indian cinema heritage foundation

Insaniyat (1955)

  • Release Date1955
  • GenreAction, Drama,
  • FormatB-W
  • LanguageHindi
  • Run Time170 mins
  • Length4992.31 meters
  • Number of Reels18
  • Gauge35 MM
  • Censor RatingU
  • Censor Certificate Number45112
  • Certificate Date12/10/1955
  • Shooting LocationGemini Studios, Madras
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"Insaniyat" is the story of a village whose inhabitants believe in peaceful co-existence. Among the villagers is Mangal, a ruffian like youth with a heart of gold, and Durga, a childhood friend of Mangal who is the daughter of Chowdriji, the head of the village. 

When this village is looted one day by Zangoora, a tyrant chief, Durga meets Bhanu Pratap, a handsome young captain who leads Zangoora's band. Durga admonishes Bhanu, who realises his crime and order his men to stop and return to the palace.

At Zangoora's court the tyrant chief is pronouncing sentence on Bhola, a milkman, whose crime is that he made love to a palace maid! Zangoora sentences Bhola to be imprisoned with Jippo, a friendly chimpanzee with whose aid Bhola escapes to the village. 

When Bhanu appears before Zangoora the tyrant is ablaze with anger. He commands Bhanu to go back and loot the village again- otherwise he would himself destroy it!

Bhanu renounces his military life and goes back to the village he had once looted, and becomes their friend and leader. 

As the days go by, Durga is more and more attracted towards Bhanu. Mangal however has always assumed that Durga would marry him. When he discovers that Bhanu and Durga are in love, he s in a rage, but for the sake of Durga, he makes a sacrifice of his own selfish love. 

On the day of the marriage, Zangoora's army attacks the village but the villagers whom Bhanu has trained, defeat the marauders. Zangoora is greatly enraged and orders Marthand to capture Bhanu at any cost. 

Time goes by. Bhanu and Durga now have a little son. Soon there is a great feast at the hill temple outside the village. This is the moment that Zangoora's spies choose to ambush the villagers. Cleverly, they separate Bhanu and Mangal and lead them in different directions.

Bhanu is captured and dragged off to Zangoora's palace. When Mangal learns of this, he runs to Bhanu's rescue.

Meanwhile, Bhanu faces Zangoora, and is ordered to be executed early next morning. When Chanda, Zangoora's mistress, hears of this, she decides herself to arrange for the release of Bhanu secretly. 

That night Mangal and Bhola comes to Zangoor's palace and Mangal releases Bhanu. When Mangal goes to kill Zangoora later in his sleep his conscience and his noble character do not permit him. Zangoora takes advantage of this and throws him into a dungeon.

Meanwhile, Durga who has been searching all over the battlefield for her Bhanu, hears his horse and runs out to meet him. 

Just then some spies from Zangoora's palace see the child, identify it and quickly snatch it away. When Durga and Bhanu return they find the child missing and desperately search for it.

Meanwhile, Mangal faces Zangooraat court. Just then Bhanu attacks the palace. At this very minute, Bhanu's child is brought in by the two spies. Mangal recognises the child, cleverly snatches it, and escapes from the palace. 

Zangoora and Bhanu clash in the palace hall, and Bhanu finally triumphs over his wily opponent.

Meanwhile, Mangal who is fleeing with the child, is chased by Marthand who wounds Mangal before plunging to his own death in the valley. 

Though wounded, Mangal carries the child to the village and hands it over to Durga. Bhanu returns, only to see Mangal die in the arms of his mother. 

The whole village assembles at Mangal's Samadhi to pay homage to a man who by his deeds, found a place among the Gods. 

(From the official press booklet)

 

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