Khazanchi (1941)
Director: Moti Gidwani; Writer: Dalsukh M. Pancholi; Producer: Pancholi Art Productions; Cinematographer: Badri Dass; Editor: Nariman C. Mistry; Cast: M. Ismail, Ramola, S.D. Narang, Manorama, Durga Mots-Jankidas, Ajmal
Duration: 02:26:29; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 96.095; Saturation: 0.000; Lightness: 0.201; Volume: 0.170; Cuts per Minute: 9.051; Words per Minute: 39.905
Summary: Musical megahit from Lahore often cited as the precursor of the commercial Hindi cinema's editing and sound-mixing style and trend-setter of Hindi-Urdu film music, mainly through its adaptations of Punjabi folk music. Shadilal (Ismail), the trusted cashier of a bank, has to transport gold jewellery to Bombay. His son Kanwal (Narang) falls in love with the millionaire Durgadas's (Mota) daughter Madhuri (Ramola). Kanwal finds himself pitted against the villainous Ramesh (Ajmal), Durgadas's secretary and the nephew of Madhuri's stepmother as well as being a rival suitor for Madhuri. The marriage is cancelled when news flashes from Bombay that Shadilal has murdered an actress and absconded with the jewellery.
Opening bicycle song
radio
Bombay arguments
The Lahore Effect
barrister, dramatic irony
Kanwal gets ready for his second court case as his sister wishes him success. As Kanwal stands there in his barrister's garb, both siblings miss their father and the pride he would have felt on seeing his son as a barrister. This emotional scene, complete with tulsi religiosity, sets us up for the drama of misrecognition that the courtroom trial is premised on.
courtroom trial
Kanwal begins the prosecution against his own father.
Cross-examination of the defense witness begins. Kanwal performs the typically suave, witty, and slightly supercilious barrister. Privileges sight over aurality in order to dismiss the witness' testimony as inaccurate. Even though this scene is played for comedy it is clear that Romesh occupies the position of the 'common man', ignorant of the etiquette and codes of the courtroom and making his final appeals to God and emotion.
silence
Kanwal launches his final attack against the khazanchi's silence but is silenced himself by a gesture of affection - a familiar touch that stems his unfeeling tirade against a poor stranger.
witness
dramatic entry of the crucial witness. The 'voice of truth' interrupts the proceedings.
The khazanchi, Shadilal, breaks his silence and explains it as paternal sacrifice and love. Only decided to speak when he realized that a gross travesty of his name has taken place and he has been OO falsely branded a criminal and murderer . Therefore, in order to clear his name and free his children from the stigma and scandal, he has to speak.
law; justice
The khazanchi is acquitted and Kanwal is devastated at several levels. But the final scene of reconciliation and forgiveness must be played out outside the space of the courtroom.
Kanwal begs for forgiveness, and the khazanchi's response is significant. He says that no error was made worthy of forgiveness as Kanwal did his duty. The distinction being made is between niti and nyaya. Within the courtroom, Kanwal did what was expected of him and followed the rules of the adaalat in the path of niti. Ultimately however, nyaya was done, within that same space of the courtroom and niti had to bow to the principle of nyaya.
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