Mr. Sampat

{{for|the novel it is based on|Mr. Sampath – The Printer of Malgudi}}

{{Infobox film

| image = Mr. Sampat.jpg

| caption = Film poster

| director = S. S. Vasan

| writer = J. S. Casshyap (dialogues)

| screenplay = Gemini Story Dept.
Kothamangalam Subbu
Ki. Ra.

| story = R. K. Narayan

| producer = S. S. Vasan
M. A. Partha Sarathy

| starring = Motilal
Padmini

| cinematography = P. Ellappa

| editing = Chandru

| music = E. Shankar Shastri
B. S. Kalla

| studio = Gemini Studios

| released = {{Film date|1952|12|25|df=yes}}

| runtime = 165 minutes

| country = India

| language = Hindi

}}

Mr. Sampat ({{IPAc-en|s|əm|p|ə|θ}}) is a 1952 Indian Hindi-language satirical film produced and directed by S. S. Vasan of Gemini Studios. It is based on R. K. Narayan's 1949 novel Mr. Sampath – The Printer of Malgudi, and the Tamil film Miss Malini (1947). The film revolves around the titular con artist (Motilal) who manipulates an actress (Padmini) and a merchant (Kanhaiyalal) for his own benefits.

Mr. Sampat was released on 25 December 1952. Although Motilal received rave reviews for his performance, the film was a commercial failure.

Plot

Sampat is a con artist. Since the city of Bombay loves theatre actress Malini of the Kala Mandir Company, he plots and concocts an elaborate scheme involving her and Seth Makhanlal, a ghee merchant. He uses Malini, helps Makhanlal win the local elections, then has them involved in opening a bank by offering customers higher interest. The deposits are high. At Sampat's persuasion, Malini starts her own theatre company, but this comes at the cost of her leaving the Kala Mandir Company. While Sampat has a good life, a maharaja, who had huge deposits with the bank, withdraws his funds when Malini rejects his advances. In a matter of time, all of Sampat's schemes fail and both Makhanlal and Malini lose large amounts of money. Realising that he does not have anything more to gain, Sampat abandons them and goes off to explore new zones, this time in the guise of a godman.

Cast

According to the film's opening credits:

Motilal as Sampat
Padmini as Malini
Vanaja as Sundari
Sundari Bai as Nirmala
Swaraj as Director
Agha as Hotel Proprietor
Kanhaiyalal as Seth Makhanlal
Badri Prasad as Malini's Father
Kailashnath as Raj Mohan
J. S. Casshyap as Secretary
Narendra Kumar as Sampat's Servant

Kadam as Assistant Director
Kamal Krishna as Indra
B. S. Kalla as Bhagavathar – Surdas
Mukherjee as Communist Leader
G. V. Sharma as Rickshaw-Wallah
Shyam as Art Critic
Bagga as Congress Leader
Lallubhai as Beggar
Khanna as Congress Leader's friend
Ishwarlal as Narada
T. S. B. Rao as Brihaspathi

Ramamurthi as Viswamitra
Revathi as Surdas's Wife
Bannerji as Contractor
Vijaya Rao as Tank Watchman
L. R. Mudaliar as Kavi
Kaushal as Bailiff
Sultan as Durwan
Raghupathi Rao as Raj Mohan's A.D.C
Bhat as Ticket Examiner
Sudhindra as Newspaper Boy
Gemini Girls and Boys

