Badi Maa (; transl. Elder Mother), also called Bari-Ma, is a 1945 Indian Hindi-language war drama film. It was produced and directed by Master Vinayak. Made under the banner of Prafulla Pictures, Kolhapur, it had story written by V. S. Khendekar. Zia Sarhadi wrote the screenplay and lyrics for six songs. The other lyricists were Anjum Pilibhiti and Raja Badhe. The music director was K. Datta (Datta Koregaonkar).
The film starred Noor Jehan, Ishwarlal, Yakub, Sitara Devi, Meenaxi, Baby Alka, Damuanna Malvankar, Leela Mishra and Girish. It had playback singer Lata Mangeshkar in one of her rare early acting roles, performing alongside Noor Jehan. Besides Mangeshkar, the film also had singer Asha Bhosle in a minor role with the other two singers.
Made at the end of WWII, the film factors the Japanese involvement, with Yakub and Sitara Devi acting as spies for Japan. The lead pair, Ishwarlal and Noor Jehan take them on, emerging victorious.
Plot.
Set against the backdrop of WW II,Dinesh is stuck in London during the Blitz. Dinesh's father Durgadas lives in the village of Dinapur in India, with his daughter Usha. Durgadas owes money to Ghanshyam, a money-lender with two children. Ghanshyam's son Rajinder, is a spy for the Japanese and is helped by a dancer called Mona. His daughter Hema is a compassionate, patriotic girl unaware of her brother's plans and is in love with Dinesh.
Ghanshyam offers to free Durgadas of his debt if he will agree to his daughter's marriage to Rajinder. When Durgadas refuses, Ghanshyam has his property confiscated. Dinesh returns to India and is shocked to find his father in penury and an attack on his village by the Japanese. He takes up arms to fight and is joined by Hema. His sister Usha dies under enemy firing, and a repentant Rajinder fights the enemy dying in the bargain. Hema and Dinesh survive the war having fought for Badi Maa (India), and get together.
Review.
Filmindia, with its newly formed rating system of one to five stars with one being Rotten, Avoid and five being Excellent, Don't miss, gave the film a one star rating. In its September 1945 issue, it panned the film terming it a "propaganda social" and claiming the film to be "the year's most rotten show".
Though the film came in for criticism for being a propaganda film, made "under the constant goading of the Information Department", it was a commercial success at the box-office, becoming the third highest grossing Indian film of that year.
Soundtrack.
The music was composed by K. Datta with the songs written by three lyricists. Zia Sarhadi wrote the lyrics for six of the ten songs in the film, Anjum Pilibhiti three songs, and Raja Badhe one song. The singers were Noor Jehan, Baby Alka, Lata Mangeshkar and Ishwarlal.
References.
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