Skip to main content

Significance of 'Namak Haraam'? Hardcore tycoons can turn and side with workers

By Harsh Thakor* 

Last year, Bollywood commemorated the 50th anniversary of the movie Namak Haraam. This film portrayed the tussles or antagonism between the industrialist and workers in that era and is based in the scenario of the massive urban unrest of the 1970s, amidst the economic crisis. The story is based the escalation of unions in the scenario of Bombay's textile mills and inflation in the early 1970s. The film deals with the subject of worker-establishment relations, the age-old conflict between rich and poor, of dignified existence.
One of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s most creative portrayals, Namak Haraam dwells the endeavours of Somu (Rajesh Khanna), who pretends to be a worker to avenge his beloved friend Vicky (Amitabh Bachchan). Somu aims to topple and replace the union leader in Vicky’s father’s factory.
However being a first hand witness of the hunger and poverty his heart melts , he is departs from bewildered Vicky’s world and flings himself in the thickest skin of the workers struggles. Characters like Vicky’s socialist friend (Simi Garewal), the union leader (AK Hangal), and the despairing alcoholic poet (Raza Murad) manifest the crusade against inequality and injustice.
The movie unfolds as Vikram Maharaj (Amitabh Bachchan) is being released after finishing a long prison sentence for murder. Waiting to take him home are Bipinlal (AK Hangal) and Nisha (Simi Garewal). At his home Vicky in meditative posture gazes at a garlanded photo and is lost in a trance.
In a most balanced and nuanced treatment of the antagonism between labourers versus management issue, Somu (Rajesh Khanna) and Vicky (Amitabh Bachchan) are forced to go on either side of the class divide despite their lifelong friendship. The flux in their relationship manifests the class conflict between the workers and industrialists.
The movie in very sensitive and subtle manner projects the grievances of the working class, and how social situations or unrest condition their behaviour or interaction. It illustrates the psychology of a cross section of characters or contending forces. Scenes are well scissored and dialogues finely grafted. Most craftily the film blends humour with pathos or anger with reconciliation.
Very probing or crafty projection of Damodar, the factory owner, in the manner he guides his son to confront or keep the workers at bay, and his stealthy or precautionary steps in anticipation of the danger of making Sonu impersonate a union leader.
The most heart touching scene is when Vicky compensates for his father’s crime in orchestrating the murder of Sonu, by claiming he was the murderer. Most artistically and craftily Hrishikesh Mukherjee carves a theme of plot of a unique chemistry of bonding between two friends, belonging to completely different backgrounds.
The song, “Diye jalte hain phool khilte hain” truly signifies their bonding, both drawing strength in each other's company. Things change when Vicky rushes to see his ailing father, a wealthy industrialist Damodar Maharaj, played superbly by Om Shivpuri.
The movie elevates the very pulse of an audience with it’s heart touching scenes of emotional outbreaks, ebb and flow, and transformation of the two major characters in Vicky and Sonu, at the very core of the soul.
In a very simplistic manner it projects the grave conditions and bitter antagonism of the working class as well as the corresponding hatred of the industrialist class. It illustrates how social events transform the orientation of a human being.
There is very probing or crafty projection of Damodar, the factory owner, in the manner he guides his son to confront or keep the workers at bay, and his stealthy or precautionary steps towards the danger of making Sonu impersonate a union leader. The most heart touching scene is when Vicky compensates for his father’s crime in orchestrating the murder of Sonu, by claiming he was the murderer.
The movie unfolds as Vikram Maharaj (Amitabh Bachchan) is being released after finishing a long prison sentence for murder. Waiting to take him home are Bipinlal (AK Hangal) and Nisha (Simi Garewal). At his home Vicky in meditative posture gazes at a garlanded photo and is lost in a trance.
Hrishikesh Mukherjee blended socioeconomic conflict with communal existence in a film that fed aspirations of commercial cinegoers
It may be idealist today to make re-make of the film in the age of globalisation, but it is noteworthy that today the condition of the industrial workers is graver, with it’s organisational backbone of trade unions shattered and labour virtually sold like a commodity, at the mercy of the corporates.
A very significant feature of this movie was how Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachhan were on the verge of inter-changing roles, and how this film was the turning point in Amitabh replacing Rajesh Khanna as the superstar of the age.
Hrishikesh Mukherjee wished to convey how to Sonu's moral virtues of defending justice were more valuable than his friendship with Vicky. He conveys how even the heart of an industrialist like Vicky can melt to make him stand by the feet of justice. This manifested that love is above everything.
At the end Vicky is simply redemption personified, overshadowing Sonu, who falls a martyr of the working class. It is very ironic that Amitabh Bachhan as Vicky wins the adoration of the public more than Rajesh Khanna as Sonu. The film finally glorifies the moral transformation of Vicky in walking into jail on his own will more than that of the martyrdom of Sonu.
Surgically, Hrishikesh Mukherjee blended socioeconomic conflict with communal existence in a film that fed the aspirations commercial cinegoers. Namak Haraam is socially conscious and doesn't exclude the perils of ignorance, ego, and greed that poison humans before they establish their identity. Even though it had a conventional hero, you don't start rooting for him right from the beginning. Nor do you aspire for the virtuous model of your anti-hero before the appropriate time.
There are clear flaws here and there and some exaggerated performances. A flaw of the film is viewers are given an illusion in the conclusion that hard core industrialists can transform to turn on the side of the workers.
---
*Freelance journalist

