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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}} | {{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}} | ||
{{Infobox film | {{Infobox film | ||
| name = Shree 420 | | name = Shree 420 | ||
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| producer = [[Raj Kapoor]] | | producer = [[Raj Kapoor]] | ||
| story = Khwaja Ahmad Abbas<ref name="shree117">{{Cite AV media|title=Shree 420{{!}}1955 |location= 1:17}}</ref> | | story = Khwaja Ahmad Abbas<ref name="shree117">{{Cite AV media|title=Shree 420{{!}}1955 |location= 1:17}}</ref> | ||
| screenplay = Khwaja Ahmad Abbas <br> V.P. Sathe<ref name="shree117"/> | | screenplay = [[Khwaja Ahmad Abbas]] <br> V.P. Sathe<ref name="shree117"/> | ||
| starring = [[Nargis]]<br>[[Nadira (actress)|Nadira | | starring = [[Raj Kapoor]]<br>[[Nargis]]<br>[[Nadira (Indian actress)|Nadira]] | ||
| cinematography = [[Radhu Karmakar]] | | cinematography = [[Radhu Karmakar]] | ||
| editing = [[G. G. Mayekar|G.G. Mayekar]] | | editing = [[G. G. Mayekar|G.G. Mayekar]] | ||
| runtime = 168 minutes | | runtime = 168 minutes | ||
| language = Hindi | | language = Hindi | ||
| music = [[ | | music = [[Shankar–Jaikishan]] | ||
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1955|09|06}} | | released = {{Film date|df=y|1955|09|06}} | ||
| country = India | | country = India | ||
| gross = {{ | | gross = {{INR|3.9}} crore<ref>{{Cite web |title=Box Office 1955 |url=http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ== |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102005600/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ== |archive-date=2010-01-02 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=BoxOfficeIndia.com}}</ref> | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Shree 420''''' ( | '''''Shree 420''''' (also spelled as '''''Shri 420'''''; {{translation|Mr. 420}}) is a 1955 Indian Hindi [[comedy-drama]] film directed and produced by [[Raj Kapoor]] from a story written by [[Khwaja Ahmad Abbas]] whose use of Shree with the negative connotations of 420 caused controversy. The film stars [[Nargis]], [[Nadira (Indian actress)|Nadira]], and Kapoor. The number 420 refers to [[Section 420]] of the [[Indian Penal Code]], which prescribes the punishment for the offence of [[fraud]]; hence, "Mr. 420" is a derogatory term for a fraudster. The film centers on Raj Kapoor, a poor but educated orphan who comes to [[Bombay]] with dreams of success. Kapoor's character is influenced by [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s "[[The Tramp|little tramp]]", much like Kapoor's character in his 1951 ''[[Awaara]]''. The music was composed by the team of [[Shankar Jaikishan]], and the lyrics were penned by [[Shailendra (lyricist)|Shailendra]] and [[Hasrat Jaipuri]]. | ||
''Shree 420'' was the [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|highest-grossing Indian film]] of 1955,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ== |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012165134/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ== |title=Box Office 1955 |work=Box Office India |date=12 October 2012|archive-date=12 October 2012}}</ref> the highest grossing Indian film of all time at the time of its release and the song "[[Mera Joota Hai Japani]]" ("My Shoes are Japanese"), sung by [[Mukesh (singer)|Mukesh]], became popular and a patriotic symbol of the newly independent India. | ''Shree 420'' was the [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|highest-grossing Indian film]] of 1955,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ== |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012165134/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ== |title=Box Office 1955 |work=Box Office India |date=12 October 2012|archive-date=12 October 2012}}</ref> the highest grossing Indian film of all time at the time of its release and the song "[[Mera Joota Hai Japani]]" ("My Shoes are Japanese"), sung by [[Mukesh (singer)|Mukesh]], became popular and a patriotic symbol of the newly independent India. The movie had numerous other hit songs like "Pyaar hua ikrar hua", a duet with [[Nargis]] sung in monsoon old Bombay. | ||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
