyle but fails to do so.

Raj, with the assistance of Seth Sonachand Darmananda, continues his pursuit for money and riches. He keeps deceiving innocent people to stash money in his account.  Soon, the time come when his soul starts nagging him for what he was doing with people once he was a part of. Raj realizes that he has paid a heavy price for what he is today. When he comes to know about Seth Sonachand Darmananda evil plans, he decides to run away from Seth Sonachand Darmananda’s home. While doing so he was caught by Seth Sonachand Darmananda and his aids and they shot Raj to dead. When police arrives Seth Sonachand Darmananda asks policemen that Raj was fleeing after stealing his money and rummaging his house. Upon this, Raj comes back to life and narrates the entire story to the Police. Vidya forgives Raj, while Police arrests Seth Sonachand Darmananda and his aids in the crime.