FilmIndia (1946)

DEEWAR (Stage Play) Producers: Prithvi Theatres. Language: Hindustani. Stage Play: Prithviraj & Ramesh Dialogue Songs: Art: Music: Indraraj Anand. Deepak Raj Kapoor. Ram Gangooli Cast: Prithviraj, Uzra, Zohra, Hema, Sajjan, Raj Kapoor etc. Played At: Royal Opera Bombay Produced n Directed By PRITHVIRAJ KAPOOR OUR REVIEW Prithviraj Gives Ihe World's Best Play ! . "Deewar" Becomes A Nation's Prayer. Wc have seen a number of plays i England, America, Germany, Italy and in many other countries. We have seen gorgeous plays with stupendous settings, brilliant ones with philosophic leanings and some morbid ones with social conscience but never such a speedy, brilliant and purposeful play as Prithviraj Kapoor presents in "Deewar". "Deewar" surpasses anything we have ever seen before and incidentally deserves to be called the world's best play. In three short hours, during which every minute is utilized purposefully, 'Deewar ' unfolds the two-hundred years' old panorama of our national serfdom and touching the present political impasse, grabs at a future solution of the problem of our freedom. All within throe hours this brilliant play covers the miserable past, •he painful present and thc hopeful future and within a single setting which becomes thc symbolic home of Mo: her India. THE TALE OF A NATION The story of "Deewar" is the woeful talc of a nation. It is known to 400 millions in India and realized by every starving Indian when he llances a* the deep pit of his empty stomach or silently bears the pangs of hunger within. It is ihe story of a happy land once in its supreme blossom of harmony and happiness visited by a horde of poisonous insects who prospered on the blood of the people so long that people lost the r national identity and in. the vale of hunger and greed, created in the wake of ruthless exploitation, forgot to recognize their own kith and kin. "Deewar" is a grim tragedy that provokes some cruel amusement at times but behind the ripple of laughter, that so often passes through the audience, is heard the rebellious groan under the killing weight of alien rhackles. People enjoy "Deewar" by laughing and weeping through it but they cannot forget "Deewar" which stabs the heart of all slaves and plants in it a national conscience. The story is simple. Two brothers live happily, loving and respecting each other. In their world there is complete harmony and their people look upon their chief with a reverence given to a father. One day strange people, from across the seas, land in their home and seek shelter. These strangers bring "ideas" with them which puzzle and amuse the good people of India for some time. With ideas come privileges and privileges are soon turned into rights. These strange people are the British. One by one, the monuments of traditional love and harmony are brought down to dust and on their ruins is built a superstructure of bondage — the bondage of the very people who gave the British home and hospitality once. Very soon the brothers are won over by the glamour and civilization of Britannia. The elder brother is soon seen in a riding dress, aping the foreigner even in the little way? of life. Till this stage the younger brother has not come within the grips of the foreigner. Very soon Daine Britannia starts operating on the youngster and by the time the elder gets back his senses, the youngster becomes a greater monster. Misguided by the alien influence, the youngster now demands a division of the home and the property. After a very pathetic interlude, the Neena plays "Sanyukta" to Prithvi's "Prithviraj" in "Prithviraj Sanyukta' produced by Mr. W. Z. Ahmed for Sha limar Pictures. 53