IN THE RAVINES
The dacoit film is a typical Indian genre, with its own conventions-- the cowboy films of Hollywood come closest to it. The Chambal valley in Madhya Pradesh used to be (still is) the breeding ground for bandits. Then dacoits used to be poor farmers rebelling against the injustices of a feudal society. Now of course, they are just young men--and some women-- looking for a quick buck.
But old films about dhoti-clad dakus, riding horses and looting cruel zamindars and moneylenders had a thrill, romance and folkloric appeal of their own. Mujhe Jeene Do, produced by Sunil Dutt and directed by Moni Bhattacrarya was one of the few films that refrained from glamorising the dacoit's life and showed it for what it was-- hardship, suffering, endless displacement and social ostracism of their families. (Rahul Rawail's Dacait was very influenced by this film.)
