Shehar Aur Sapna (1963) :
Brief Review -
A hidden gem from Bollywood and undoubtedly the finest translation of Mumbai's life on celluloid. "Ajeeb jagah hai yeh. Yaha 1 aadmi 22 kamro mein rehta hai aur 22 log 1 kamre mein." - This single dialogue defines the stark contrast between the upper and lower classes in Mumbai. While a rich man lives alone in a 22-room bungalow on Warden Road (one of Mumbai's most prime localities), a middle or lower-class man shares a cramped 1RK with his wife, sister, and multiple children. This film brings that brutal reality to the silver screen with utter authenticity. It couldn't have been done better. The opening scene alone deserves a National Award - it's simply mind-blowing. The narrator speaks about the most important, wealthy, and bustling city in India, while the visuals contradict every word with heartbreaking irony. That's filmmaking at its most masterful. One man can't sleep on the street, while another, in his house, is equally restless. That's a powerful metaphor - money can buy you a house, a bed, and a pillow, but not peace or sleep. One dialogue goes, "Makhamali bichhaune par bhi ameeron ko nahi aati neend, aur gareeb to kaanton par bhi so jaate hain." You just can't get more poignant than that. Mumbai is often called the city of dreams, and this film boldly shatters that illusion. It drags you down from the clouds of fantasy to the harsh ground of reality. Many films have critiqued the urban struggle and the suffering of the poor, but few - if any - have been this raw and honest. King Vidor's The Crowd (1928) did it for Hollywood, and Shehar Aur Sapna is our answer to that silent era masterpiece. Poverty, dreams, wealth, shattered illusions, happiness, communal harmony, and life-altering philosophies - this film offers far too much for one mind to absorb in a single sitting. A true ground-level classic in every sense.
RATING - 8/10*
By - #samthebestest.
