Roti Kapada aur Makaan review:
Taking a cue from Indira Gandhi's election campaign of 1967, Manoj Kumar chose the three basic necessities which were plaguing the Indians of that time - Roti, Kapada and Makaan. Playing the main lead called Bharat, Manoj Kumar had a stellar cast backing him from Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor to Zeenat Aman and Moushumi Chatterjee.
Bharat is the educated yet unemployed youth who loses his father as well as lady love to the corruption rot in the system. Burning his degree on his pappa's pyre, he decides to work with the corrupt forces. "If you can't beat them, join them". But can the real hardcore desh bhakt ever go against his country??!!!
Though the film's focus was expectedly on Manoj Kumar, Zeenat Aman and Moushumi Chatterjee made their presence felt. Zeenat sizzled in her wet saree in the "Hai hai yeh majboori" number while Moushumi's gang rape scene filmed on a heap of wheatflour devastated the audience. Seems she was pregnant at that time and all the "atta" falling on her face made her extremely uncomfortable and puke many times. My fave Premnath had a small role of a valiant Sikh and the dude nailed it thoroughly!!
I wasn't born when Roti Kapada aur Makaan released and saw it only in its '80s re-run. Apparently, the original film posters had a small mug shot of Amitabh Bachchan playing Manoj Kumar's younger brother who joins the army and loses his hand in the 1971 war. But when I went for the re-run, Bachchan was the reigning superstar and dominated the posters while the real hero Manoj Kumar was hardly visible. Time time ki baat hai pyaare!!
There is something about Roti Kapada aur Makaan which will instantly connect with the '70s and '80s gen guys. It perfectly captures the social and political ethos of that era. Obviously, the millennials won't identify with it all. They have moved up the ladder to Butter Roti, Branded Kapada and Luxury Makaan!!
Regards,
Sumeet Nadkarni.
