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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|1972 film based on the novel of the same name by Hermann Hesse}}<br />
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}<br />
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| name = Siddhartha<br />
| image = Siddhartha 1972.jpg<br />
| director = [[Conrad Rooks]]<br />
| writer = [[Conrad Rooks]]<br/>[[Paul Mayersberg]]<br />
| starring = [[Shashi Kapoor]]<br />[[Simi Garewal]]<br />[[Romesh Sharma]]<br />
| music = [[Hemant Kumar]]<br />
| cinematography =[[Sven Nykvist]]<br />
| editing = Willy Kemplen<br />
| distributor = [[Columbia Pictures]]<br />
| released = {{Film date|1973|7|18}}<br />
| runtime = 89 minutes<br />
| country =[[United States]]<br>[[India]]<br />
| language = English<br />
}}<br />
'''''Siddhartha''''' is a 1972 [[Indian American|Indo-American]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] [[mystery film]] based on the 1922 [[Siddhartha (novel)|novel of the same name]] by [[Hermann Hesse]], directed by [[Conrad Rooks]]. It was shot on location in Northern India, and features work by noted cinematographer [[Sven Nykvist]]. The locations used for the film were the holy city of [[Rishikesh]] and the private estates and palaces of the Maharajah of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]].<br />
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==Plot==<br />
The film tells the story of the young Siddhartha (played by Shashi Kapoor), born in a rich family, and his search for a meaningful way of life. This search takes him through periods of harsh asceticism, sensual pleasures, material wealth, then self-revulsion and eventually to the oneness and harmony with himself that he has been seeking. Siddhartha learns that the secret of life cannot be passed on from one person to another, but must be achieved through inner experience.<br />
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==Cast==<br />
* [[Shashi Kapoor]] as Siddhartha<br />
* [[Simi Garewal]] as Kamala<br />
* [[Romesh Sharma]] as Govinda<br />
* [[Pinchoo Kapoor]] as Kamaswami<br />
* Zul Vellani as Vasudeva<br />
* Amrik Singh as Father<br />
* [[Kunal Kapoor (actor, born 1959)|Kunal Kapoor]] as Son<br />
* Shanti Hiranand as Mother<br />
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==Controversy==<br />
[[Simi Garewal]]'s nude scene caused controversy in India. The [[Indian Censor Board]], at that time, did not even permit on-screen kissing in Indian films.<ref>Aseem Chhabra, [http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/sep/21sid.htm ''Siddhartha, a lost tale''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630102315/http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/sep/21sid.htm |date=2020-06-30 }}</ref><br />
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==Music==<br />
All the Indian music was composed and sung by [[Hemant Kumar]], with lyrics to the songs by Gouriprasanna: Mother's song was by Shanti Hiranand.<br />
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Kumar's Bengali songs, adapted for ''Siddhartha'', "Pather Klanti Bhule" is from the 1956 movie ''Maru Tirtha Hinglaj'' and "O Nodire Ekti Kotha Shudhai" is from the 1959 movie ''[[Neel Akasher Neechey]]''.<br />
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No soundtrack album for the film was issued.<br />
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==Premiere and revival==<br />
The film premiered in the West and the U.S. to positive reviews. Then during the 1970s and 1980s, it disappeared from distribution and runs in theaters. In 1996 it came back after much work and restoration, followed by release to TV and video. Those who saw the film applauded it as a tale of self-discovery and praised the restoration work. A region 1 DVD was released in 2002.<ref>{{cite AV media |title=Siddhartha |oclc=51445306 |medium=DVD (region 1) |publisher=Milestone |date=2002}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[List of historical drama films of Asia]]<br />
*[[Depictions of Gautama Buddha in film]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* {{IMDb title|0070689|Siddhartha}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:1973 films]]<br />
[[Category:Films based on Swiss novels]]<br />
[[Category:Films set in ancient India]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in Rajasthan]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in Uttarakhand]]<br />
[[Category:Fiction about Buddhism]]<br />
[[Category:Metaphysical fiction films]]<br />
[[Category:1970s erotic drama films]]<br />
[[Category:Films scored by Hemant Kumar]]<br />
[[Category:American erotic drama films]]<br />
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]<br />
[[Category:Films based on works by Hermann Hesse]]<br />
[[Category:Films directed by Conrad Rooks]]<br />
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Paul Mayersberg]]<br />
[[Category:Obscenity controversies in film]]<br />
[[Category:1973 drama films]]<br />
[[Category:Films about courtesans in India]]<br />
[[Category:1973 English-language films]]<br />
[[Category:1973 American films]]<br />
[[Category:Films about Gautama Buddha]]<br />
[[Category:Films about Buddhism]]<br />
[[Category:1973 controversies]]<br />
[[Category:English-language erotic drama films]]</div>WMLTomoko1917594