Comments

TRENDING

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee  Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

EVMs: Govt must prove beyond reasonable doubt it's upholding mandate for free, fair polls

By Jerald D’souza  With the growth of India’s population, concerns about electoral fraud associated with ballot papers, also began to escalate. In 1989, the People’s Representation Act was amended to enable EVMs to prevent electoral fraud. In 1998, EVMs made their debut during legislative assembly elections and for the first time for general elections in 2004. However, criticisms against the EVMs and questions about their integrity have been raised by political parties, civil society and the general population. On 2 February 2024, there was a noteworthy demonstration of dissent where numerous individuals, including Ambedkarite advocates, legal professionals, and other members of civil society  convened at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding the prohibition of EVMs. In 2024, the Supreme court had slapped down a petition to return to paper ballots on the basis that machines give “absolutely accurate results” unless human bias maligns them. The court stated that it was open to testi...

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar*  Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

This Indian British Marxist blamed USSR's collapse in 1991 on Khrushchev's 'revisionism'

By Harsh Thakor*  Harpal Singh Brar, British Indian Marxist scholar and communist leader, has passed away in Chandigarh. He was 85. He was a lifelong supporter of socialism, Marxism, and the working class. He will be remembered among British Communists.

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.

Chalapathi's death in encounter suggests Maoists' inability to establish broader mass support

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist movement experienced a significant loss during the Ramagudem encounter on January 21, with the death of Chalapathi (Pratap), a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist). His death, along with 15 others, marks a major setback for the movement. Reports suggest that his location was revealed to security forces through a selfie with his wife.

Chhattisgarh's CFR management plan implementation under PM-DA JGUA: A promising start

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan*  Chhattisgarh is poised to benefit significantly from the Pradhan Mantri Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Uttkarsh Abhiyan (PM-DA JGUA) Mission, launched by the Prime Minister on October 2, 2024.  This mission aims to support 400 gram sabhas in the state in developing and implementing Community Forest Resource (CFR) Management Plans.

A groundbreaking non-violent approach: Maharishi’s invincible defense technology

By MajGen (R) Kulwant Singh, Col (R) SP Bakshi, Col (R) Jitendra Jung Karki, LtCol (R) Gunter Chassé & Dr David Leffler*  In today’s turbulent world, achieving lasting peace and ensuring national security are more urgent than ever. Traditional defense methods focus on advanced weapons, military strategies, and tactics, but a groundbreaking approach offers a new non-violent and holistic solution: Maharishi’s Invincible Defense Technology (IDT). 

Why do we mostly resist and refrain from communicating on sanitation topic?

By Nikhil Kumar, Mansee Bal Bhargava* According to UN SDG Progress report (2022), at the present moment no targets for SDG 6 are expected to be met by 2030. In 2022, 2.2 billion people had no access to safe drinking water and 3.5 million lacked safe sanitation. Approximately 50% of the world’s population was reported to have been under resourced in enough water for part of the year and a quarter of that population was living under “extremely high” water stress. Add to it, droughts have affected over 1.4 billion people between 2002 and 2021.

CCG raises concerns over Indian State of Forest Report 2023 in open letter to environment minister

By A Representative  The Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), a collective of former civil servants, has expressed serious concerns over the Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 in an open letter to the Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change. The group has criticized the report's delayed release, flawed methodology, and misleading claims regarding the state of India's forests.