Talaq (1938 film)

Talaq (Divorce) is a 1938 Urdu/Hindi social melodrama film directed by Sohrab Modi for Minerva Movietone. The story was written by Anand Kumar and Gajanan Jagirdar with dialogue and lyrics by Anand Kumar. Music was composed by Mir Saheb.[1] Following the debacle of his earlier films based on Shakesperian tragedies like Khoon Ka Khoon (1935) and Said-e-Havas, Modi shifted to making social contemporary dramas like Talaq, Jailor and Meetha Zahar (1938). The film had Naseem Banu in the lead role with Prem Adib, Gajanan Jagirdar, Navin Yagnik, Sheela, and Abu Baker as co-stars.[2]

Talaq (1938)
Directed bySohrab Modi
Written by
  • Anand Kumar
  • Gajanan Jagirdar
Produced byMinerva Movietone
Starring
Music by
  • Mir Saheb
  • Anand Kumar (lyrics)
Production
company
Minerva Movietone
Release date
1938
Running time
127 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Roopa (Naseem Banu), a married woman, fights for better divorce laws, which she then employs to be free of her husband. However, things ultimately go against her when her second husband uses the same laws to divorce her.

Plot Outline

Roopa (Naseem Banu) is married to a politician Niranjan (Navin Yagnik) whom she wants to divorce. Niranjan is not in favour of divorce. Helped by the editor Chhabilelal (Gajanan Jagirdar) of a magazine Aandhi, Roopa manages to get certain changes brought in the divorce law that allow her the separation from Niranjan. Niranjan helps a married woman, Shanta (Sheela) and falls in love with her. Due to his sentiments regarding divorce he is unable to marry her. Roopa marries Amarnath (Prem Adib) who then uses the same laws that she had strived to get implemented in order to divorce her.

Cast
  • Naseem Banu as Roopa
  • Prem Adib as Amarnath
  • Gajanan Jagirdar as Chhabilelal
  • Navin Yagnik as Niranjan
  • Sheela as Shanta
  • Abu Baker
  • Khwaja Sabir
  • Shanta Dutt
  • Khan Mastana
  • Vimala Vasishth

Subject

The film deals with the social subject of divorce, which being rare in India at that time was also mainly a male prerogative.[3] Focusing on the "rights of women to divorce", Modi's contemporary social films including Talaq were hugely successful.[4]

References
  1. Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen; Professor of Critical Studies Paul Willemen (10 July 2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Routledge. pp. 276–. ISBN 978-1-135-94318-9. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  2. "Cast Talaq 1938". Alan Goble. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  3. Robert E. Emery (21 February 2013). Cultural Sociology of Divorce: An Encyclopedia. SAGE Publications. pp. 1199–. ISBN 978-1-4522-7443-0. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. "Pioneers in Indian Cinema Sohrab Merwanji Modi". IndiaHeritage.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
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