| Junoon | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Shyam Benegal |
| Written by | Shyam Benegal (screenplay) Satyadev Dubey (dialogues) Ismat Chugtai (dialogues) Ruskin Bond |
| Based on | A Flight of Pigeons 1978 novella byRuskin Bond |
| Produced by | Shashi Kapoor |
| Starring | Shashi Kapoor Shabana Azmi Jennifer Kendal Naseeruddin Shah |
| Narrated by | Amrish Puri |
| Cinematography | Govind Nihalani |
| Edited by | Bhanudas Divakar |
| Music by | Vanraj Bhatia |
Release date |
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Running time | 141 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Hindi English |
Junoon (translation:The Obsession) is a 1979IndianHindi language film produced byShashi Kapoor and directed byShyam Benegal. The film is based onRuskin Bond's fictional novella,A Flight of Pigeons, set around theIndian Rebellion of 1857. The film's soundtrack was composed byVanraj Bhatia, and cinematography byGovind Nihalani.[1]
Its cast includedShashi Kapoor, his wifeJennifer Kendal,Nafisa Ali,Tom Alter,Shabana Azmi,Kulbhushan Kharbanda,Naseeruddin Shah,Deepti Naval,Pearl Padamsee andSushma Seth.[2] The film also featured Shashi and Jennifer's childrenKaran Kapoor,Kunal Kapoor, andSanjana Kapoor.
The story is set around theIndian Rebellion of 1857. Javed Khan (Shashi Kapoor) is a reckless feudal chieftain ofMuslimPathan heritage, whose world revolves around breeding carrier pigeons. His younger brother-in-law, Sarfaraz Khan (Naseeruddin Shah) is politically awakened and actively plots the fight against theBritish Empire. Freedom fighters attack the local British administrators while they are in Sunday Worship at church, massacring them all. Miriam Labadoor (Jennifer Kendal) manages to escape with her daughter, Ruth (Nafisa Ali), and mother (Ismat Chugtai), who is a Muslim woman from the royalNawabi family ofRampur and was married to an Englishman. The three women seek refuge with the wealthyHindu family of Lala Ramjimal (Kulbhushan Kharbanda). Lala is torn between his loyalty to India and his privileged position under the British, and also his silent love towards Miriam, who seems to also reciprocate it silently. However, matters are taken out of his hands by Javed Khan who barges into Lala's house and forcibly takes Ruth and her family to his own house. This leads to jealousy on the part of his wife, Firdaus (Shabana Azmi), and anger on the part of his brother, who ultimately gives in to the Pathan tradition of offering hospitality and sanctuary (Nanawatai) even to uninvited guests. Various situations ensue due to cultural misunderstandings in the domestic routine of the Muslim household with its new English guests. Javed falls in love with Ruth, and wants to marry her but is opposed bitterly by her mother. Noticing the intense feelings of Javed for her daughter Ruth, Miriam cleverly makes an agreement with Javed that she would only give her daughter's hand to Javed if the British were defeated. At first, Javed is hesitant but accepts the deal when again Miriam asks him if he has misgivings in his war against the British. There is simmering of a love affair under the watchful suspicious eyes of Firdaus.
Meanwhile, the Rebellion runs into problems and the British are defeating the poorly organised Indian forces. In a stormy scene, Sarfaraz destroys Javed's pigeon coops and sets his pets free after he finds out that Indian forces have lost the Battle for Delhi. There is a delayed recognition by Javed of his subjugated identity, colonised by the British. Sarfaraz dies in a battle against the British. The Labadoors return to the protection of the re-deployed British contingent, smuggled by Firdaus, who only wants to save her marriage. Javed finds out that the Labadoors have sought sanctuary in the church and rushes there to meet Ruth one last time. Surprisingly, Ruth comes out and expresses her feelings for Javed against her mother's will. However, Javed honourably keeps his word he had given Miriam Labadoor and leaves the church without Ruth. The movie ends here with the voiceover that Javed was martyred fighting the British while Ruth and her mother return toEngland. Ruth dies fifty-five years later, unwed.
In a retrospective review, Raja Sen ofRediff.com called it "an overwhelmingly powerful film, a bittersweet, entirely futile love story."[1]
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| Junoon | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 1978 |
| Genre | Film soundtrack |
| Label | His Master's Voice |
| Producer | Kersy Lord |
The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed byVanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics byAmir Khusro,Jigar Moradabadi andSant Kabir.