Raj Kapoor and Vyjayanti Mala in a still from the film ‘Sangam’.

Producer, director, actor Raj Kapoor, who was called the ‘show man’ of his era, was inspired by the descriptive poem ‘ENOCH’ by Alfred Tennyson (ALFRED TENNYSON 1809-1892), the English poet laureate. ARDEN’ was very dear, based on whose idea they wanted to make a film. But today’s article remains only as a film column, before that it is my duty to tell the readers the meaning of narrative poem description in brief, otherwise my creation, my art will remain incomplete. In narrative poetry narration follows a narrative with stanzas, a story moving forward. For example, see the following immortal work of late Subhadra Kumari Chauhan – Thrones were shaken, dynasties raised eyebrows, new youth came again in old India, everyone recognized the value of lost freedom, everyone wanted to overcome Firangi I was determined, it shone in fifty-seven years, that sword was old, we had heard the story from the mouths of Bundele Harbols, she fought a lot, she was the queen of Jhansi. There are many verses in this immortal work, if you have time and feel like it, it is a request that you must read the whole poem once. The story on which Raj Kapoor’s favorite poem ‘ENOCH ARDEN’ is actually based, was told to Tennyson by Theramus Woolner. And this ENOCH ARDEN used to be a method of law in the then Britain, under which it was provided that if a person is missing or missing for 7 years, then in such a situation his wife / husband can be remarried by considering him as dead. and his property may be divided among his heirs.

A scene from Raj Kapoor’s first directorial venture ‘Aag’.

The name of the upcoming second film ‘Gharaunda’ was given in the publicity magazine of the first film ‘Aag’ directed by Raj Kapoor and this film was based on the above poem, which Raj Kapoor wanted to make with Dilip Kumar and Nargis. But ‘Aag’ was not successful, due to which instead of making Gharaunda, Raj Kapoor made ‘Barsaat’ which became very successful. But in the meantime, Mehboob Khan made ‘Andaz’ with Dilip Kumar, Nargis and Raj Kapoor, whose success once again filled Raj Kapoor with enthusiasm and he announced Gharaunda to make a colorful film named ‘Sangam’. The role was first offered to Dilip Kumar, which he declined. But Rajendra Kumar gave approval for the same role and with this the shooting of the film started here. Earlier there was no idea of ​​shooting this story abroad, but the spirits were high. To give Sangam a grand look, Raj Kapoor wanted to shoot in Paris, Venice, Rome, London, Geneva etc. with his heroine Vyjayanti Mala. But at that time the laws related to foreign exchange were completely different, so the Government of India allowed shooting abroad on the condition that the film would have to earn four times the foreign exchange it would spend. Raj Kapoor got very upset after hearing this condition. Indian people settled abroad were contacted.

Srichand Hinduja helped Raj Kapoor.

When this matter reached Srichand Hinduja, he came forward to help Raj Kapoor and bought the overseas rights of the film ‘Sangam’ for one lakh British pounds. After the submission of this contract, Raj Kapoor got the essential requirement to shoot. Due to this Hinduja also had to open a new company in London by the name of Sangam Limited. The shooting of Europe was grand, which became necessary to be included in the film because then it was a big thing for the people of India to see abroad, it was a matter of very few people to visit there. The common man could only imagine, but due to shooting in evergreen cities abroad, the length of the film became so much that ‘Sangam’ was the first film to have two intermissions. On 26 June 1964, Apsara Cinema was inaugurated in Bombay with the premiere of the film ‘Sangam’. Due to two intervals, the film ran for only three shows, but during this the India-Pakistan war started, due to which there was a blackout in Bombay and Sangam was shown in only two shows. Despite this, the success of Sangam was such that the film became the highest-grossing film of the sixties after ‘Mughal-e-Azam’.

Sangam became the highest profitable film after ‘Mughal-e-Azam’.

Immigrants of India and Pakistan origin settled abroad also enjoyed this film and made it profitable in foreign exchange and the situation reached so far that when Raj Kapoor returned to Bombay after the London premiere, for the first time income tax was imposed on his home and office. was printed. I do not have the account of this raid, because to whom? How much? Where did you get what? I will have to do a lot of research to find out what else I have found. Later, Raj Kapoor cut the 3500 feet length of Sangam into a single interval and this new look was also very successful upon release. The opening shot of the film is followed by a triple shot of London’s Big Ben, the City of Paris and the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees, the Vatican, and Rome’s Fontana de Trevi, Venice’s PIAZZA SAN MARCO, REALTO BRIDGE, SANTA MARIA DEL SALUTE, GRINDENWALD in Switzerland, The sight of ST MORITZ etc. was very charming. Maybe the American film ‘Cast Away’ starring Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt many years later is also based on this poem! The impact of the songs of Sangam is still intact and probably for many years to come, music lovers will remind of their childhood or of their elders that how much our father or father’s father or mother’s mother, our grandmother used to enjoy listening to these songs. Was. – O Mehbooba O Mehbooba, my destination is near your heart – Lyrics of Tere Man Ki Ganga and Mere Man Ki Jamuna Radha Bol Sangam Hoga Nahi – Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega Woh Gana Gayega – Dost Dost Na Raha Pyaar Pyar Na Stay – O my dear O my dear – Don’t be angry after reading this love letter of mine that you are my life that you are my worship! Now the practice of writing love letters has probably ended, but don’t know how many people must have written love letters after listening to the songs of Sangam, there is no guarantee whether those love letters reached them or not. Was and will never be. that’s it for today. May your life be filled with enthusiasm like a love letter, I wish the same! I would like to remind that the last words of this film which are in the voice of Mohammed Rafi, ‘Ke tum naraz na hona ke tum naraz na hona!’ With this prayer Long live India! Vande Matram!

Courtesy: Divya Bharat, Bhaskar