Neecha Nagar
Encyclopedia
Neecha Nagar is a 1946
Hindi film
directed by Chetan Anand. Written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
, this film was a pioneering effort in social realism
in Indian cinema
, and paved the way for many such 'Parallel Cinema
' films by other directors and many of them written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
. It starred Chetan Anand's wife, Uma Anand, Rafiq Ahmed, Kamini Kaushal
, and Zohra Sehgal
.
It became the very first Indian film
to gain international recognition, after it shared the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film
(Best Film) award at the first Cannes Film Festival
in 1946.
’s ‘Lower Depths. It took an expressionist look at the gulf between the rich and poor in the society.
The film is the debut film of actress Kamini Kaushal
and for Ravi Shankar
as a music director.
1946 in film
The year 1946 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*November 21 - William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives premieres in New York featuring an ensemble cast including Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Harold Russell.*December 20 - Frank Capra's It's a...
Hindi film
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
directed by Chetan Anand. Written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas , popularly known as K. A. Abbas, was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter, and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages...
, this film was a pioneering effort in social realism
Social realism
Social Realism, also known as Socio-Realism, is an artistic movement, expressed in the visual and other realist arts, which depicts social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through unvarnished pictures of life's struggles; often depicting working class activities as heroic...
in Indian cinema
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
, and paved the way for many such 'Parallel Cinema
Parallel Cinema
The Indian New Wave, commonly known in India as Art Cinema or Parallel Cinema as an alternative to the mainstream commercial cinema, is a specific movement in Indian cinema, known for its serious content, realism and naturalism, with a keen eye on the sociopolitical climate of the times...
' films by other directors and many of them written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas , popularly known as K. A. Abbas, was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter, and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages...
. It starred Chetan Anand's wife, Uma Anand, Rafiq Ahmed, Kamini Kaushal
Kamini Kaushal
Kamini Kaushal is a Hindi film and television actress, most noted for her roles in films like Neecha Nagar which won the 1946 Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival and Biraj Bahu which won her the Filmfare Best Actress Award in 1955.-Early life:Kaushal was born to a botanist and professor at...
, and Zohra Sehgal
Zohra Sehgal
Zohra Segal is an Indian stage and film actress, who started her career as dancer with dancer Uday Shankar in 1935 and worked with him for the next eight years. She has appeared in many Bollywood films as well as English language films and television series...
.
It became the very first Indian film
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
to gain international recognition, after it shared the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
(Best Film) award at the first Cannes Film Festival
1946 Cannes Film Festival
The 1st Cannes Film Festival was held from September 20 to October 5, 1946.- Jury :*Georges Huisman *Iris Barry *Beaulieu *Antonin Brousil *J.H.J...
in 1946.
Overview
It was based on a Hindi story, Neecha Nagar, written by Hayatulla Ansari, which in turn was inspired by Russian writer Maxim GorkyMaxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
’s ‘Lower Depths. It took an expressionist look at the gulf between the rich and poor in the society.
The film is the debut film of actress Kamini Kaushal
Kamini Kaushal
Kamini Kaushal is a Hindi film and television actress, most noted for her roles in films like Neecha Nagar which won the 1946 Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival and Biraj Bahu which won her the Filmfare Best Actress Award in 1955.-Early life:Kaushal was born to a botanist and professor at...
and for Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
as a music director.
Awards
1946 Cannes Film Festival1946 Cannes Film Festival
The 1st Cannes Film Festival was held from September 20 to October 5, 1946.- Jury :*Georges Huisman *Iris Barry *Beaulieu *Antonin Brousil *J.H.J...
- Grand Prix du Festival International du FilmPalme d'OrThe Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...