Wikipedia

Chiragh Jalta Raha

Chiragh Jalta Raha is a 1962 Pakistani Urdu film produced and directed by Fazal Ahmad Karim Fazli. The film introduced Zeba, Deeba, Muhammad Ali, Talat Hussain, and Kemal Irani.[1][2] Fatima Jinnah, the sister of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, opened the film's premiere in March 1962. Chiragh Jalta Raha won a Nigar Award in the best script writer category.

Chiragh Jalta Raha
Film poster
چراغ جلتا رہا
Directed byFazal Ahmad Karim Fazli
Story byFazal Ahmad Karim Fazli
Produced byFazal Ahmad Karim Fazli
Starring
CinematographySawak Mistry
Music byNihal Abdulah
Production
company
Dabistan Mehdood
Release date
  • 9 March 1962 (1962-03-09)
CountryPakistan
LanguageUrdu
Fazal Ahmad Karim Fazli

Plot

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The central theme of the movie revolves around how politicians abuse the system. Shakir is a principled and virtuous school headteacher in his town. A selfish and greedy politician of the same town, who is also a Nawab, wants to marry his Jamila (Zeba) to Shakir's son Jameel so that he could use Shakir's honor and good name for their political purposes. Jamila and Jamal's relationship is settled, but Nawab Sahib does not agree with Shakir's principledness. Shakir sends his son Jameel to Karachi and moves to another village with his daughter Saba and son Munna. He pretends to be Ayaz, allowing him to experience the pain and suffering of the people. No one knows that it is Nawab Mahmood. Afsar Khan, the lustful younger brother of the same Nawab, casts his eye on Shakir's daughter Saba. Shakir's Begum is a greedy woman, who is under the spell of Afsar Khan. Shaker opposes the marriage of Saba and Afsar Khan. Afsar Khan's brother also forbids Begum from this marriage, but she does not agree and blocks his entry into her house. One day Afsar Khan plans to kidnap Saba through his colleague Luqman.

After his daughter's kidnapping, Shakir goes to Karachi, to his son Jameel, where he meets the publisher of his book, Nabi Ahmed. Jameel is also present there. Afsar Khan also comes to his house as a guest of the same publisher. Seeing Jameela, he thinks of making her his wife, but when he finds out that she wants Jameel, Afsar Khan sends Jameel to Dhaka to get him a job, so that he can marry Jameela. Shakir heads back to his town, where he meets his daughter Saba at the station, who tells him that Afsar Khan has ruined his honor by pretending to marry. He goes to Afsar Khan and warns him to accept Saba as his wife, or else he will have to face the court. After hearing this, Afsar Khan jails Shakir with his relations. When Jameel realises the whole situation, he goes to the village to kill Afsar Khan, but is arrested by the police. Father and son meet in prison. Jameel and Shakir are respected by all the prisoners because of their good character. One day Afsar Khan's colleague Luqman falls into the hands of the police, who during the investigation uncovers all the atrocities of Afsar Khan. Nawab Mahmood hands over his brother Afsar Khan to the police and all the others join together.

Jamil and Jamila marry. Shakir's book is also published in England, for which he receives 50 thousand as royalty. So Shakir's suffering ends.[3][4]

Cast

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Music

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The film's music was composed by Nihal Abdulah. The lyrics were taken from the poetry of Mirza Ghalib, Mir Taqi Mir, Jigar Moradabadi, Mahir ul Qadri, Ameer Khusro, and Fazal Ahmad Karim Fazli. Among the playback singers were Iqbal Bano, Noor Jehan, Kajjan Begum, M. Kaleem, and Shabana. The Indian playback singer Talat Mehmood also vocalized 3 songs for the film.[3]

Release and box office

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Chiragh Jalta Raha was released on 9 March 1962. It was premiered by Fatima Jinnah, who was the chief guest in the opening ceremony held at Nishat cinema, Karachi.[4] The film received positive reviews from the critics and was crowned as a silver jubilee hit.[8]

Legacy

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It was listed among a few films such as Jago Hua Savera, Aur Bhi Gham Hain and Humsafar, all of which deal with some themes in a purposeful manner.[9] In 2017, it was included among the unforgettable and daring Pakistani films in an article by Daily Times.[10]

Historical significance for Pakistani cinema

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Chiragh Jalta Raha gave Pakistani cinema multiple stars who would dominate Lollywood for decades to follow. Chiragh Jalta Raha launched the careers of Zeba and Muhammad Ali who later not only became a popular screen couple but partners in real life as well. The film allowed Deeba, who had entered the film industry as a child artist, to play a woman for the first time. The film's hero Arif did not benefit from the movie and disappeared right after. It was also the debut movie of actors Kemal Irani and Talat Hussain.[3][11][8][12][10]

Awards

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Year Award Category Awardee Ref.
1962 Nigar Award Best script writer Fazal Karim Fazli [13]

References

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  1. ^ Alavi, Suhayb (14 August 2017). "70 years of Pakistan's film industry". Geo News.
  2. ^ Noorani, Asif. "Films of Memory". Newsline Magazine (August 2017).
  3. ^ a b c "'چراغ جلتا رہا' وہ فلم جس نے فلمی صنعت کو محمد علی، زیبا اور دیبا جیسے مایہ ناز فنکاروں سے نوازا". Daily Jang (in Urdu). 4 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b Suhayb, Muhammad (November 13, 2022). "FLASHBACK: LIGHTING THE PATH FOR OTHERS". Dawn.
  5. ^ "زیبا پرکشش اور باوقار شخصیت خوبرو ہیروئن". Weekly Nigar Magazine (in Urdu). 26 September 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Deeba". Cineplot. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020.
  7. ^ "In memoriam: Muhammad Ali's lamp still burning bright". The Express Tribune. March 20, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Gazdar, Mushtaq (1997). Pakistan Cinema: 1947-1997. Oxford University Press. p. 94. ISBN 0199408521. In 1962, Fazal Karim Fazli, a retired civil servant, launched his first film venture Chiragh Jalta Raha as writer, director, and producer. In this, his maiden venture, he relied more on patriotic content and less on film technique. Miss Fatima Jinnah was the chief guest at the premiere. The film received favourable press reviews but failed to click with the audience. However, it gave Pakistani cinema such artistes as Zeba, Deeba and Mohammed Ali, three performers who later claimed their places in the galaxy of film stars.
  9. ^ Pakistan Quarterly. Vol. 12–13. Pakistan Publications. 1964.
  10. ^ a b Rao, Hamza (December 11, 2017). "Seven unforgettable, daring Pakistani films". Daily Times.
  11. ^ "پاکستانی فلم "چراغ جلتا رہا" یادگار کیوں؟". ARY News (in Urdu). 9 March 2021.
  12. ^ Goyal, Trishla (1966). The Marketing of Films. The University of Michigan. p. 258.
  13. ^ "Pakistan's "Oscars"; The Nigar Awards". Desi Movies. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020.
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