Filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee is usually remembered for his emotional sagas like Anand and Mili, and his comedies like Gol Maal and Chupke Chupke. One movie, nonetheless, that Hrishi Da as soon as described as his most ‘satisfying’ was the 1969 movie Satyakam starring Dharmendra, which deserves far more credit score than it ever acquired.
Upon analyzing most of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s movies, it’s evident that the filmmaker was absolutely conscious of the unjust nature of the social system and was at all times making an attempt to focus on how the helpless lots had been being crushed underneath the system that was as soon as designed to carry them justice. In Namak Haraam, the character performed by Rajesh Khanna goes via a change after he sees how the have-nots are caught in a system that may result in their failure, it doesn’t matter what. In Guddi, which aimed to deglamourise the lives of Bollywood celebrities, the filmmaker pays shut consideration to those that do all the bottom work however by no means get sufficient credit score. Likewise, in Satyakam, Hrishi Da explores how the society’s design is flawed however the individuals current throughout the system make it even worse.
Here, Dharmendra’s Satyapriya Acharya is proven to be a righteous man who believes that mendacity is the largest sin on the planet. He is in opposition to corruption and doesn’t imagine in sucking up for favours. In brief, morality is both black or white, and there’s no house for gray. For him, one’s work ought to do all of the speaking and when he realises that this isn’t how the true world works, he’s in for shock that by no means wears off. Satyapriya works as an engineer and his idealistic nature is seen as an issue by others. Satyapriya finds himself as an anomaly however can not imagine how he, an trustworthy man, is seen because the outsider.
Dharmendra’s Satyapriya is the best man, versus Sanjeev Kumar’s Naren who chooses to disregard sure flaws of the society.
When Satyapriya needs to complain about one in every of his seniors for taking bribes, he’s requested to inform the reality. “Daro mat, sach sach batao (Don’t be afraid, tell the truth),” he’s instructed. Satyapriya lets out a quiet laughter and says, “Ab yeh samay aa gaya hai ki sach bhi darr darr ke bolna padta hai (Now we are living in a time when one has to be afraid to tell the truth).” For him, there isn’t a faith greater than fact so when his core beliefs are challenged, Satyapriya can punish nobody however himself. In a major scene, Satyapriya fires a subordinate as a result of he has been taking bribes for the welfare of his bedridden son. He believes that one’s morality shouldn’t be depending on their circumstances however when his obligation as an conscious citizen and a accountable neighbour is questioned, he’s caught off guard. He finds himself to be on the core of the system that has been failing the lots however since he has no energy to alter the system, he decides to give up.
Satyapriya goes on to struggle in opposition to everybody however forgets that his spouse Ranjana (Sharmila Tagore) has to bear the results of his morality too. In a uncommon second, Ranjana permits herself to be weak when she expresses that one’s morality mustn’t stand in the best way of their household’s peace. The terror in her eyes when she explains how her husband loses it fully when he sees or hears one thing unjust is heart-wrenching as that is the place you see how the results of 1’s trustworthy actions can even have an antagonistic impact.
Sharmila Tagore and Dharmendra in Satyakam.
Dharmendra, who is usually remembered for being the ‘He-Man of Bollywood’, gave his most actualised efficiency on this movie. So a lot in order that in a few of the scenes, he outshone Sanjeev Kumar, who was thought of as probably the greatest actors of the time. In a 1998 interview with Filmfare, Hrishikesh Mukherjee was requested that since he had as soon as referred to as Dharmendra his favorite hero, if he nonetheless sticks to that. To this, he mentioned, “By favourite actor, I didn’t mean just his acting talent. I meant the human being also. I cast Dharmendra as a professor in Chupke Chupke. He was also in Satyakam, the most satisfying film I’ve made.”
Satyakam is about shortly after India’s independence and explores what number of like Satyapriya, who imagined India to show right into a paradise after the Britishers left the nation, are in for a shock once they discover that the issue was not with the British, however the individuals who make the system. Satyapriya passes away together with his beliefs intact, however in his brief life, he caught to his morals. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, nonetheless, leaves you to surprise if residing a super life is actually value it.