Raj ([[Raj Kapoor]]), a country boy from [[Allahabad]], travels to the big city, [[Mumbai|Bombay]], by walking, to earn a living. He falls in love with the poor but virtuous Vidya ([[Nargis]]), but is soon seduced by the riches of a freewheeling and unethical [[lifestyle (sociology)|lifestyle]] presented to him by an unscrupulous and dishonest businessman, Seth Sonachand Dharmanand (Nemo) and the sultry temptress Maya ([[Nadira (Indian actress)|Nadira]]). He eventually becomes a [[confidence trickster]], or "420," who even cheats in card gambling. Vidya tries hard to make Raj a good man, but fails.<ref name="youku">{{cite web|title=Shree 420 - Full movie|url=http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzkyNDA1MTky.html|website=www.youku.com|publisher=RK Films / You Ku|access-date=15 June 2017|archive-date=29 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029012437/http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzkyNDA1MTky.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Meanwhile, Sonachand comes up with a [[Ponzi scheme]] to exploit poor people, whereby he promises permanent homes to them at just Rs. 100. The scheme pays off, as people start hoarding money for a home, even at the cost of other important things. Vidya's contempt for Raj increases even more. Raj becomes wealthy but soon realizes that he paid a very high price for it. When Raj discovers that Sonachand has no plans to fulfill his promises, he decides to make wrongs right. | Meanwhile, Sonachand comes up with a [[Ponzi scheme]] to exploit poor people, whereby he promises permanent homes to them at just Rs. 100. The scheme pays off, as people start hoarding money for a home, even at the cost of other important things. Vidya's contempt for Raj increases even more. Raj becomes wealthy but soon realizes that he paid a very high price for it. When Raj discovers that Sonachand has no plans to fulfill his promises, he decides to make wrongs right. | ||
Raj takes all the bond papers of the people's homes and tries to flee Sonachand's home, only to be caught by Sonachand and his cronies. In a scuffle that occurs, Sonachand shoots Raj and he falls unconscious. When people hear the shooting, they come and see Raj nearly dead. Sonachand tells police that Raj was trying to flee after stealing money from his safe, hence Sonachand shot him. | Raj takes all the bond papers of the people's homes and tries to flee Sonachand's home, only to be caught by Sonachand and his cronies. In a scuffle that occurs, Sonachand shoots Raj and he falls unconscious. When people hear the shooting, they come and see Raj nearly dead. Sonachand tells the police that Raj was trying to flee after stealing money from his safe, hence Sonachand shot him. | ||
Upon this, the "dead" Raj springs back to life, | Upon this, the "dead" Raj springs back to life and, using pure logic, proves Sonachand's guilt. Sonachand and his partners are arrested, while Vidya happily forgives Raj. The film ends with Raj saying "Yeh 420 Nahin, Shree 420 Hain" ("These are not simply con men, they are respectable con men"). | ||
==Cast== | ==Cast== | ||
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{{Div col|colwidth=22em}} | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}} | ||
* [[Nargis]] as Vidya | * [[Nargis]] as Vidya | ||
* [[Nadira (actress)|Nadira]] as Maya | * [[Nadira (Indian actress)|Nadira]] as Maya | ||
* [[Raj Kapoor]] as Ranbir Raj | * [[Raj Kapoor]] as Ranbir Raj / Rajkumar Saxena | ||
* | * Nemo as Seth Sonachand Dharmanand | ||
* [[Lalita Pawar]] as Ganga Mai | * [[Lalita Pawar]] as Ganga Mai | ||
* | * M. Kumar as Beggar | ||
* [[Indira Billi]] as Seth Sonachand Dharmanand | * [[Indira Billi]] as Seth Sonachand Dharmanand's daughter | ||
* [[Hari Shivdasani]] as Philachand | * [[Hari Shivdasani]] as Philachand | ||
* [[Nana Palsikar]] | * [[Nana Palsikar]] | ||
* [[Bhudo Advani]] as Dharmanand's valet | * [[Bhudo Advani]] as Dharmanand's valet | ||
* | * Pessi Patel as Pawn Shop Owner | ||
* [[Ramesh Sinha]] as Street Dweller | * [[Ramesh Sinha]] as Street Dweller | ||
* [[Rashid Khan (actor)|Rashid Khan]] as Raddiwala | * [[Rashid Khan (actor)|Rashid Khan]] as Raddiwala | ||
* [[Sheila Vaaz | * [[Shankar-Jaikishan|Jaikishan]] as Johny | ||
* | * Sheila Vaaz as dancer | ||
* [[Kathana]] as Customer | * S. P. Berry | ||
* [[Kathana (actress)|Kathana]] as Customer | |||
* [[Satyanarayan]] | * [[Satyanarayan]] | ||
* [[Shailendra (lyricist)|Shailendra]] lyricist | * [[Shailendra (lyricist)|Shailendra]] lyricist | ||
* | * Rajoo as young boy | ||
* | * Mansaram | ||
* [[Iftekhar|Iftikhar]] as Police Inspector | * [[Iftekhar|Iftikhar]] as Police Inspector | ||
* [[Tun Tun|Uma Devi]] as Maya's Neighbor | * [[Tun Tun|Uma Devi]] as Maya's Neighbor | ||
* | * Anwari | ||
* | * Mirajkar as Inspector | ||
* | * Bhagwandas | ||
* | * Bishamber | ||
{{div col end}} | {{div col end}} | ||
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In [[Sanskrit]], the name of the main character, "Vidya", means knowledge, while "[[Maya (illusion)|Maya]]" means Illusion. | In [[Sanskrit]], the name of the main character, "Vidya", means knowledge, while "[[Maya (illusion)|Maya]]" means Illusion. | ||
