When we come across Satyapriya, we definitely will call him impractical. We will advice him to accept the system and we will move on by assuming this man will not progress in his life. He is not ready to compromise (sometimes we name it as practical approach to life) with system. Satyapriya as the name suggests - is follower of truth and honesty.

Satyapriya Acharya is protagonist of the movie “Satyakam” - It is considered as one of the best stories presented on celluloid by Hrishikesh Mukherjee who made other fine movies like Anand, Anuradha, Anupama, Bawarchi. It is also has the finest performance by Dharmendra - an actor whom we lost in action movies.

Movie starts with narration of story from Chandogya Upanisad, about Satyakam-Jabala, and it also thetheme of the movie. Here is story of “Satyakam - Jabala” from Upanisad in brief -

Satyakam was searching for a teacher who can teach him the path of self realisation. He came across sucha guru - Rishi Gautam. But He also knew that Gautam teaches to brahmins only and will definately ask about his gotra. So, Satyakam went to her mother - Jabala, and asked her who is his father. Jabala told him that she don’t know who his father is. But she advised if Guru (master) Gautam asks about his father, be truthful. Satyakam went back to master Gautam and requested to be his disciple. Gautam asked the same question which Satyakam had already suspected. He gave true answer as suggested by mother. Guru Gautam pleased with his honesty and purity, accepted him as his disciple.

And then movie takes us back to pre-independence era, and focus on life journey of protagonist “Satyapriya”. Story spread over three decades of his life starts with pre-independence era and ends in post independence. It is narrated to us through his best friend (role played by Sanjeev kumar).

Movie starts with “Satyakam - Jabala” story, but as movie progresses, it unfolds many shocking revelations. As we say, read between the lines, in this movie also - there are many “read between the scenes” and micro level definition of corruption.

Dialogs are simple yet some times haunting. Here are few sample of dialogs:

“सोने के ज़ेवर बनने के लिए थोड़ी तो खोट मिलानी ही पड़ती हैं (To produce something as beautiful as gold jewellery, you have to add an element of impurity).

मेरा दिमाग ख़राब हो गया हैं, या मैं cynic हो गया हूँ, या यह दुनिया बदल गयी हैं (I have lost my mind, or may be I have become a cynic, or the world has changed).

येह आदमी बहुत बदमाश और पाजी हैं, रिश्वत वगैरह नहीं लेता (he is real crook, he doesn’t accept bribes).

It is old movie but still has (more) relevant content, made with old technology but has excellent presentation, simple yet charming, may not be entertaining but surely enlightening, may not bring smile on your face but will surely bring tears. It talks about purity at heart, honesty, governance, love, dedication, sacrifice, equality, and many more.

It also depicts that the fight that started to get freedom from foreign rule before India’s independence is not over yet, now the ruler is within us, elected by us and corruption is our enemy.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee, director of movie is at best in presenting the issue in very ethnic and emotional way - without becoming loud. He presented protagonist as human and not as super hero. Here, Satyapriya also has his flaws, as normal human may have and fights within to face the truth. But while depicting protagonist as human, director keeps whole story personal and down to earth, which makes it more appealing.

The whole idea to write this blog was not to review the movie (and hence some related details are intentionally kept away) but to just to bring reader’s notice about the movie that is lost in history. If you want to know more about this movie, you can find it here.

By the way, if you have curiosity how it worked on box-office (considering current trend of evaluating movie based on its collection at box-office), It failed to collect its cost of production.

---

Thus said Dinesh Gajjar
Published at 3:58 pm, Feb 13th 2014