Awaara

Infobox_Film
name = Awaara


imdb_id = 0043306
writer = Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
V.P. Sathe
starring = Raj Kapoor
Nargis
Prithviraj Kapoor
Leela Chitnis
K.N.Singh
Shashi Kapoor
director = Raj Kapoor
producer = Raj Kapoor
distributor = Esquire Ltd. (Asia)
released = 1951
runtime = 193 min
language = Hindi
music = Shankar-Jaikishan
budget = Unknown

"Awaara" (Hindi: अवारा, Urdu: آوارہ, Translation: "The Rogue" ) is a 1951 Bollywood film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also has the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor also stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Raj's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character. Prithiviraj's father Dewan Bashwanath Kapoor also played a cameo role in his only film appearance.

The film centers on the intertwining lives of poor Raj (Raj Kapoor) and privileged Rita (Nargis). In the film, Kapoor's poor, innocent "little tramp" character references Charlie Chaplin and was further developed in other Kapoor films such as "Jagte Raho" and "Shri 420."

The film is a collaboration of the famous team of director/producer Kapoor and writer Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, with music composed by the team of Shankar Jaikishan. The song "Awara Hoon (I am a Tramp)," sung by Mukesh with lyrics by Shailendra, became hugely popular across the Indian subcontinent, as well as in Russia, Romania, Turkey and China.

In 2005, "Indiatimes Movies" ranked the movie amongst the "Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films". [cite web
url= http://movies.indiatimes.com/Special_Features/25_Must_See_Bollywood_Movies/articleshow/msid-1250837,curpg-25.cms
title= 25 Must See Bollywood Movies
accessdate= 2008-05-27
author= Rachna Kanwar
date= 2005-10-3
work= indiatimes.com
publisher= India Times
quote= ]

Plot

Raj lives a life of poverty as a result of being estranged from his vindictive father, a wealthy district judge (played by Kapoor's real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor). Judge Raghunath threw Raj's mother out of the house years earlier on suspicion of infidelity. As a child, Raj befriends Rita in school, but the judge (who becomes Rita's guardian after her parents die) soon tears them apart. Even though they are separated, Rita remains in Raj's thoughts.

On the streets, Raj turns to a life of petty crime and finds a father-figure in Jagga (K. N. Singh). It is only many years later that Raj realizes that Jagga is the man responsible for his mother's estrangement. In a fit of rage, Raj kills Jagga and then tries to kill the judge, but fails. Due to these actions, Raj is brought to his own father's court, where Rita serves as his lawyer. In the end, Raj is sentenced to 3 years in prison for his crime, but Rita promises to wait for him.

Trivia

*The film grossed over Rs.12 million. This record was beaten the next year by "Aan".

Cast

*Prithviraj Kapoor .... Judge Raghunath
*Raj Kapoor .... Raj Ragunath
*Nargis .... Rita
*Leela Chitnis .... Leela Raghunath
*K.N. Singh .... Jagga
*Leela Mishra .... Raghunath's Sister-in-law
*Cukoo .... Bar dancer
*Helen .... Dancer (uncredited)
*Shashi Kapoor .... Young Raj (child artist)
*Prem Nath .... Cameo appearance in song

References

External links

*
* [http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/apr/05dinesh.htm Rediff.com Classics Revisited: Awaara]