The title of one of the songs in the movie is "Ramaiya Vastavaiya" is in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], which means " | The title of one of the songs in the movie is "Ramaiya Vastavaiya" is in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], which means "Ramaiya, come quickly". Apart from that, the rest of the song's lyrics (and the film) are in Hindi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Humming SRK's 'Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya'? Know the story behind the phrase |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/humming-srks-not-ramaiya-vastavaiya-know-the-story-behind-the-phrase-2427704-2023-08-28 |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=India Today |language=en |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902093122/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/humming-srks-not-ramaiya-vastavaiya-know-the-story-behind-the-phrase-2427704-2023-08-28 |url-status=live |date=28 August 2023}}</ref> | ||
At the beginning of the movie, the main protagonist explains to a policeman that one needs to stand on one's head to make sense of this world. He mentions that this is the reason why even great leaders stand on their heads. This is an allusion to several political leaders of that time who enjoyed practicing the [[Shirshasana]], a [[yoga]] [[asana]] where one stands on his head. In his [[autobiography]], [[Nehru]] described that the shirshasana was his favorite pose, and how he often did the shirshasana in jail, too. | At the beginning of the movie, the main protagonist explains to a policeman that one needs to stand on one's head to make sense of this world. He mentions that this is the reason why even great leaders stand on their heads. This is an allusion to several political leaders of that time who enjoyed practicing the [[Shirshasana]], a [[yoga]] [[asana]] where one stands on his head. In his [[autobiography]], [[Nehru]] described that the shirshasana was his favorite pose, and how he often did the shirshasana in jail, too. | ||
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}} | }} | ||
Raj Kapoor's real life children Randhir, Ritu and Rishi were featured in the song "Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua", Rishi revealed that Nargis bribed him with chocolate and recalled it in a 2017 interview.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/did-shree-420-role-only-after-a-chocolate-bribe-rishi-860334-2017-01-20|title=Did Shree 420 role only after a chocolate bribe: Rishi| | Raj Kapoor's real-life children Randhir, Ritu and Rishi were featured in the song "Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua", Rishi revealed that Nargis bribed him with chocolate and recalled it in a 2017 interview.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/did-shree-420-role-only-after-a-chocolate-bribe-rishi-860334-2017-01-20|title=Did Shree 420 role only after a chocolate bribe: Rishi|agency=Press Trust of India|date=January 20, 2017|work=India Today|access-date=18 January 2019|archive-date=19 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119121632/https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/did-shree-420-role-only-after-a-chocolate-bribe-rishi-860334-2017-01-20|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
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The film proved to be popular in other countries, including the [[Soviet Union]], [[Romania]], and [[Israel]]. In Russia, it was said that Raj Kapoor was as popular as [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], due to the success of ''[[Awaara]]'' and ''Shree 420''. In Israel, the song "Ichak Dana Beechak Dana" (transliterated as "Ichikidana") became popular and was re-recorded by local singer Naim Rajuan. | The film proved to be popular in other countries, including the [[Soviet Union]], [[Romania]], and [[Israel]]. In Russia, it was said that Raj Kapoor was as popular as [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], due to the success of ''[[Awaara]]'' and ''Shree 420''. In Israel, the song "Ichak Dana Beechak Dana" (transliterated as "Ichikidana") became popular and was re-recorded by local singer Naim Rajuan. | ||
In 2023, [[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] ranked it #23 on its list of the "100 Best Bollywood Movies."<ref name="best">{{cite web |date=7 February 2023 |title=The 100 best Bollywood movies |url=https://www.timeout.com/film/the-100-best-bollywood-movies-the-list |access-date=28 November 2023 |work=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] |archive-date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820130100/https://www.timeout.com/film/the-100-best-bollywood-movies-the-list |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Box office=== | ===Box office=== | ||