Production

Mr. Sampat is based on the 1949 novel Mr. Sampath – The Printer of Malgudi by R. K. Narayan,{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=326}} and the Tamil film Miss Malini (1947) from which the novel developed.{{Cite news |last=Ramakrishnan |first=Venkatesh |date=14 August 2017 |title=1947: A Madras story |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/1947-a-madras-story/article19492358.ece |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823045621/http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/1947-a-madras-story/article19492358.ece |archive-date=23 August 2017}} It was produced and directed by S. S. Vasan of Gemini Studios.{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=3}} The film was made on a shoestring budget, unlike Vasan's earlier directorial venture, the blockbuster Chandralekha (1948).{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=8 April 2012 |title=Buzzing like crazy |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/buzzing-like-crazy/article3291780.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=10 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114104741/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/buzzing-like-crazy/article3291780.ece |archive-date=14 November 2014}} Vasan showed Motilal two reels of Miss Malini, but Motilal felt it was "slow" and complained that it gave him "a headache". He then gave Vasan a sample of his own interpretation of the character Sampat and proceeded to play it that way. Motilal played Sampat as someone who just wants to live life as he wants, "not as an extraordinary person, but precisely as an ordinary person".{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=4}}

The film substantially deviated from the novel, with Vasan making it "a broad burlesque film and using it successfully to lampoon politicians, ex-princes, journalists, filmstars, religious zealots and bogus philanthropists."{{Cite web |last=Bali |first=Karan |date=10 March 2016 |title=Mr. Sampat |url=http://upperstall.com/film/mr-sampat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111224100/http://upperstall.com/film/mr-sampat/ |archive-date=11 January 2018 |access-date=13 October 2016 |website=Upperstall.com}} Padmini was chosen to reprise the role of Malini, originally played by Pushpavalli in Tamil,{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=2}}{{Cite web |last=Warrier |first=Shobha |author-link=Shobha Warrier |date=25 September 2006 |title=Dance was Padmini's passion, not films |url=http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2006/sep/25padmini1.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327085223/http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2006/sep/25padmini1.htm |archive-date=27 March 2012 |access-date=21 May 2018 |website=Rediff.com}} and Mr. Sampat marked her first major appearance in a Hindi film.{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=168}} The screenplay was written by Gemini's Story Department, headed by Kothamangalam Subbu. Cinematography was handled by P. Ellappa, and the editing by Chandru. Principal photography took place entirely at Gemini Studios.{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=4}} The final cut of the film was {{Convert|14276|metres|feet|abbr=}}, equivalent to 165 minutes.{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=326}}

Soundtrack

The music of the film was composed by E. Shankar Shastri and B. S. Kalla. The lyrics were written by Pandit Indra.{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=5}}{{Cite web |title=Mr. Sampat |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/mr.-sampat/knV3-9h,pUk_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217035146/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/mr.-sampat/knV3-9h,pUk_ |archive-date=17 December 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019 |website=JioSaavn}} It also marked P. B. Sreenivas' debut in playback singing.{{Cite news |date=14 April 2013 |title=PB Srinivas enthralled music lovers for over five decades |work=Daily News and Analysis |agency=Press Trust of India |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-pb-srinivas-enthralled-music-lovers-for-over-five-decades-1822438 |url-status=live |access-date=3 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108113921/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-pb-srinivas-enthralled-music-lovers-for-over-five-decades-1822438 |archive-date=8 November 2017}} The film had no romantic duet, no bhajan, no rakhi song and no heartbreak track, all of which were considered "essential ingredients" in 1950s Indian cinema.{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=6}} The song "Laila Laila Pukaroon" is picturised on a play based on Layla and Majnun.{{Cite web |last=Ghosh |first=Devarsi |date=22 August 2017 |title='Laila' down the years in Hindi film music: From Majnu's inseparable lover to a weapon |url=https://scroll.in/reel/847924/laila-down-the-years-in-hindi-film-music-from-majnus-inseparable-lover-to-a-weapon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703115735/https://scroll.in/reel/847924/laila-down-the-years-in-hindi-film-music-from-majnus-inseparable-lover-to-a-weapon |archive-date=3 July 2018 |access-date=3 July 2018 |website=Scroll.in}} The song "Acche Din Aa Rahe" is picturised on Malini declaring that achche din (good days) will never come for the poor because "the rich and the powerful will never let that happen."{{Cite news |date=14 September 2016 |title=It is Disingenuous of Gadkari to Now Disown the Phrase 'Achche Din' |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/politics/disingenuous-gadkari-now-disown-phrase-achche-din |url-status=live |access-date=25 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725044518/https://thewire.in/politics/disingenuous-gadkari-now-disown-phrase-achche-din |archive-date=25 July 2018}} Historian V. Sriram noted similarities between "Aao Aao Kahani Suno" and the song "Ayirathu Thollayirathu Ambadu Aruvadu Natakam" from Manamagal (1951).{{Cite web |last=Sriram |first=V. |date=19 March 2018 |title=From Manamagal to Mr Sampath |url=https://sriramv.wordpress.com/2018/03/19/from-manamagal-to-mr-sampath/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181013160454/https://sriramv.wordpress.com/2018/03/19/from-manamagal-to-mr-sampath/ |archive-date=13 October 2018 |access-date=13 October 2018 |website=Madras Heritage and Carnatic Music |authorlink=V. Sriram}} There was also a short Thillana sung by M. L. Vasanthakumari and danced by Vanaja in raga Hindolam.

