indian cinema heritage foundation

Purab Aur Pachhim (1970)

  • Release Date1970
  • GenreDrama, Patriotic, Romance
  • FormatColour
  • LanguageHindi
  • Run Time142 min
  • Length5045.11 meters
  • Gauge35 mm
  • Censor RatingU
  • Censor Certificate NumberU-62162-MUM
  • Certificate Date19/12/1970
  • Shooting LocationFilmistan Studios, Mehboob Studios, Famous Studios, Mahalaxmi, Ranjit Studios
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In thunder, lightning and storm begin the story of Bharat. In Allahabad, Harnam betrays a patriot in the freedom struggle and escapes to London. The patriot's only child, Bharat grows into an ideal young man, passionately in love with his own country. There are others in the family and locality with whom he is emotionally involved - Guruji, the wise old man and head of the family, who believes in compassion, forgiveness, and peace, Gopi, a sweet little girl of marriageable age who is in love with Bharat, Shamu who is Bharat's friend, Bharat's mother Ganga for whom her husband is immortal because he died a martyr's death, Kaushalya a who considers herself a widow because even though her husband is alive and in London, he is a traitor and therefore dead as far as she is concerned.

This is Bharat's world and he says goodbye to this world as he goes to London for further scientific studies. During his foreign stay, he is stunned to meet Indians, including Harnam and his son Omkar who are ashamed to call themselves Indians who refer to their country with contempt and in derogatory words. Bharat is also saddened to meet Indians who are compelled to live abroad for economic reasons but who are always haunted by the memories of their own land. To them, all Bharat presents the image of a proud Indian, a young man who tells them: "You need India-and India needs you. Be proud of India be proud of you. 

In London Bharat also meets Priti, an Indian girl born and brought up in the cradle of western civilization. They are in love and Priti is impressed with Bharat's idealism. She wants to marry him but she does not want to stay in India. Bharat insists that she should at least once go to her land and see what India feels like.

Thus Bharat and Priti come to India.

Will Priti go back?

Will the love of Bharat be a tie stranger than the lure of the western glamour?

Will the story of Bharat and Priti become the story of East and West. 

Purab Aur Pachhim seeks to answer the question that every man in the east answer for a happy coexistence with the west.

(From the official press booklet)

   

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