At the Indian box office in 1955, the film [[Gross revenue|grossed]] {{INRConvert|3.9|c|year=1955|lk=c}}, with a [[net income]] of {{INRConvert|2|c|year=1955|lk=r}}.<ref name="boi55">{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ==|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030022739/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ==|archive-date=2013-10-30|title=Boxofficeindia.com|date=30 October 2013}}</ref> This record was beaten two years later by ''[[Mother India]]'' in 1957.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/b-town-rewind-the-tale-of-the-first-bollywood-crore/15162064 |title=B-Town rewind: The tale of the first Bollywood crore - Entertainment |publisher=Mid-day.com |access-date=2015-09-18}}</ref> | At the Indian box office in 1955, the film [[Gross revenue|grossed]] {{INRConvert|3.9|c|year=1955|lk=c}}, with a [[net income]] of {{INRConvert|2|c|year=1955|lk=r}}.<ref name="boi55">{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ==|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030022739/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=161&catName=MTk1NQ==|archive-date=2013-10-30|title=Boxofficeindia.com|date=30 October 2013}}</ref> This record was beaten two years later by ''[[Mother India]]'' in 1957.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/b-town-rewind-the-tale-of-the-first-bollywood-crore/15162064 |title=B-Town rewind: The tale of the first Bollywood crore - Entertainment |date=16 March 2014 |publisher=Mid-day.com |access-date=2015-09-18 |archive-date=16 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316114251/http://www.mid-day.com/articles/b-town-rewind-the-tale-of-the-first-bollywood-crore/15162064 |url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
It was released in the Soviet Union in 1956, coming second on the [[List of Soviet films of the year by ticket sales|Soviet box office charts]] that year.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rajagopalan |first=Sudha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cpoLAQAAMAAJ |title=Indian Films in Soviet Cinemas: The Culture of Movie-going After Stalin |date=2008 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-22099-8 |page=86 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806001013/https://books.google.com/books?id=cpoLAQAAMAAJ |archive-date=6 August 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Despite being imported at an unusually high price, it was the most successful foreign film of the year at the Soviet box office, drawing an audience of 35 million viewers.<ref name="indiana163">{{Cite book |last=Rajagopalan |first=Sudha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-FceAQAAMAAJ |title=A Taste for Indian Films: Negotiating Cultural Boundaries in Post-Stalinist Soviet Society |date=2005 |publisher=[[Indiana University]] |pages=163 |access-date=14 March 2023 |archive-date=2 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240702092511/https://books.google.com/books?id=-FceAQAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The song ''Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua'' is also very famous. It has become a symbol of romance, and was used many times, notably for advertising. | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||
| Line 102: | Line 106: | ||
! Gross | ! Gross | ||
! Adjusted gross | ! Adjusted gross | ||
!Footfalls | |||
|- | |- | ||
| [[List of highest-grossing films in India|Domestic (India)]] | | [[List of highest-grossing films in India|Domestic (India)]] | ||
| {{INR|link=yes}}3.9{{nbsp}}[[crore]]<ref name="boi55"/> ([[United States dollar|$]]8.19{{nbsp}}million){{#tag:ref|4.7619 [[Indian rupee]]s per [[US dollar]] from 1950 to 1965<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/etc/USDpages.pdf#page=3 |title=Pacific Exchange Rate Service |work=fx.sauder |access-date=3 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512095429/http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/etc/USDpages.pdf#page=3 |archive-date=12 May 2015 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>|group=n|name=RupeeUSD}} in [[1955 in film|1955]] | | {{INR|link=yes}}3.9{{nbsp}}[[crore]]<ref name="boi55"/> ([[United States dollar|$]]8.19{{nbsp}}million){{#tag:ref|4.7619 [[Indian rupee]]s per [[US dollar]] from 1950 to 1965<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/etc/USDpages.pdf#page=3 |title=Pacific Exchange Rate Service |work=fx.sauder |access-date=3 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512095429/http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/etc/USDpages.pdf#page=3 |archive-date=12 May 2015 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>|group=n|name=RupeeUSD}} in [[1955 in film|1955]] | ||
| ${{Inflation|US|8.19|1955}}{{nbsp}}million ([[Bollywood 100 Crore Club|{{INR}}490{{nbsp}}crore]])<ref name="exchange16">{{cite web|url=https://www.ofx.com/en-gb/forex-news/historical-exchange-rates/yearly-average-rates/|title=Yearly Average Rates|website=OFX}}</ref> | | ${{Inflation|US|8.19|1955}}{{nbsp}}million ([[Bollywood 100 Crore Club|{{INR}}490{{nbsp}}crore]])<ref name="exchange16">{{cite web|url=https://www.ofx.com/en-gb/forex-news/historical-exchange-rates/yearly-average-rates/|title=Yearly Average Rates|website=OFX|access-date=3 July 2017|archive-date=13 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713183556/https://www.ofx.com/en-gb/forex-news/historical-exchange-rates/yearly-average-rates/|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
