Pagla Kahin Ka (1970)
Director: Shakti Samanta
Duration: 02:24:13; Aspect Ratio: 1.225:1; Hue: 105.000; Saturation: 0.018; Lightness: 0.216; Volume: 0.295; Cuts per Minute: 7.703
asylum
mental health
Sujit is declared "paagal" (mad) because of his propensity to engage in "hasee-mazaak" (humour and light-heartedness).
Sujit's seemingly meaningless talk of tortoises compels Jenny to call him "paagal": symptom of psychological imbalance.
Pleading insanity to avoid prosecution: "abnormal personality" diagnosis. The trope of law and madness in effect: madness is 'proved' in a court of law in terms of patient's personal and family history.
Young Sujit encountering his father inside the asylum - flashback serves as memory of childhood trauma/wound.
Psychiatrists determining a diagnosis collectively - the nature of the practice is somewhat revealing in that disagreements (Shalu) are likelier because of a lack of consensus regarding the nature of the 'disease'.
Shalu differentiates between the standard symptoms of a mentally disordered personality and that of someone pretending: : the deeper question asked by the film is at what point does normal become abnormal.
"Pyaar ki acting" as cure, a recurrent trope.
The expression of madness through music and dance.
Sujit receives shock treatment.
Pagla Kahin Ka [song]
"Falling in love with patients is not allowed".
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