Agni Pariksha (1954 film)
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Agni Pariksha
| image = Agnipariksha.jpg
| caption = DVD cover of Agni Pariksha
| director = Agradoot{{efn|name=pen}}
| writer = Ashapoorna Devi
| screenplay = Nitai Bhattachariya
| based_on = {{based on|Agni Pariksha|Asha Purna Devi}}
| producer = Tarak Pal
| starring = Uttam Kumar
Suchitra Sen
| studio = M. P. Productions
| distributor = D Looks Films Distributors Limited
| cinematography = Bibhuti Laha
Bijoy Ghosh
| editing = Santosh Ganguly
| released = {{Film date|1954|09|03|df=yes}}
| country = India
| budget =
| gross =
| runtime = 120 min
| language = Bengali
| music = Anupam Ghatak
}}
Agni Pariksha (alternatively Agni Pareeksha or Agni Pariksha or Agnipariksha, {{translation|The Test Of Fire}}) is a 1954 Indian Bengali-language romantic drama film directed by Agradoot{{efn|name=pen|The pen name of a group of Indian film technicians in Bengali cinema signing collectively as director.{{cite book|author=Yves Thoraval|title=The Cinemas of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-OpkAAAAMAAJ|date=1 February 2000|publisher=Macmillan India|isbn=978-0-333-93410-4|page=237}}}} and starring Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen. The film was adapted from Asha Purna Devi's novel of the same name. The film became an overwhelming success critically and commercially. The movie was remade in Hindi in 1967 as Chhoti Si Mulaqat also starring Uttam Kumar.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/remakes-of-bengali-films-whats-new-in-this-trend/articleshow/72241437.cms|title=Remakes of Bengali films: What's new in this trend?|website=The Times of India}} Before that, the movie was simultaneously made into a 1959 Telugu - Tamil bilingual titled Mangalya Balam in Telugu and Manjal Mahimai in Tamil.
The plot was set to a girl who is an educated young girl who falls in love with Kiriti. But the fact that she was married as a teenager poses a hurdle; however, she decides to face her past in order to help her move ahead in life. This is one of the earlier romantic film like a typical and regular masala film of Bollywood at that time. The film was highly noted for the pairing and chemistry of Kumar and Sen and its outstanding music.{{Cite web |last=সংবাদদাতা |first=নিজস্ব |date=2023-01-23 |title=পর্ব-২১: কে তুমি নিলে আমার চিরসবুজের 'অগ্নিপরীক্ষা' |url=https://samayupdates.in/uttam-kumar-special-story/dr-sushanta-kumar-bag_legendary-actor-uttam-kumar-exclusive-features_part-21/ |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=সময় Updates |language=en-US}}
It is a trend setter for the Bengali industry. As to make a modern masala romantic film which is a very audience favor the film at the time the film become an instant blockbuster. The film create a record at the box office and become highest grosser ever and collect five times more than its budget. The film reached the industry on a new height and the first breakthrough film for Kumar and Sen who both become stars after this film.{{Cite web |title=Uttam Kumar the Mahanayak |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/rabibashoriyo/how-a-public-reject-became-the-mahanayak-of-bengalis-and-bengali-movies/cid/1446901}}
Plot
The story revolves around Tapasi, a singer who has been married forcefully as a child to an old village zamindar's grandson Bulu. Back at home, her parents discover the truth and vow to wipe out every single memory of Tapasi ever being married. Years later, Tapasi has now grown up to be a lovely young lady and is in love with Kiriti. She introduces Kiriti to her mother, who approves of him, and plans to marry them. Things change when Tapasi finds out that she was already been married off in her childhood. This creates a conflict as others find out this secret and ostracize Tapasi. How will Tapasi and Kiriti deal with this stigma? Will they triumph in their love?