|35,000,000+<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |date=17 May 2020 |title=Most Watched Bollywood (Hindi) Movies of All Time (1940-2019) - Movies with Highest Footfall Ever |url=https://www.addatoday.com/2020/05/most-watched-bollywood-hindi-films-of.html |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Addatoday |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520000124/https://www.addatoday.com/2020/05/most-watched-bollywood-hindi-films-of.html |url-status=live |last=Ankur}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| [[List of highest-grossing Indian films in overseas markets|Overseas]] <br> ([[Soviet Union]]) | | [[List of highest-grossing Indian films in overseas markets|Overseas]] <br> ([[Soviet Union]]) | ||
| 8.75{{nbsp}}million [[Soviet | | 8.75{{nbsp}}million [[Soviet rouble|Rbls]]{{#tag:ref|35 million Soviet tickets sold,<ref name="indiana163"/> average ticket price of 25 [[kopeck]]s<ref>{{Cite book |last=Roth-Ey |first=Kristin |url=https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/podzim2015/FAV291/um/Roth-Ey-Moscow_Prime_Time.pdf#page=5 |title=Moscow Prime Time: How the Soviet Union Built the Media Empire that Lost the Cultural Cold War |date=2011-05-15 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-1-5017-7142-2 |page=48 |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510014311/https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/podzim2015/FAV291/um/Roth-Ey-Moscow_Prime_Time.pdf#page=7 |archive-date=10 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=n}} ($2.19{{nbsp}}million){{#tag:ref|4 [[Soviet rouble|Rbl]]s per US dollar from 1950 to 1960<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archive of Bank of Russia |url=http://cbr.ru/currency_base/OldDataFiles/USD.xls |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170717030948/http://cbr.ru/currency_base/OldDataFiles/USD.xls |archive-date=2017-07-17 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=cbr.ru}}</ref>|group=n|name=RubleUSD}} <br> ({{INR}}1.04{{nbsp}}crore)<ref group="n" name="RupeeUSD"/> | ||
| ${{Inflation|US|2.19|1956}}{{nbsp}}million ({{INR}}128{{nbsp}}crore)<ref name="exchange16"/> | | ${{Inflation|US|2.19|1956}}{{nbsp}}million ({{INR}}128{{nbsp}}crore)<ref name="exchange16"/> | ||
|35,000,000<ref name="indiana163" /> | |||
|- | |- | ||
! [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|Worldwide]] | ! [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|Worldwide]] | ||
! {{INR}}{{#expr:3.9+1.04}}{{nbsp}}crore <br> (${{#expr:8.19+2.19}}{{nbsp}}million) | ! {{INR}}{{#expr:3.9+1.04}}{{nbsp}}crore <br> (${{#expr:8.19+2.19}}{{nbsp}}million) | ||
! {{INR}}{{#expr:490+128}}{{nbsp}}crore <br> (${{#expr:73+19}}{{nbsp}}million) | ! {{INR}}{{#expr:490+128}}{{nbsp}}crore <br> (${{#expr:73+19}}{{nbsp}}million) | ||
!70,000,000+ | |||
|} | |} | ||
==Soundtrack== | ==Soundtrack== | ||
The song "Mera Joota Hai Japani" was reused in the 2016 American English-language film ''[[Deadpool (2016 film)|Deadpool]]''. | |||
{{Tracklist | {{Tracklist | ||
| extra_column = Singer(s) | | extra_column = Singer(s) | ||
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| length2 = 4:33 | | length2 = 4:33 | ||
| lyrics2 = Shailendra | | lyrics2 = Shailendra | ||
| title3 = | | title3 = Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh | ||
| extra3 = [[Manna Dey]], [[Asha Bhosle]] | | extra3 = [[Manna Dey]], [[Asha Bhosle]] | ||
| length3 = 6:34 | | length3 = 6:34 | ||
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==Awards== | ==Awards== | ||
* 1956: [[Filmfare Awards]] | * 1956: [[Filmfare Awards]] | ||
** [[Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award|Best Cinematographer]]: [[Radhu Karmakar]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deep750.googlepages.com/FilmfareAwards.pdf|title= Filmfare Nominees and Winners|publisher=Deep750.googlepages.com|access-date=2015-09-18}}</ref> | ** [[Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award|Best Cinematographer]]: [[Radhu Karmakar]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deep750.googlepages.com/FilmfareAwards.pdf|title=Filmfare Nominees and Winners|publisher=Deep750.googlepages.com|access-date=2015-09-18|archive-date=12 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612065210/http://deep750.googlepages.com/FilmfareAwards.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
** [[Filmfare Best Editing Award|Best Editing]]: [[G. G. Mayekar|G.G. Mayekar]] | ** [[Filmfare Best Editing Award|Best Editing]]: [[G. G. Mayekar|G.G. Mayekar]] | ||
* [[National Film Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm3rdNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=3NFA.pdf |title=Directorate of Film Festival |publisher=Iffi.nic.in |access-date=2015-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105331/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm3rdNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=3NFA.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | * [[National Film Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm3rdNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=3NFA.pdf |title=Directorate of Film Festival |publisher=Iffi.nic.in |access-date=2015-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105331/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm3rdNFAAward.aspx?PdfName=3NFA.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | ||
