Ram Teri Ganga Maili

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Ram Teri Ganga Maili
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRaj Kapoor
Written byRaj Kapoor
V. P. Sathe
K. K. Singh
Jyoti Swaroop
Produced byRandhir Kapoor
StarringRajiv Kapoor
Mandakini
CinematographyRadhu Karmakar
Edited byRaj Kapoor
Music byRavindra Jain
Distributed byR. K. Films
Release date
  • 16 August 1985 (1985-08-16)
Running time
178 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹1.44 crore
Box officeest. ₹19 crores (equivalent to ₹326 crore (US$46 million) in 2016)

Ram Teri Ganga Maili (transl. Ram, your Ganga is tainted) is a 1985 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film co-written and directed by Raj Kapoor. The film stars Rajiv Kapoor and Mandakini. The music was composed by Ravindra Jain. It was the last film directed by Kapoor.

Ram Teri Ganga Maili was released on 16 August 1985. The film was the highest-grossing Indian film of the year, which Box Office India classified as an "All-Time Blockbuster".[1] It was also one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the 1980s, alongside Kranti (1981) and Maine Pyar Kiya (1989).

The film won five Filmfare Awards. The film generated controversy because of Mandakini's scenes of breastfeeding and bathing in a transparent saree. Even though, it received a U (Universal) age rating from the Indian Film Certification Board, which was later amended to U/A.

Plot[edit]

Narendra Sahay a.k.a. "Naren" is the son of Jeeva Sahay. He is a rich politician in Calcutta. Naren visits Gangotri to study the source of the holy river Ganga, and to get some holy water for his wheelchair-using paternal grandmother. There he meets a very pretty girl named Ganga Singh. Ganga lives near Gangotri with her brother, Karam. Soon, they fall in love and decide to marry. They are happily married but suddenly Naren has to return to Calcutta as he wanted to convince his parents about Ganga. While leaving for Calcutta, he promised that he will soon return to her. But he is prevented from doing so.

Ganga became pregnant at the time of his leaving and soon, she becomes mother of a child. She faces many problems at her place because of her child and her beauty. Ganga was alone and no one was there to look after her; finally she decides to go to her husband, Naren. Ganga travels from her place, Gangotri to Calcutta to find her husband. At Rishikesh, she was exploited by two women and a man. Then at Benaras, she was molested by a Pandit, rescued by the police and given a ticket to Calcutta. She fell into the clutches of Manilal who lured her to a brothel near Benaras.

Bhagwat Choudhary, a rich politician, buys Ganga and brings her to his "bagan bari" (house near a garden) as a personal concubine. Bhagwat has fixed his daughter, Radha's marriage with Naren. Naren was being informed that Ganga is dead. So, he decided to marry according to his father's wish. On the other hand, Ganga is invited to dance on her husband's marriage. But lastly, love wins and Naren recognizes his wife Ganga. They try to go away from there with their son but Bhagwat Choudhary shoots Ganga in a fit of rage. Ganga gets shot by him on her hand and Naren starts beating Bhagwat Choudhary, believing that he killed Ganga. But then Radha informs him that Ganga isn't dead yet. Naren stops beating Bhagwat and leaves with Ganga and their son.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

According to Padmini Kolhapure, she was the initial choice for the female lead role but declined because the script had a kissing scene.[2] Mandakini, who ultimately played the role, disputed Kolhapure's claims. She said Raj Kapoor wanted only a new face, rather than an established actress, as he believed he could not "make someone pure Ganga if they have an established image". Mandakini also stated that she did not breastfeed despite popular belief, but the scene was shot in a way to suggest that.[3]

Cultural allusions[edit]

According to Philip Lutgendorf, the movie is an allegory that "synthesizes classical and mythic narrative, soft-core political and social commentary (here condemning the corruption of politicians and capitalists and championing the nascent environmental initiatives of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi). The narrative recapitulates the Abhijñānaśākuntalam story that first appeared in the epic Mahabharata and then was reworked, some six hundred years later, by the poet Kalidasa."[4]

The final song sequence "Ek Radha ek Meera" brings Raj Kapoor's personal experiences with filmdom and reality. This song sequence is the climax of the plot where the bride-to-be is face-to-face with the other "saut", the culturally "polluted" dancer who has made that journey from the pure source of the Himalayas to the ever-flowing and ever-absorbing Ganges with all of the human impurities. It also differentiates between the love of Radha and Meera and reconnects the movie back to the Krishna Leelas.[citation needed]

Reception[edit]

Ram Teri Ganga Maili performed well at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of the year, which Box Office India classified as an "All-Time Blockbuster". It collected a nett amount of ₹9.5 crore.[1]

The film also caused a stir because of two scenes: one in which Mandakini bathes under a waterfall wearing only a flimsy white saree through which her breasts are clearly visible and another in which she is shown breast-feeding a child. Some critics claimed that the scenes were vulgar and exploitative, and were used to get around the Censor Board's stringent rules against nudity. Kapoor defended the inclusion of the scenes stating that they were tasteful.[citation needed]

Awards[edit]

33rd Filmfare Awards:
Won
Nominated[5]

Songs[edit]

Music of this movie was given by late Ravindra Jain, who won Fimfare Award for Best Music Director for this.

  1. "Ek Dukhiyari Kahe" – Lata Mangeshkar & chorus Lyrics-Ravindra Jain
  2. "Ek Radha Ek Meera" – Lata Mangeshkar Lyrics-Ravindra Jain
  3. "Husn Pahadon Ka" – Lata Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar Lyrics-Ravindra Jain
  4. "Ram Teri Ganga Maili Ho Gayee" – Part 1 – Suresh Wadkar Lyrics-Ravindra Jain
  5. "Sun Sahiba Sun Pyaar Ki Dhun Maine Tujhe Chun Liya" – Lata Mangeshkar & chorus; Lyrics – Hasrat Jaipuri
  6. "Tujhe Bulayen Yeh Meri Bahen" – Lata Mangeshkar Lyrics-Ravindra Jain
  7. "Yaara O Yaara" – Lata Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar Lyrics-Ravindra Jain
  8. "Ram Teri Ganga Maili Ho Gayee" – Part 2 – Suresh Wadkar & Chorus Lyrics-Ravindra Jain
  9. "Main Hi Main Hoon -Suresh Wadkar; Lyrics – Amir Qazalbash

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Boxofficeindia.com". 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Padmini Kolhapure rejected Ram Teri Ganga Maili because of one scene, says Raj Kapoor wanted to replace Mandakini". Hindustan Times. 28 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Mandakini on her breastfeeding scene in Ram Teri Ganga Maili: 'It was nothing compared to what happens today'". Hindustan Times. 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  4. ^ Philip Lutgendorf. "Ram teri Ganga Maili". University of Iowa, South Asian Studies Program. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  5. ^ "Filmfare Awards" (PDF). p. 71. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2008.

External links[edit]

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