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Aao Aao Kahani Suno

| note1 =

| writer1 =

| lyrics1 =

| music1 =

| extra1 = Geeta Dutt, Jikki

| length1 = 4:37

| title2 = Acche Din Aa Rahe

| note2 =

| writer2 =

| lyrics2 =

| music2 =

| extra2 = Shamshad Begum, M. L. Vasanthakumari

| length2 = 1:28

| title3 = Aji Hum Bharat Ki

| note3 =

| writer3 =

| lyrics3 =

| music3 =

| extra3 = Geeta Dutt, P. B. Sreenivas

| length3 = 4:54

| title4 = Chalo Paniya Bharan

| note4 =

| writer4 =

| lyrics4 =

| music4 =

| extra4 = Geeta Dutt, Jikki

| length4 = 1:44

| title5 = Devendra Dev Ki Jay

| note5 =

| writer5 =

| lyrics5 =

| music5 =

| extra5 = Talat Mahmood, Shamshad Begum

| length5 = 4:10

| title6 = Din Control Ke

| note6 =

| writer6 =

| lyrics6 =

| music6 =

| extra6 = Geeta Dutt, Jikki

| length6 = 5:24

| title7 = Hindustan Hamara

| note7 =

| writer7 =

| lyrics7 =

| music7 =

| extra7 = Geeta Dutt

| length7 = 3:24

| title8 = Jagah Nahi

| note8 =

| writer8 =

| lyrics8 =

| music8 =

| extra8 = P. B. Sreenivas, Geeta Dutt

| length8 =

| title9 = Khabardar Hoshiyar

| note9 =

| writer9 =

| lyrics9 =

| music9 =

| extra9 = Shamshad Begum

| length9 =

| title10 = Kyon Janam Diya

| note10 =

| writer10 =

| lyrics10 =

| music10 =

| extra10 = Shamshad Begum, Talat Mahmood

| length10 =

| title11 = Laila Laila Pukaroon

| note11 =

| writer11 =

| lyrics11 =

| music11 =

| extra11 = Shamshad Begum, Talat Mahmood

| length11 = 3:42

| title12 = Yeh Lo Mai Layi

| note12 =

| writer12 =

| lyrics12 =

| music12 =

| extra12 = Shamshad Begum, P. B. Sreenivas

| length12 = 4:17

| title13 = Lo Lai Suiyan

| note13 =

| writer13 =

| lyrics13 =

| music13 =

| extra13 = Shamshad Begum

| length13 =

| title14 = O Bairagi Banwasi

| note14 =

| writer14 =

| lyrics14 =

| music14 =

| extra14 = Geeta Dutt

| length14 = 2:41

| title15 = Manchi Dinamu Nede

| note15 =

| writer15 =

| lyrics15 =

| music15 =

| extra15 = M. L. Vasanthakumari

| length15 = 1:35

| title16 = Hey Bhagwan Kyo

| note16 =

| writer16 =

| lyrics16 =

| music16 =

| extra16 = Talat Mahmood

| length16 = 1:19

| title17 = Maharani Hamari Aayi Re

| lyrics17 =

| extra17 = Shamshad Begum

| length17 = 1:42

}}

Release and reception

Mr. Sampat was released on 25 December 1952. Although Motilal received rave reviews for his performance, the film was a commercial failure.{{Cite news |last=Lokapally |first=Vijay |date=30 September 2010 |title=Mr. Sampat (1952) |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/mr-sampat-1952/article804765.ece |url-status=live |access-date=21 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013112041/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/mr-sampat-1952/article804765.ece |archive-date=13 October 2016}}{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=8}} In a review dated 4 January 1953, The Times of India said, the film "marks a new departure in the policy and principle of our filmmakers, who have been ruled hitherto by box-office considerations with rare, too rare, exceptions. In Mr Sampat, Vasan has given us our very first picture which can be said to hold the mirror up to life with useful purpose and an immediate lesson aimed at stimulating the tardy growth and quickening the critical faculty among audiences... Mr Motilal gives a superb performance... he is a grand actor with a slick art which nobody on the screen today can rival."