| Line 172: | Line 181: | ||
* {{cite journal|last1=Brown|first1=Rebecca M|title=Partition and the uses of history in Waqt/ Time|journal=Screen|date=2007|volume=48|issue=2|pages=161–177|location=Oxford University Press|oclc=365246366|doi=10.1093/screen/hjm013}} | * {{cite journal|last1=Brown|first1=Rebecca M|title=Partition and the uses of history in Waqt/ Time|journal=Screen|date=2007|volume=48|issue=2|pages=161–177|location=Oxford University Press|oclc=365246366|doi=10.1093/screen/hjm013}} | ||
* {{cite book|last1=Blanco|first1=Maria del Pilar|last2=Peeren|first2=Esther|title=Popular Ghosts: The Haunted Spaces of Everyday Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4kawiEQ6mTkC&pg=PA88|date=1 April 2010|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-4411-6401-8|page=88}} | * {{cite book|last1=Blanco|first1=Maria del Pilar|last2=Peeren|first2=Esther|title=Popular Ghosts: The Haunted Spaces of Everyday Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4kawiEQ6mTkC&pg=PA88|date=1 April 2010|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-4411-6401-8|page=88}} | ||
* {{cite book|last1=Hillier|first1=Jim|last2=Pye|first2=Doug|title=100 Film Musicals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MWsdBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA206|date=24 May 2011|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-1-84457-568-8|page=206}} | * {{cite book|last1=Hillier|first1=Jim|last2=Pye|first2=Doug|title=100 Film Musicals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MWsdBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA206|date=24 May 2011|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-1-84457-568-8|page=206}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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[[Category:1955 films]] | [[Category:1955 films]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:1955 Hindi-language films]] | ||
[[Category:Films directed by Raj Kapoor]] | [[Category:Films directed by Raj Kapoor]] | ||
[[Category:Films about orphans]] | [[Category:Films about orphans]] | ||
[[Category:Indian epic films]] | [[Category:Indian epic films]] | ||
[[Category:Films scored by | [[Category:Films scored by Shankar–Jaikishan]] | ||
[[Category:R. K. Films films]] | [[Category:R. K. Films films]] | ||
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas]] | [[Category:Films with screenplays by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas]] | ||
[[Category:Indian Penal Code]] | [[Category:Indian Penal Code]] | ||
[[Category:Indian comedy-drama films]] | |||
[[Category:1955 comedy-drama films]] | |||
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]] | |||
Latest revision as of 11:59, 28 March 2026
| Shree 420 | |
|---|---|
 Original poster | |
| Directed by | Raj Kapoor |
| Produced by | Raj Kapoor |
| Screenplay by | Khwaja Ahmad Abbas V.P. Sathe[1] |
| Story by | Khwaja Ahmad Abbas[1] |
| Starring | Raj Kapoor Nargis Nadira |
| Music by | Shankar–Jaikishan |
| Cinematography | Radhu Karmakar |
| Edited by | G.G. Mayekar |
Release date |
|
Running time | 168 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | ₹3.9 crore[2] |
Shree 420 (also spelled as Shri 420; transl. Mr. 420) is a 1955 Indian Hindi comedy-drama film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor from a story written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas whose use of Shree with the negative connotations of 420 caused controversy. The film stars Nargis, Nadira, and Kapoor. The number 420 refers to Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, which prescribes the punishment for the offence of fraud; hence, "Mr. 420" is a derogatory term for a fraudster. The film centers on Raj Kapoor, a poor but educated orphan who comes to Bombay with dreams of success. Kapoor's character is influenced by Charlie Chaplin's "little tramp", much like Kapoor's character in his 1951 Awaara. The music was composed by the team of Shankar Jaikishan, and the lyrics were penned by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri.
Shree 420 was the highest-grossing Indian film of 1955,[3] the highest grossing Indian film of all time at the time of its release and the song "Mera Joota Hai Japani" ("My Shoes are Japanese"), sung by Mukesh, became popular and a patriotic symbol of the newly independent India. The movie had numerous other hit songs like "Pyaar hua ikrar hua", a duet with Nargis sung in monsoon old Bombay.
