Synopsis
Set
against the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the film's main plot
concerns a small platoon of Indian soldiers in the hilly
terrain of Ladakh who are considered dead but are rescued
by Kashmiri gypsies and by Capt. Bahadur Singh (DHarmendra).
They are asked to retreat from their chowky as the Chinese
have surrounded them. Capt. Bahadur Singh and his gypsy
girfriend Kammo (Priya Rajvansh) die holding the Chinese
at Bay so that their comrades can retreat to safety. But
even the retreating soldiers are heavily outnumbered and
give up their lives for the country.
The film
Before
Chetan Anand was emboldened to make Haqeeqat, war
films in this country were alien as a genre unlike Hollywood
where war films have been an integral part right from the
days of the silent cinema such as King Vidor's The Big
Parade (1925) or All Quiet on the Western Front (1930).
But then maybe India had never to make a proper war film
till Haqeeqat because till the 1962 Sino-Indian War,
India hadn't been directly involved in a war - we did send
our soldiers to fight for the British in World War II but
the '62 war was the first that independent India faced.
With Haqeeqat Chetan Anand made the most memorable
war film that India has ever produced.
Haqeeqat
is a propaganda film dedicated to Nehru and trading on the
resurgence of nationalist sentiment in the wake of the India-China
War of 1962. The war had led to a sobering awareness of
India's military capability and contributed to a number
of schisms about Nehruite notions of non-alignment while
accelerating the split in the CPI between Moscow and Beijing
aligned groups. But though propagandist in nature (which
patriotic film is not?!), the film is one made straight
from the heart. The film deals honestly with the mistakes
made by the leaders and the defeat suffered by India in
the war. The film looks at the plight of those who mattered
the most in the war - the jawan.
The
main strength of the film is its rugged landscape and authentic
battle scenes seldom seen in Indian Cinema. Shot mostly
on location in Ladhakh, the entire unit braved climatic
hardships as they set out to make a gripping and scathing
film deriding China for betraying Nehru. Highlights scenes
include the platoon commander Balraj
Sahni excoriating Mao's little red book, which a soldier
spears with a bayonet…And the commanding officer Jayant
denouncing the Chinese to documentary footage of Zhou-en-Lai
landing in Delhi and being given a guard of honour.
 The
grim battle scenes aside, Haqeeqat
is actually boosted by an extremely well
written screenplay that engrosses the viewer.
Even the smallest characters are fleshed
out and given a small back-story so that
one understands what they are going through
in the harrowing war conditions. This also
makes you get close to them and feel for
them as they are far away from their family
and loved ones fighting for the country
in sub human conditions knowing death is
almost inevitable.
Often
the documentary footage merged with the fictional frames
and art director MS Satyu (the same Satyu who directed Garam
Hawa (1973)) blends the interior of the Bombay studios
with the exterior of Ladakh! Of course there are times the
fakeness shows but one is so swept up with the film that
one doesn't care! The film is particularly well shot on
location with the battle scenes shot by cinematographer
Sadanand Sengupta with fierce realism.
Haqeeqat
is well supported by its large ensemble
cast, which blends into the film perfectly
and creates the whole. The list of actors
playing the soldiers makes for interesting
viewing. Seen in their early roles are Sudhir,
Sanjay Khan, Mac Mohan, Bhupinder, Johnny
Bakshi, Rakesh Kumar among others. As far
as individual performances go, Balraj Sahni
is his usual brilliant self as the major
in charge of the men. His helplessness at
the situation and yet extolling his men
to fight for the country is beautifully
done. Jayant leaves his mark and it was
an early success for Dharmendra
who was just beginning to make his mark
in the industry.
A
film like this with emphasis on the war
front has precious little roles for women
who basically complete the back-stories
of the soldiers. But seasoned artists like
Indrani Mukherjee, Achala Sachdev and Shaukat
Azmi effortlessly do full justice to their
characters. The one important female role
in the film is of Bahadur Singh's love interest,
Kammo, played by Priya Rajvansh. Priya Rajvansh
was specially brought down from London for
Haqeeqat. Haqeeqat was the
beginning of a long professional and personal
relationship between Priya and Chetan Anand.
She went on to work exclusively for Chetan
Anand in several of his later films - Heer
Ranjha (1970), Hindustan ki Kasam
(1973), Hanste Zakhm (1973),
Sahib Bahadur (1977), Kudrat (1980)
and Hathon ki Lakeerein. Priya is
at best adequate here and this is one of
her better performances!
Rather than detract from the grim and serious
theme, Madan Mohan's music in fact enhances
the film. Each of the songs are masterpieces.
Zara Si Aahat Hoti Hai is an unforgettable
melody performed by the flawless Lata
Mangeshkar. A song about waiting, the
song aptly sums up the anxieties of the
expectant lover raised to a level other
songs of this kind seldom reach. Masti
Mein Chhed Ke Tarana is of a kind that
one finds quite often in the sixties. A
happy go lucky track, the melody is zany,
generously using the saxophone added to
the brisk percussion, which, goes well with
the essence of the number. This is one of
the very few lighter moments in an otherwise
grim and serious film. As for Main Yeh
Sochkar, this is a subtly layered melody,
the vocals principally aided by violins.
The song blends rather beautifully with
the entire album, what with its evocative
lyrics. Aayi Ab Ke Saal Diwali represents
the loneliness of the beloved whose husband
is away at war. But even in this treasure
of melody two songs stand out. Hoke Majboor
Mujhe Usne Bhalaya Hoga is sung by the
virtual whos who of Bollywood male playback
singers of those days, but the soulful voice
of Talat Mehmood stands out amongst this
celebrated lot. Who can not feel for the
fatigued soldiers as they sing this song?
But the piece de resistance of the film
is the climactic song - Kar Chale Hum
Fida Jan-o-tan Sathiyaon. The words
juxtaposed with the dramatic orchestration
and the voice of Rafi
more than successfully evoke the pathos
of the war situation. Even today not a dry
eye remains whenever this song is heard
or played. Haqeeqat and particularly
Kar Chale sees Kaifi Azmi at his
very best. Ironically he was considered
lucky only after Haqeeqat scored
the box office as the earlier films he had
worked in like Kaagaz ke Phool (1959) had
all flopped!
Haqeeqat,
released in 1964, ignited a sense of oneness
and a patriotic pride among Indians at a
time when the Nation's morale had hit rock
bottom. And that is its greatness. With
this one film Chetan Anand remained the
leading director associated with this genre.
It is the major reference point on another
war film made in 1997 - JP Dutta's Border
perhaps the only other Indian War film of
some note. The similarities of the screenplay
and treatment of Border owe a lot to Haqeeqat.
Chetan Anand again tried his hand at another
War film - Hindustan ki Kasam in
1973 following the Indo-Pak war but this
time the impact was minimal. Which proves
that films like Haqeeqat are made
but once in a lifetime.
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