Synopsis
The
story of Tukaram (Pagnis) a poet-saint of the village of Dehu
in the seventeenth century who holds villagers spellbound
with his songs of devotion - although his wife Jijai (Gauri)
scolds him for impracticality and tells him he should be a
better provider for their children. Tukaram is also beset
by Salomalo, a jealous priest who passes off Tukaram's songs
as his and launches a variety of plots against Tukaram. Divine
Intervention rescues him and the villagers from several crises
brought about by Salomalo. In due time great leaders come
from afar to sit at Tukaram's feet; he resists offers for
wealth himself and his family. When the day of Nirvana comes
for Tukaram, a heavenly vehicle arrives to take him. He invites
his wife to go with him but she decides she is happy with
her modest home, her children and her buffalo and elects to
stay on earth.
The film
Sant Tukaram made in the Marathi
language is one of the highest achievements
of the early sound period of Indian Cinema.
The film has charm and directness that sets
it apart from other devotional films. Though
the film shows miracles they merge with
the reality due to the strong conviction
of the filmmakers. Tukaram's conflict with
his wife Jijai has an earthy believability
and humour. He is no cardboard saint and
she no mechanical shrew. In fact their characters
are insightful and command our empathy.
When her ailing son cries in pain Tukaram
can only offer the name of Vithoba (his
deity) to console the infuriated Jijai.
She drags the child to the temple to settle
scores with the deity. Her action is no
mere dramatic flourish. In fact it comes
across as genuinely felt emotion. Jijai
with her common sense and practicality convinces
Tukaram to leave his meditation and get
down to hard labour to save the family from
starvation. To her a husband must provide
for the family yet her devotion to Tukaram
is in no way less than those who regard
him a saint. Her devotion is that of a wife,
not a devotee.
The
acting in the film shows a remarkable blending
of the dramatic, the lyrical and the casual
neo-realistic gesture. Pagnis a minstrel
before he came to film so identifies with
the persona of Tukaram that viewers came
to regard him a saint. Gauri plays Jijai with such
consummate skill that it is hard to believe
she had joint Prabhat Film Company as a
menial. Hers is a fabulous performance and
it is she who is the life of the film. The
film breaks new ground with her earthy portrayal
who energetically squeezes cow dung cakes
for fuel and refuses to ascend to heaven
preferring to stay back and look after the
children.
Other
innovations include the extraordinary track
shot introducing Rameshwar Shastri to the
town showing the people work in cadence
to a song. Care has also been taken to give
the different characters a different language
for e.g. the language in the sequences of
the villain is dramatic whereas the speech
of his wife exhibits utter simplicity and
robust strength.
Sant Tukaram smashed box office
records particularly in Maharashtra and
went on to become the first Indian Film
to win an award at the prestigious Venice
Film Festival in 1937
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