Plot[edit | edit source]
Raj (Raj Kapoor), a country boy from Allahabad, travels to the big city, Bombay, by walking, to earn a living. He falls in love with the poor but virtuous Vidya (Nargis), but is soon seduced by the riches of a freewheeling and unethical lifestyle presented to him by an unscrupulous and dishonest businessman, Seth Sonachand Dharmanand (Nemo) and the sultry temptress Maya (Nadira). He eventually becomes a confidence trickster, or "420," who even cheats in card gambling. Vidya tries hard to make Raj a good man, but fails.[4]
Meanwhile, Sonachand comes up with a Ponzi scheme to exploit poor people, whereby he promises permanent homes to them at just Rs. 100. The scheme pays off, as people start hoarding money for a home, even at the cost of other important things. Vidya's contempt for Raj increases even more. Raj becomes wealthy but soon realizes that he paid a very high price for it. When Raj discovers that Sonachand has no plans to fulfill his promises, he decides to make wrongs right.
Raj takes all the bond papers of the people's homes and tries to flee Sonachand's home, only to be caught by Sonachand and his cronies. In a scuffle that occurs, Sonachand shoots Raj and he falls unconscious. When people hear the shooting, they come and see Raj nearly dead. Sonachand tells the police that Raj was trying to flee after stealing money from his safe, hence Sonachand shot him.
Upon this, the "dead" Raj springs back to life and, using pure logic, proves Sonachand's guilt. Sonachand and his partners are arrested, while Vidya happily forgives Raj. The film ends with Raj saying "Yeh 420 Nahin, Shree 420 Hain" ("These are not simply con men, they are respectable con men").
Cast[edit | edit source]
- Cast in order of the opening credits of the film
- Nargis as Vidya
- Nadira as Maya
- Raj Kapoor as Ranbir Raj / Rajkumar Saxena
- Nemo as Seth Sonachand Dharmanand
- Lalita Pawar as Ganga Mai
- M. Kumar as Beggar
- Indira Billi as Seth Sonachand Dharmanand's daughter
- Hari Shivdasani as Philachand
- Nana Palsikar
- Bhudo Advani as Dharmanand's valet
- Pessi Patel as Pawn Shop Owner
- Ramesh Sinha as Street Dweller
- Rashid Khan as Raddiwala
- Jaikishan as Johny
- Sheila Vaaz as dancer
- S. P. Berry
- Kathana as Customer
- Satyanarayan
- Shailendra lyricist
- Rajoo as young boy
- Mansaram
- Iftikhar as Police Inspector
- Uma Devi as Maya's Neighbor
- Anwari
- Mirajkar as Inspector
- Bhagwandas
- Bishamber
Allusions[edit | edit source]
The title refers to section 420 of the Indian penal code, where crimes of theft and deception are punished, which relates to the troubles of the main character.
In Sanskrit, the name of the main character, "Vidya", means knowledge, while "Maya" means Illusion.
The title of one of the songs in the movie is "Ramaiya Vastavaiya" is in Telugu, which means "Ramaiya, come quickly". Apart from that, the rest of the song's lyrics (and the film) are in Hindi.[5]
At the beginning of the movie, the main protagonist explains to a policeman that one needs to stand on one's head to make sense of this world. He mentions that this is the reason why even great leaders stand on their heads. This is an allusion to several political leaders of that time who enjoyed practicing the Shirshasana, a yoga asana where one stands on his head. In his autobiography, Nehru described that the shirshasana was his favorite pose, and how he often did the shirshasana in jail, too.
Production[edit | edit source]
"I had to give a shot and it was raining that day. It was difficult for the crew to make me prepare for the shot. I had just to walk without any expression. It was Nargis who came up with the idea to offer me chocolate to get the shot done. In that sense, I started taking bribes when I was two-year-old."
– Rishi Kapoor, January 20, 2017
Raj Kapoor's real-life children Randhir, Ritu and Rishi were featured in the song "Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua", Rishi revealed that Nargis bribed him with chocolate and recalled it in a 2017 interview.[6]
Reception[edit | edit source]
The song "Mera Joota Hai Japani", in which the singer asserts his pride in being an Indian, despite his clothes being from other countries, became, and remains, a patriotic favourite among many Indians. It is often referenced, including in an acceptance speech at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2006 by Bengali author Mahasweta Devi.
The film proved to be popular in other countries, including the Soviet Union, Romania, and Israel. In Russia, it was said that Raj Kapoor was as popular as Jawaharlal Nehru, due to the success of Awaara and Shree 420. In Israel, the song "Ichak Dana Beechak Dana" (transliterated as "Ichikidana") became popular and was re-recorded by local singer Naim Rajuan.
