FilmIndia (1948)

»UR REVIEW 'Pujari" — Boring And Unconvincing Stuff ! PUJARI Producer: Ardeshir M. Irani Language: Hindustani Story & Dialogue: Walli Sahib Songs: Walli Sahib & Pt. Indra Music: Hansraj Bahel Cinematography: R. M. Rele Audiography: S. Irani & H. D. Mistry Cast: Mumtaz Shanti, Masood, Bipin Gupta, Baby Mumtaz, etc Released At: Swastik Bombay Date of Release: 31st October '47. Directed By: A S P I Bipin Gupta Gives This is truly speaking a Ranjit icture, written and produced at anjit, with all the Ranjit couriers contributing their brein bits b make the story as dull and nconvincing as possible. But |:>meho\v Ardeshir Irani presents Iris picture as a producer — for ie first time after his insolvency !-and one wonders whether Pujari" has been a medium of irae financial transaction beveen Ardeshir and the Ranjit |irdar. Whatever that be, "Pujari" is > rotten show which bores one iroughout its length. WRONGLY INTERPRETED The story of "Pujari" is the sua! concoction. It is a Dev|asi yarn with the Prince Charmig round the corner and God aiting in heaven to do his mira|e turn when Walli reaches his irnax. The Ranjit writers have lis time brought down the godess — Mrs. Vishnu — to dance for ie mortal. The goddess, howk'er, is so ugly that she becomes bpd advertisement for heaven Good Performance! and shakes all human faith in gods and goddesses. Guru Mahanand is a pujari of a temple to which he has dedicated his only daughter, Punrima. who dances to the fanatical beat of Mahanand's drum. Mahanand is evidently a devoted worshipper with all the fanaticism we find in devotees of the Bengali goddess. Probably Bipin Gupta, who plays this role, being himself a Kali worshipper has lent to the role his natural fanaticism for his own goddess. The idols of the gods shown in the picture, however, did not call for the fanatical devotion usually given to Kali. Chandika and to other Sheiviie cults. To this extent, therefore, the spirit of worship, as portrayed by Mahanand. was entirely wrong. But it is stupid to expect such subtle distinctions in spiritual interpretations from the Ranjit group of directors to whom any round stone with two dents is a Hindu god. PRINCE CHARMING ARRIVES Purnima grows into an attrac tive woman and as Walli would have it, she does attract the attention of Rajkumar, the Prince Charming of the story. Rajkumar's heart soon starts keepino; time with the dizzy rhvthm of Purninoa's feet. He psks "Mahanand for Purnima's hand but is peremptorily refused by the fanatic pujari who wants his daughter to remain a dedicated flower at the altar of god, in spite of a prophesy that she would become the queen of the land. Rajkumar doesn't lose his temper with his heart and decides to get Punrima by subterfuge. He changes his costume and becomes a foreign poet wanting to write poetry for Purnima and manages to hve as ft guest in Mahnnand's liou.-e. Though Rajkumar was a popular guy in h\< ]and and though both Purnima and Mahanand had seen him several times no one recognises him as such probably because he wore Ranjit clothes which changed the vision of the father and the daughter completely. Bpsides, one must see these things with Director Aspi's Irani intelligence. Punrima and Rajkumar soon start their love game of hide and seek and the climax is rushed by Rajkumar'a dyinp; father who nrald not die quietly without seeing his son married to some ore. A conventional royally caparisoned bride is soon chosen and Who says India is not progressing? Here is a romantic situation from 'Piya Ghar Aja", a romantic story of Ranjit. 47