Cast
- Uttam Kumar as Kiriti Mukherjee
- Suchitra Sen as Tapasi Banerjee
- Anup Kumar
- Jahar Ganguly
- Jahor Roy
- Kamal Mitra
- Panchanan Bhattacharya
- Bibhu Bhattacharya
- Shikharani Bag
- Shyamali Chakraborty
- Suprabha Mukhopadhyay
- Aparna Debi
- Jamuna Singha
- Sabita Bhattacharya
Soundtrack
{{Infobox album
| name = Agni Pariksha
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = Anupam Ghatak
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1954
| recorded = 1954
| venue =
| studio = MP Production
| genre = Feature Film Soundtrack
| length = 0:17:10
| label = Angel Digital Pvt Ltd
| producer = Tarak Pal
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
Anupam Ghatak has composed all the songs for the film while Gauriprasanna Mazumder has written all the lyrics.{{cite web|url=http://play.raaga.com/bengali/album/Agnipariksha-B0000492|title=Songs Download, Bengali MP3 Songs, Raaga.com Bengali Songs - Raaga.com - A World Of Music|publisher=}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Songs
| extra_column = Playback
| title1 = Aaj Achhi Kal Nei
| extra1 = Alpana Banerjee
| length1 = 3:02
| title2 = Gane Mor Kon Indradhanu
| extra2 = Sandhya Mukherjee
| length2 = 3:07
| title3 = Jodi Bhul Korei
| extra3 = Sandhya Mukherjee
| length3 = 2:22
| title4 = Jibon Nodir Jowar Bhata
| extra4 = Satinath Mukherjee
| length4 = 3:00
| title5 = Ke Tumi Amare Dako
| extra5 = Sandhya Mukherjee
| length5 = 3:16
| title6 = Phuler Kane Bhramar
| extra6 = Sandhya Mukherjee
| length6 = 2:23
| total_length = 17:10
}}
Production
Film based on the novel of the legendary literalist Ashspurna Devi. At first production team wanted to cast Bikash Roy and Anubha Gupta as the main lead but the pressure of director Bibhuti Laha the production team changed their decision finally and cast Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen. All the technicians and production team were too confident about Kumar and Sen's capability on the story. Music composed by Anupam Ghatak and the lyrics part responsible goes to Gauriprasanna Majumder who wrote 22 times lyrics for the film. Film was shot in Darjeeling and some portion was shot in a studio.
Themes and influences
The story of the film talking about the child marriage and the family structure of Bangladesh after the partition. This film set a benchmark for how the zamindari system, with its urban nobility, the attitude of the younger ones towards the elders within the zamindari house, and the emotional tensions of the upper-class family can build or break the ideal of a woman.
The production team tried to make this as modern masala romantic film. This was inspired from the Bollywood typically romantic masala film which was regularly made at that time.
Release
Reception
The film became a trend setter for Bengali cinema. This first masala romantic film gave the oxygen to industry. The film was not a breakthrough for both Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen but also breakthrough for Sandhya Ray and Gauriprasanna Mazumder. The film highlighted also for its music which is main elements gives a new vibe. This created a new era of romance. Kumar and Sen chemistry was going to create a madness among the Bengal masses. The pair was highly appreciated by the people. This led to more films for the pair throughout the decades. After the film, Uttam Kumar ruled in Bengali cinema until his death.{{Cite journal |last=Chowdhury |first=Sayandeb |title=A postcolonial iconi-city: Re-reading Uttam Kumar's cinema as metropolar melodrama |url=https://www.academia.edu/32124582/A_postcolonial_iconi_city_Re_reading_Uttam_Kumars_cinema_as_metropolar_melodrama |journal=South Asian History and Culture}}
During that time, Hindi cinema was dominant in Bengal. Bengali films did not do well. But the film changed the entire situation and brought back the audience permanently in Bengali film. The film created a record at the box office and became an all-time blockbuster and ran for 126 days in theatres. This is also the beginning of Kumar dominance at puja box office. It collected over five times its budget. It became the highest grossing Bengali film of 1954.{{Cite web |title=উত্তম নেই উত্তম আছেন |url=https://aajkaal.in/news/entertainment/uttam-kumar-memoir-fuyg |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=aajkaal.in |language=bn}}
Controversy
To see the poster of Agnipariksha Uttam's wife Gauri Devi and Suchitra's husband Divanath both thoughts there have been a real love affair between Uttam and Suchitra. In the poster there is written Agnipariksha : Amader Pronoyer Sakshi to see this Dibanath and Gauri become so angry on Uttam and Suchitra so there had been huge problems between all of them.{{Cite web |last=TheWallAdmin |date=2021-06-06 |title='অগ্নিপরীক্ষা'র পোস্টার-বিতর্কে নাকি ঘি ঢেলেছিলেন গৌরী-দিবানাথ, উত্তমের জীবনে এমন কত যে গল্প {{!}} TheWall |url=https://www.thewall.in/entertainment/legendary-uttam-kumars-life-is-full-of-unknown-facts/ |access-date=2022-11-12 |language=en-US}}
Remakes
The film was remade in Telugu and Tamil in 1959 as Mangalya Balam and Manjal Mahimai respectively, starring Savitri and the famous Telugu star ANR. That film was one National Film Award in 7th National Film Award. The film was remade in Hindi as Chhoti Si Mulaqat with Uttam Kumar producing and reprising his role{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/mangalyabalam/article7734651.ece|title=Mangalyabalam (1959)|first=M. L.|last=Narasimham|date=8 October 2015|publisher=|website=The Hindu}} and Vyjaianthimala in Suchitra Sen role.
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0046686|Agni Pariksha}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agni Pariksha (1954 Film)}}
Category:Bengali-language Indian films
Category:Films based on Bengali novels
Category:Bengali films remade in other languages
Category:1950s Bengali-language films
Category:Films directed by Agradoot
Category:Indian romantic drama films
Category:1954 romantic drama films