In 2023, Time Out ranked it #23 on its list of the "100 Best Bollywood Movies."[7]
Box office[edit | edit source]
At the Indian box office in 1955, the film grossed ₹3.9 crore (equivalent to ₹340 crore or US$48 million in 2019), with a net income of ₹2 crore (equivalent to ₹174 crore or US$24 million in 2019).[8] This record was beaten two years later by Mother India in 1957.[9]
It was released in the Soviet Union in 1956, coming second on the Soviet box office charts that year.[10] Despite being imported at an unusually high price, it was the most successful foreign film of the year at the Soviet box office, drawing an audience of 35 million viewers.[11]
The song Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua is also very famous. It has become a symbol of romance, and was used many times, notably for advertising.
| Territory | Gross | Adjusted gross | Footfalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic (India) | ₹3.9 crore[8] ($8.19 million)[n 1] in 1955 | $Error when using {{Inflation}}: NaN/calculation error please notify Template talk:Inflation. million (₹490 crore)[13] | 35,000,000+[14] |
| Overseas (Soviet Union) |
8.75 million Rbls[n 2] ($2.19 million)[n 3] (₹1.04 crore)[n 1] |
$Error when using {{Inflation}}: NaN/calculation error please notify Template talk:Inflation. million (₹128 crore)[13] | 35,000,000[11] |
| Worldwide | ₹4.94 crore ($10.38 million) |
₹618 crore ($92 million) |
70,000,000+ |
Soundtrack[edit | edit source]
The song "Mera Joota Hai Japani" was reused in the 2016 American English-language film Deadpool.
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwaala" | Manna Dey | 5:36 |
| 2. | "Mera Juta Hai Japani" | Mukesh | 4:33 |
| 3. | "Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh" | Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle | 6:34 |
| 4. | "Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua" | Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey | 4:22 |
| 5. | "Ramaiya Vastavaiya" | Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh | 6:10 |
| 6. | "Ichak Dana Beechak Dana" | Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh | 5:08 |
| 7. | "O Janewale" | Lata Mangeshkar | 2:20 |
| 8. | "Sham Gayi Raat Aayi" | Lata Mangeshkar | 4:00 |
Awards[edit | edit source]
See also[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shree 420|1955. 1:17.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ↑ "Box Office 1955". BoxOfficeIndia.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Box Office 1955". Box Office India. 12 October 2012. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012.
- ↑ "Shree 420 - Full movie". www.youku.com. RK Films / You Ku. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- ↑ "Humming SRK's 'Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya'? Know the story behind the phrase". India Today. 28 August 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ↑ "Did Shree 420 role only after a chocolate bribe: Rishi". India Today. Press Trust of India. 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ↑ "The 100 best Bollywood movies". Time Out. 7 February 2023. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Boxofficeindia.com". 30 October 2013. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013.
- ↑ "B-Town rewind: The tale of the first Bollywood crore - Entertainment". Mid-day.com. 16 March 2014. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- ↑ Rajagopalan, Sudha (2008). Indian Films in Soviet Cinemas: The Culture of Movie-going After Stalin. Indiana University Press. p. 86. ISBN 978-0-253-22099-8. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Rajagopalan, Sudha (2005). A Taste for Indian Films: Negotiating Cultural Boundaries in Post-Stalinist Soviet Society. Indiana University. p. 163. Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ↑ "Pacific Exchange Rate Service" (PDF). fx.sauder. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Yearly Average Rates". OFX. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
- ↑ Ankur (17 May 2020). "Most Watched Bollywood (Hindi) Movies of All Time (1940-2019) - Movies with Highest Footfall Ever". Addatoday. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- ↑ Roth-Ey, Kristin (15 May 2011). Moscow Prime Time: How the Soviet Union Built the Media Empire that Lost the Cultural Cold War (PDF). Cornell University Press. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-5017-7142-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 May 2018.
- ↑ "Archive of Bank of Russia". cbr.ru. Archived from the original on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Filmfare Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Deep750.googlepages.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- ↑ "Directorate of Film Festival" (PDF). Iffi.nic.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- Brown, Rebecca M (2007). "Partition and the uses of history in Waqt/ Time". Screen. 48 (2). Oxford University Press: 161–177. doi:10.1093/screen/hjm013. OCLC 365246366.
- Blanco, Maria del Pilar; Peeren, Esther (1 April 2010). Popular Ghosts: The Haunted Spaces of Everyday Culture. A&C Black. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-4411-6401-8.
- Hillier, Jim; Pye, Doug (24 May 2011). 100 Film Musicals. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-84457-568-8.[permanent dead link]