Bhakta Vidur
Directed byKanjibhai Rathod
StarringSee below
Production
company
Kohinoor Film Company
Release date
1921
CountryIndia
LanguageSilent

Bhakta Vidur (Hindi: भक्त विदुर, "Devotion of Vidura") is a 1921 silent Indian film directed by Kanjibhai Rathod and made under Kohinoor Film Company banner.[1] In this film the Hindu mythological character Vidura was moulded on the personality of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This was the first Indian film to face a ban.[2][3][4]

Plot

The story of the film is based on Hindu epic Mahabharata and depicts a series of conflicts between Pandavas and Kauravas. Vidura, who was half-brother to the kings Dhritarashtra (father of Kauravas) and Pandu (father of Pandavas) of Hastinapura, is the main character of the film and the events of the film are portrayed from his perspective. Throughout the film, Vidura shows his compassion and sympathy towards Pandavas multiple times. He gives condolences to Pandavas and assures them that truth always prevails, Kauravas will be punished soon for their sins. The series of conflicts between Pandavas and Kauravas finally leads to the terrible Kurukshetra War.[5]

Cast

Restrictions

Bhakta Vidur became the first film to be banned in India.[2] The film came just after Rowlatt Act was passed in India. The character of Vidura was reportedly portrayed imitating Mahatma Gandhi, his personality. There were scenes in the film where Vidura appeared like Gandhi wearing Gandhi cap, Khaddar etc. Many more contemporary political events of India were shown as reference in the film. As a result, the film was restricted, as the censor board concluded– "We know what you are doing, it is not Vidur, it is Gandhiji, we won't allow it."[2] It was also written in the censor's report– "It is likely to excite dissatisfaction against government and incite people to non co-operation".[5] The film was banned in Madras, Karachi and some other provinces.[2][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Tejaswini Ganti (25 June 2004). Bollywood: A Guidebook to Popular Hindi Cinema. Routledge. pp. 206–. ISBN 978-0-203-64394-5. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Jeannine Woods (2011). Visions of Empire and Other Imaginings: Cinema, Ireland and India 1910-1962. Peter Lang. pp. 98–. ISBN 978-3-03911-974-5. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  3. ^ Rachel Dwyer (30 August 2006). Filming the Gods: Religion and Indian Cinema. Routledge. pp. 72–. ISBN 978-0-203-08865-4. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  4. ^ "The five firsts of Indian Cinema". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Kanchi Babu". Anandabazar Patrika (Rabibasariya). 17 March 2013. (in Bengali)
  6. ^ Heidi Rika Maria Pauwels (17 December 2007). Indian Literature and Popular Cinema: Recasting Classics. Routledge. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-134-06255-3. Retrieved 17 March 2013.

External links

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Works based on the Mahabharata
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