चौदवीं का चाँद, Chaudvin Ka Chand, Full Moon
Chaudvin
Ka Chand is a Bollywood film produced by the legendary
director Guru Dutt. The movie is about a classic love triangle
where two best friends having unknowingly fallen in love with the
same woman. As with many Dutt films, the comic relief is provided
by the actor amusingly known as Johnny Walker. Dutt himself stars
as Aslam in the movie. Considered a comeback movie for Dutt after
his disastrously-rated Kaagaz Ke Phool, this film is
definitely one of the lovelist of its time.
Let's dissect
this movie - which means Night of the 14th
Moon or Full Moon - and also compare
it to some of Shakspeare's works.
| Plot |
Nawab
(Rehman) sees a beautiful woman in the marketplace and is left
stunned by her beauty. Unable to get her out of his mind, he asks
his friends Shedad and Aslam for help. To his delight, he sees her
once again at his sister's party and asks Nasibhan to find out who
she is. This movie is full of misunderstandings, but eventually he
figures out her name - Jameela. But now comes a new problem - his
friend Aslam has also fallen in love with her. These friends will
have to make sacrifices with each other and let Jameela decide for
herself which man she wants.
| Analysis of Chaudvin Ka Chand |
The
practice of purdahDutt chose Mohammed Sadiq to direct the film because he thought a Muslim director should deal with a Muslim subject. The Muslim practice of purdah forbids women to show their face to men who aren't part of their immediate family. The film uses this practice to its advantage as disguises and misunderstandings that add to the comedy and confusion of the film.
Disguises
Just as in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night women were often not considered in equal standing to men. In the play, Viola dresses as a man in order to enter the royal court of the Duke.
Shaida, in the film, also has disguises and costume changes just like in Shakespeare - he dresses as an old holy man in order to photograph women in the bazaar, and takes on the uniform and manner of a police inspector later on.
The film is set in a male-dominant world, too. Islam customs are used to isolating the genders. In the first musical number, Nawab peeks at the women gathered at his sister's wedding party. The women know he's there, as he hides beneath a sheet. Several techniques for creating this aura of disguise and mystery include the use of: veils, disguises, curtain and screens. Reflections and mirrors are also used perhaps to convey "reflections" of truth.
On the left, the art of hiding behind a screened window; on the
right, the use of reflection
Misunderstandings
As the plot
unfolds, we see that misunderstandings can lead well-intentioned
people to tragedy. Nawab's sick mother wants to see her son married
and arranges this marriage. He asks his poor friend Aslam (Dutt) to
marry this girl instead, who of course, ends up being
Jameela.
These events
of confusion are similar to Shakespeare's play The Comedy of
Errors which involves a lot of slapstick and mistaken
identity. The series of obligations and errors lead to the
complication of the situations.
A Happy Ending
One important
aspect of a Shakespearean comedy is that they end happily, usually
with multiple couples getting married together.
But while
Chaudvin Ka Chand does have a relatively happy ending, the
film's ending also results in some painful sacrifices which various
characters have to make.
- Nawab finally realizes that the woman he desires is his best friend's wife. Aslam makes joyless visits to the brothel in order to make his wife divorce him and marry his best friend Nawab, making him somewhat of a romantic anti-hero. We see here the obligations of male friendship (dosti)
- Johnny Walker provides a comic role, similar to that of Feste the court jester/fool in Twelfth Night, for example. While he acts the fool, Feste is probably the wisest character of them all, and understands the situation best. Johnny Walker is amusing yet affectionate towards his suffering friends.
| Lyrics |
We can consider the lyrical content of songs poetic in nature, particularly in this song with the same title from the movie. Here Aslam (Dutt) is admiring Jameela as she sleeps.
We can compare these songs of poetry to many of Shakespeare's romantic lines. Romeo and Juliet makes note of Romeo comparing Juliet: "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!...Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven / Having some business, do entreat her eyes / To twinkle in their spheres till they return…The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars"
Now let's
take a look at the lines in the song above. Here are the lyrics in
both Hindi and English. Naturally, part of the beauty in the
original lyrics will most likely be lost in translation.
| Hindi Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho, Ya Aaftaab Ho Jo Bhi Ho Tum Khuda Ki Kasam, Lajawab Ho Zulfein Hain Jaise Kaandhe Pe Baadal Jhuke Hue Aankhen Hain Jaise Maey Ke Pyaale Bhare Hue Masti Hai Jisme Pyaar Ki Tum, Woh Sharaab Ho Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho… Chehra Hai Jaise Jheel Mein Khilta Hua Kanwal Ya Zindagi Ke Saaz Pe Chhedi Hui Ghazal Jaane Bahaar Tum Kisi Shaayar Ka Khwaab Ho Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho Hothon Pe Khelti Hain Tabassum Ki Bijliyaan Sajde Tumhari Raah Mein Karti Hain Kaikashaan Duniya-E-Husno-Ishq Ka Tum Hi Shabaab Ho |
| English Are you the moon on its fourteenth night, or are you the sun? Whatever you are, I swear to God, you are incomparable! Your locks of hair fall like clouds over your shoulders And your eyes are like glasses of overflowing wine. Are you the full moon or the sun? Are you the full moon or the sun? Your face is like a lotus blooming in the lake or like an ode that has been plucked on the instrument of life My dear, you are a poet's dream. Are you the full moon or the sun? The lightnings of your smile are blooming on your lips. The Milky Way, full of stars, bow before you in anticipation Whatever you are, I swear you are incomparable. |
To see more
films like this, check out
Pyaasa (Thirst) and
Awara (The Vagabond).
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