Doordarshan Zindabad!
In this atmosphere DD is showing patriotic films and this time it's the rather ubderrated and rare Dara Singh's MERA DESH MERA DHARAM! A very bold and rather well made film produced,directed and enacted by Dara Singh in 1970s. Dara Singh after being an international wrestler became a big star of mythological ,historical costume drama and fantasy genres. However some of his films like Sikandar E Azam broke the "stunt film" image and stood out as a big popular film. When he made films on his own the quality and production was definitely better than what was referred to as popular entertaining "B-grade" actioners.
Mera Desh Mera Dharam is based in Dhaka-East Pakistan and then Bangladesh. Even after so many decades we do not have proper Hindi films set amidst that era ,but in 1970s IS Johars JAI BANGLADESH,and moreover Dara's Mera Desh was set during creation of Bamgladesh. The film has al ingredients of commercial Hindi film- dutiful police inspector father and revolutionary son just as Dilip Kumars Shaheed, freedom fighters against the rule- like Manoj Kumars Shaheed,romance,and loads of action. The film covers India-Pakistan 1971,East Pakistan army brutality,strifes,student rising in Dhaka,Mukti Bahini within ofcourse full commercial entertaining format. Singh and writers are bold enough to use even real names wayback in the 1970s.
The stars include legendary Raj Kapoor giving the film "A" grade genre and does justice to his role. Dara Singh,Abhi Bhattacharya,Hercules,Bhushan Tiwari,Mohan Sherry,Ram Mohan and ofcourse Kamal Kapoor are in full form in their respective roles. However for me the surprise performance was by Dara Singhs strong brother RANDHAWA who breaks his fighter image and as a Pakistani army officer who has change of heart for the Bangladeshi movement was really good. All in all a good entertaining patriotic film by Dara Singh!
