Chiragh Jalta Raha is a 1962 Pakistani Urdu film produced and directed by ''Fazal Ahmad Karim Fazli''. The film introduced
Zeba
Shaheen Bano (born 10 September 1945), known professionally as Zeba ( ur, ), is a Pakistani actress. She was one of the top stars of the Pakistani film industry in the 1960s and the early 1970s.Deeba,
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
Nigar Award
The Nigar Awards ( ur, , translit=Inʿām Negār, lit=Picture Awards) were presented in an annual award show to recognize outstanding achievement in Pakistani cinema. The honors are awarded by Nigar Magazine founded in 1948. The Nigar Awards a ...
in the best script writer category.
Plot
The central theme of the movie revolves around how politicians abuse the system. ''Shakir'' is a principled and virtuous school headteacher in his town. A selfish and greedy politician of the same town, who is also a
, wants to marry his Jamila (Zeba) to Shakir's son Jameel so that he could use Shakir's honor and good name for their political purposes. Jamila and Jamal's relationship is settled, but Nawab Sahib does not agree with Shakir's principledness. Shakir sends his son Jameel to
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
and moves to another village with his daughter ''Saba'' and son ''Munna''. He fakes himself as Ayaz. By becoming Ayaz, he finds out the pains and sufferings of the people. No one knows that it is Nawab Mahmood. Afsar Khan, the younger brother of the same Nawab, who is a lustful person by nature, one day casts his evil eye on Shakir's daughter Saba. Shakir's Begum is a greedy woman, who is under the spell of Afsar Khan. Shaker opposes the marriage of Saba and Afsar Khan. Afsar Khan's brother also forbids Begum from this marriage, but she does not agree and blocks his entry into her house. One day Afsar Khan plans to kidnap Saba through his colleague Luqman.
After his daughter's kidnapping, Shakir comes to Karachi, to his son Jameel, where he meets the publisher of his book, Nabi Ahmed. Jameel is also present there. Afsar Khan also comes to his house as a guest of the same publisher. Seeing Jameela, he thinks of making her his wife, but when he finds out that she wants Jameel, Afsar Khan sends Jameel to
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
to get him a job, so that he can marry Jameela. Shakir heads back to his town, where he meets his daughter Saba at the station, who tells him that Afsar Khan has ruined his honor by pretending to marry. He goes to Afsar Khan and warns him to accept Saba as his wife, or else he will have to face the court. After hearing this, Afsar Khan jails Shakir with his relations. When Jameel comes to know the whole situation, he goes to the village to kill Afsar Khan, but he is arrested by the police. Father and son meet in prison. Jameel and Shakir are respected by all the prisoners because of their good character. One day Afsar Khan's colleague Luqman falls into the hands of the police, who during the investigation uncovers all the atrocities of Afsar Khan. Nawab Mahmood hands over his brother Afsar Khan to the police and all the others join together.
Jamil and Jamila get married. Shakir's book is also published from
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, for which he gets 50 thousand as royalty. All the sufferings of Shakir are removed and the lamp of a new dawn is lit.
Cast
*
Zeba
Shaheen Bano (born 10 September 1945), known professionally as Zeba ( ur, ), is a Pakistani actress. She was one of the top stars of the Pakistani film industry in the 1960s and the early 1970s.Deeba — as ''Saba''
*
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
— as ''Afsar Khan''
* Talat Hussain — as ''Munna''
* Waheed Mehmood — as ''Shakir''
* Kemal Irani
* Naina
* Safia Moini
* Ameer Khan
* Mughal Basheer
* Roma
* Dady
* Prinsses Amina
Music
The film's music was composed by ''Nihal Abdulah''. The lyrics were taken from the poetry of Mirza Ghalib,
Mir Taqi Mir
Mir Muhammad Taqi (February 1723 – 20 September 1810), known as Mir Taqi Mir (also spelled Meer Taqi Meer), was an Urdu poet of the 18th century Mughal era in the Subcontinent and one of the pioneers who gave shape to the Urdu language it ...
,
Jigar Moradabadi
Ali Sikandar (6 April 1890 – 9 September 1960), known by his pen name as Jigar Moradabadi, was an Indian Urdu poet and ''ghazal'' writer. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958 for his poetry collection "Atish-e-Gul", and was the secon ...
Iqbal Bano
Iqbal Bano ( ur, ; born 1928 in Delhi – died 21 April 2009 in Lahore) was a ghazal singer from Pakistan. She was known for her semi-classical Urdu ghazal songs and classical thumris, but also sang easy-listening numbers in the 1950s films. Iq ...
,
Noor Jehan
Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...
, Kajjan Begum, ''M. Kaleem'', and ''Shabana''. The Indian playback singer Talat Mehmood also vocalized 3 songs for the film.
Release and box office
''Chiragh Jalta Raha'' was released on 9 March 1962. It was premiered by
Fatima Jinnah
Fatima Jinnah ( ur, ; 31 July 1893 – 9 July 1967), widely known as Māder-e Millat ("Mother of the Nation"), was a Pakistani stateswoman, politician, dental surgeon and one of the leading founders of Pakistan. She was the younger sister of ...
, who was the chief guest in the opening ceremony held at ''Nishat cinema'',
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
. The film received positive reviews from the critics and was crowned as a silver jubilee hit.
Humsafar
''Humsafar'' ( ur, , lit=Companion or Life Partner) is a 2011 Pakistani drama telenovela based on the novel of the same name by Farhat Ishtiaq (who also wrote the screenplay), and directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat. It stars Fawad Khan, Mahira ...
'', all of which deal with some themes in a purposeful manner. In 2017, it was included among the unforgettable and daring Pakistani films in an article by ''
Daily Times ''Daily Times'' may refer to the following national newspapers:
* ''Daily Times'' (Nigeria), newspaper published in Nigeria
* ''Daily Times'' (Pakistan), newspaper published in Pakistan
''The Daily Times'' may refer to the following newspapers:
* ...
''.
Historical significance for Pakistani cinema
''Chiragh Jalta Raha'' gave Pakistani cinema multiple stars who would dominate
Lollywood
Lollywood ( ur, , translit=lâli vuḍ) refers to Pakistan's film industry based in Lahore, previously the base for both Punjabi and Urdu language film production.
Lahore has been the center of Pakistani cinema since the partition of ...
for decades to follow. ''Chiragh Jalta Raha'' launched the careers of
Zeba
Shaheen Bano (born 10 September 1945), known professionally as Zeba ( ur, ), is a Pakistani actress. She was one of the top stars of the Pakistani film industry in the 1960s and the early 1970s.Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
who later not only became a popular screen couple but partners in real life as well. Deeba who had entered the film industry as a child artist, got a chance through ''Chiragh Jalta Raha'' to play her first lady role. Though the film's hero ''Arif'' couldn't get benefited from the movie and disappeared right after. It was also the debut movie of actors Kemal Irani and Talat Hussain.