''Dada Thakur'' (also ''Dadathakur'') is a 1962

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

biographical film A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...

directed by Sudhir Mukherjee. It is based on the life of publisher, editor and satirist

Sarat Chandra Pandit Sarat Chandra Pandit (27 April 1879 – 27 April 1968), better known as ‘Dada Thakur’ (দাদাঠাকুর), was a well-known composer of humorous rhymes, writer, publisher and social critic. He had his ancestral house at Dafarpur ...

(popularly known as

Dada Thakur Sarat Chandra Pandit (27 April 1879 – 27 April 1968), better known as ‘Dada Thakur’ (দাদাঠাকুর), was a well-known composer of humorous rhymes, writer, publisher and social critic. He had his ancestral house at Dafarpur ...

), starring

Chhabi Biswas Chhabi Biswas (''Chabi Biśbās'') (13 July 1900 – 11 June 1962) was an Indian actor, primarily known for his performances in Tapan Sinha's '' Kabuliwala'' and Satyajit Ray's films '' Jalshaghar'' (''The Music Room'', 1958), '' Devi'' ( ...

in the title role. At the 10th National Film Awards, it won the

National Film Award for Best Feature Film The National Award for Best Feature Film is one of the categories in the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India. It is one of sev ...

Plot

The film is based closely on the life of the real-life Dada Thakur, and was made in his lifetime. Dada Thakur (

) starts his career with a hand-operated press, with his wife (

Chhaya Devi Chhaya Devi ( bn, ছায়া দেবী; 3 June 1914 – 25 April 2001) was an Indian actress known for her work in Bengali and Hindi cinema. She appeared in hundreds of films for over five decades. Her first lead role was in Debaki ...

) as his assistant. Later he is joined by Nalini Kanta Sarkar (

Tarun Kumar Tarun Kumar (born 8 January 1980) is an Indian actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He has also appeared in few Tamil and Malayalam films. He has received three state Nandi Awards and the National Film Award for his works. H ...

), an underground freedom-fighter. Dada Thakur brings out the newspaper ''Jangipur Sangbad''. He campaigns against social evils and earns the ire of the ruling classes. He saves a girl, Lata (

Sulata Chowdhury Sulata Chowdhury (1945 – 16 September 1997) was a Bengali actress and theatre personality. Chowdhury made her film debut with ''Debarshi Narader Sansar'' (1960). As a leading actress her first film was Sudhir Mukherjee's ''Shesh Paryanta'' (1 ...

), from the unwanted advances of Darpanarayan (

Biswajit Chatterjee Biswajit Chatterjee (born 14 December 1936), known mononymously as Biswajit, is an Indian actor, producer, director, singer and politician known for his work in Hindi and Bengali cinema. Early career After films in Calcutta including ''May ...

), scion of the local zamindar. Lata joins the ranks of freedom fighters working with Sarkar. Subsequently, a reformed Darpanarayan too becomes an ardent follower of Dada Thakur and joins the struggle for India's freedom. Dada Thakur's greatest success is when he helps an ordinary man, a petty shopkeeper, to get elected as the Municipal Commissioner of Jangipur. Later, Dada Thakur has to close down ''Jangipur Sangbad'' but soon starts another publication ''Bidushak''. While hawking the journal on the streets of Calcutta, the British police charge at him. However, he is rescued by

Subhash Chandra Bose Subhas Chandra Bose ( ; 23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945 * * * * * * * * *) was an Indian nationalist whose defiance of British authority in India made him a hero among Indians, but his wartime alliances with Nazi Germany and Imperia ...

, the then mayor of Calcutta. The film ends on a tragic note when Dada Thakur witnesses the killing of Darpanarayan by the British. His death brings tears in the eyes of Dada Thakur for the first time. He prays in agony that the soil of Bengal may produce more such devoted young fighters, for ultimate victory is to be achieved through their efforts.

Cast

as Dada Thakur *

as Darpanarayan *

as Dada Thakur's wife *

as Nalini Kanta Sarkar *

as Lata *

Bhanu Bandyopadhyay Bhanu Bandyopadhyay, also known as Bhanu Banerjee (born as Samyamoy Bandyopadhyay; 26 August 1920 – 4 March 1983), was an Indian actor, known for his work in Bengali cinema. He acted in over 300 movies, in numerous plays and performed freque ...

Crew

* Direction - Sudhir Mukherjee * Production - Shyamlal Jalan * Music -

Hemanta Mukherjee Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemant Kumar and Hemanta Mukherjee, was a legendary Indian music composer and playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, as well as other Indian ...

* Audiography - Satyen Chatterjee

Production

The casting of the film was done in 1957. Biswajit, who made his debut with this film, recalls: "There was a family like atmosphere prevailing in the entire unit then. I fondly recollect one night when I was having disturbance in sleeping due to mosquito bites. We were shooting outdoors. Chhabi Biswas, like a parent figure, took care personally putting up a mosquito net and covered me with a blanket."

Reception

When released, the film enjoyed both commercial and critical success. The performance of Chhabi Biswas as Dada Thakur was much appreciated. It is said that Sarat Pandit himself praised Biswas' portrayal. Biswas' death in a road accident shortly before the film's release undoubtedly played a role in its commercial success. At the 10th National Film Awards, it won the top prize, ahead of the better known films '' Abhijan'', directed by

Satyajit Ray Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and music composer. One of the greatest auteurs of fil ...

, and ''

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' () is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language Drama (film and television), drama film that was directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman (actor), Rehman, and Waheeda ...

'', produced by

Guru Dutt Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone (9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964), better known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer, actor, choreographer, and writer.Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. 9941998''Encyclopedia of Indian ...

and directed by

Abrar Alvi Abrar Alvi (1 July 1927 – 18 November 2009) was an Indian film writer, director and actor. Most of his notable work was done in the 1950s and 1960s with Guru Dutt. He wrote some of the most respected works of Indian cinema, including ''Sahib ...

. It also won a couple of BFJA Awards, including Best Indian Film.

Preservation

The film has been restored and digitised by the

National Film Archive of India The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) was established as a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in February 1964. It is was a member of the International Federation of Film Archives. In March 2022, it was merged with ...

Awards

10th National Film Awards

* National Film Award for Best Feature Film

BFJA Awards (1962)

* Best Indian Films * Best Audiography - Satyen Chatterjee

References

External links

* 1962 films Bengali-language Indian films Indian black-and-white films 1960s Bengali-language films Indian biographical drama films Best Feature Film National Film Award winners {{1960s-Bengali-film-stub