{{Cite news |date=4 January 1953 |title=Vasan's Mr Sampat witty satire |work=The Times of India}} Babu Rao Patel, then the editor of Filmindia, also reviewed the film positively, praising the satire and morals in the film.{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=6}} Rati Batra of the magazine Thought wrote on 10 January 1953, "Motilal as Mr Sampat lives upto the character perfectly, and, though he gets all the laughs, he never borders on the clownish." She also praised the performance of Padmini as Malini but criticised the photography, noting that the shots of the stage shows seen in the film suffered from "bad lighting". J. D. S. of the same magazine also praised the film, thanking Gemini for "presenting to our film industry a model in the portrayal of modern social and political themes." He concluded that, despite a few minor objections, Mr. Sampat was a "shining example of film art amidst the morass of mediocrity that is the experience of the Indian cinegoer."{{Cite magazine |last1=Batra |first1=Rati |last2=J. D. S. |date=10 January 1953 |title="Mr. Sampat": Two Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O5QcAQAAMAAJ&q=Mr+Sampat |magazine=Thought |publisher=Siddhartha Publications |volume=5 |pages=16–17}}

Mr. Sampat was later featured in journalist Avijit Ghosh's 2013 book 40 Retakes: Bollywood Classics You May Have Missed.{{Cite news |last=Bhaduri |first=Abhijit |date=1 June 2014 |title=40 retakes: Bollywood classics you may have missed |work=The Times of India |url=http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/just-like-that/40-retakes-bollywood-classics-you-may-have-missed/ |url-status=live |access-date=13 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013111638/http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/just-like-that/40-retakes-bollywood-classics-you-may-have-missed/ |archive-date=13 October 2016}} Ghosh wrote in that book that the film's "post-mortem of corruption feels cool and contemporary even today" and that Motilal gave "the performance of a lifetime" as Sampat.{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=1}}

Dropped sequel

After the completion of Mr. Sampat, Motilal suggested a sequel titled Mr. Sampat Goes to the UNO to Vasan, but it never came to fruition.{{sfn|Ghosh|2013|p=7}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite AV media |title=Mr. Sampat |type=motion picture |language=Hindi |publisher=Gemini Studios |year=1952 |time=0:11 to 1:00 |time-caption=Opening credits, from}}

{{Cite web |title=Mr Sampat |url=https://indiancine.ma/GOQ/info |access-date=16 December 2019 |website=Indiancine.ma}}{{cbignore}}

}}

Bibliography

{{Cite book |last=Ghosh |first=Avijit |title=40 Retakes: Bollywood Classics You May Have Missed |publisher=Tranquebar Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-93-83260-31-7}}
{{Cite book |last1=Rajadhyaksha |first1=Ashish |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema |last2=Willemen |first2=Paul |publisher=British Film Institute and Oxford University Press |year=1998 |isbn=0-19-563579-5 |author-link=Ashish Rajadhyaksha |author-link2=Paul Willemen |orig-date=1994}}