NOSTALGIA: Mujhe Jeene Do

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.) 

The film was such a hit that for a while Sunil Dutt almost made a career out of playing dacoits till it looked like he was stuck to the saddle. Waheeda Rehman had played the courtesan in many films, but in Mujhe Jeene Do she played a particularly spirited one who is proud enough to refuse to dance for a dacoit.

Chamelijaan is dancing at the wedding of a rich man (singing the beautiful number Raat Bhi Hai Bheegi Bheegi), when she is spotted by a dacoit Jarnail Singh (Sunil Dutt) in disguise, who has come to rob the wedding party. He notices how people are throwing money at her, but when he orders her to dance for him, she tells him just where to get off, making it clear that she believes a nautch girl has more honour than a dacoit who kills for money.

He is so impressed with her courage that he offers to marry her. When she is pregnant and the dacoit gang is on the run, she pleads with her husband to surrender and start a new life. There is a well known song Tere Bachpan Ko Jawaani Ki Dua Deti Hoon, in which she wonders what price her son will have to pay for his father's misdeeds. The song moves her husband enough to consider giving up his life of crime.

She is given shelter by a widow (Nirupa Roy) whose husband had been killed by these bandits. But when the child blurts out his father's name, their cover is blown and they have to face the wrath of the villagers.

When the dacoit chief finally agrees to surrender to the police, his disgruntled men led by an evil second in command (Siddhu) trigger off a shootout, during which he is killed in the crossfire. (The soundtrack plays the heartrending Ab Koi Gulshan Na Ujde, Ab Watan Aazad Hai).

Jaidev's music was wonderful and enhanced Sahir's superb lyrics. Nadi Naare Na Jaao Shaam Paiyaan Padoon and Maang Mein Bhar Le Rang Sakhi Ri both sung by Asha Bhosale are exquisitely composed numbers. 

In spite of the fact that the dacoit is a killer, the film managed to drum up sympathy for him, and for the courtesan who is as much of a social outcast as he is, and made a strong plea for the rehabilitation of dacoits. The film had a very stark, cut and dried treatment, but it clicked with audiences. Sunil Dutt won acting awards his bravura wrenching performance, but surprisingly, director Moni Bhattacharya did not do anything noteworthy after this, prompting speculation that perhaps Dutt had directed the film himself.