Utsav

Utsav (Hindi: उत्सव; English: Festival) is a 1984 Hindi erotic drama film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad. The film is based on play Mrichakatika (The Little Clay Cart) by Śūdraka.^[2] It was filmed in Hindi and English simultaneously, the post-production work of latter version was done in London.^[1]

Utsav
Movie poster
Directed by	Girish Karnad
Written by	Sharad Joshi (Dialogue)
Screenplay by	Krishna Basrur Girish Karnad
Based on	Mrichakatika by Śūdraka
Produced by	Shashi Kapoor
Starring	Shankar Nag Rekha Anuradha Patel Amjad Khan Shashi Kapoor Shekhar Suman
Narrated by	Amjad Khan
Cinematography	Ashok Mehta
Edited by	Bhaudas Divakar
Music by	Laxmikant-Pyarelal Vasant Dev (lyrics)
Release date	21 December 1984 (1984-12-21)
Running time	145 minutes
Country	India
Languages	Hindi English [1]

The film stars Shankar Nag, Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Amjad Khan, Anuradha Patel, Shekhar Suman, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Annu Kapoor, Sanjana Kapoor and Kunal Kapoor.

The role of Samsthanak is played by Shashi Kapoor, who is also the producer of the movie. It was originally supposed to be played by Amitabh Bachchan. However, in July 1982, Bachchan met with a major accident in Bangalore. So the producer himself decided to step in.^[3] The film's music is by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and is noted for its songs like, 'Man Kyun Behka Re Behka Aadhi Raat Ko', a famous duet song by sisters Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. Anuradha Paudwal's 'Mere Man Baja Mridang' for which she won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award in 1985. Suresh Wadkar also has a song, 'Sanjh Dhale Gagan Tale'. The Central Board of Film Certification of India gave the film an "A" certificate on 23 August 1984.^[4]

Overview

The film is an adaptation of Mṛcchakatika (The Little Clay Cart), a ten-act Sanskrit drama attributed to Śūdraka, an ancient playwright generally thought to have lived sometime between the second century BC and the fifth century AD whom the prologue identifies as a Kshatriya king and a devotee of Siva who lived for 100 years.^[5] The play is set in the ancient city of Ujjayini during the reign of the King Pālaka, near the end of the Pradyota dynasty that made up the first quarter of the fifth century BC.^[6]

Plot

The story is about a courtesan, Vasantasena (Rekha), and her chance meeting with a poor Brahmin man, Charudatta (Shekhar Suman), in Ujjain.

Cast

• Shashi Kapoor as Samsthanak
• Rekha as Vasantsena
• Amjad Khan as Vatsayana, author of Kamasutra; narrator
• Shankar Nag as Sajjal, the thief
• Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Teacher of Aryak
• Shekhar Suman as Charudutt
• Neena Gupta as Madanika, courtesan slave in Vasantsena's house
• Anuradha Patel as Aditi, Charudutt's Wife
• Anupam Kher as Samsthanak's friend
• Annu Kapoor as Masseur who is trying to be an ascetic
• Sanjana Kapoor as A courtesan slave in Vasantsena's house
• Kunal Kapoor as Aryak, the revolutionary.
• Harish Patel as Maitreya, Charudutt's friend.
• Yunus Parvez as One of the gamblers, who later becomes the owner of the masseur
• Satish Kaushik as Cart driver

Production

The film was shot in Kolkebail, Karnataka in 1982–83. Producer Shashi Kapoor incurred a loss of Rs 1.5 crore after the film's release in 1984.^[3]

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack^[7] was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and the lyrics were penned by Vasant Dev.

Song	Singer
"Man Kyun Behka"	Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle
"Neelam Pe"	Lata Mangeshkar
"Mera Man Baja Mridang"	Suresh Wadkar, Anuradha Paudwal, Aarti Mukherjee
"Sanjh Dhale"	Suresh Wadkar

Awards

Award	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref
32nd National Film Awards	Best Art Direction	Nachiket Patwardhan Jayoo Patwardhan	Won	[8]
33rd Filmfare Awards	Best Lyricist	Vasant Dev ("Mann Kyun Behka")	Won	[9] [10]
	Best Female Playback Singer	Anuradha Paudwal ("Mere Man Baje Mridang")	Won
	Best actor in Comic Role	Amjad Khan	Nominated
		Annu Kapoor	Nominated

References

1. "Shahi Kapoor interview". YouTube.
2. @NFAIOfficial (8 November 2019). "A lobby card for Girish Karnad's #Utsav (1984), featuring #FaceOfTheWeek #ShankarNag. The film was based on popular…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
3. "Of Jennifer and MTR (Shashi Kapoor interview)". The Hindu. 31 January 2005. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
4. "Utsav (1984)". Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). 23 August 1984. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
5. Richmond, Farley P. (1990). "Characteristics of Sanskrit Theatre and Drama". In Farley P. Richmond; Darius L. Swann; Phillip B. Zarrilli (eds.). Indian Theatre: Traditions of Performance. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 55–62. ISBN 0824811909.
6. Oliver, Revilo Pendelton (1938). "Introduction to 'The Little Clay Cart.'". In Rozelle Parker Johnson; Ernst Krenn (eds.). Illinois Studies in Language and Literature. Vol. 23. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 9–44.
7. "Utsav : Lyrics and video of Songs from the Movie Utsav (1985)".
8. "32nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
9. "Best Lyricist (Popular)". Filmfare Awards Official wlistings, Indiatimes. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
10. "Filmfare Awards 1986". awardsandshows.com. Retrieved 1 July 2021.

External links

• Utsav at IMDb
• A study of film Utsav