“Nanak Nam Jahaj Hai”: First Sikh Devotional Punjabi Movie

 Special Feature on 551^st Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev

Cinema was introduced to India on 7 July 1896, when the Lumiere brothers' show-cased six short silent films in Watson Hotel, Bombay. Dada Saheb Phalke got inspiration from an English movie ‘The Christ’ to produce a film on the life and work of Indian Gods. He made the first Indian movie “Raja Harish Chandra in 1913 and it was followed by a series of mythological silent movies like Kalia Mardan, Mohini Bhasmasur, Lanka Dahan, Shri Krishna Janma, Satyavan Savitri etc. Even after advent of talkie era, the trend of making religious/mythological films continued to attract most of the film makers. The notable films were: Ayodhaya Ka Raja, Radhey Shyam, Bhakt Surdas, Puran Bhakt, Vaman Avtar, Ram Rajya Sri Krishna Leela, Mahabharat, Sampooran Ramayan and Bharat Milap etc.

The inaugural films in many regional languages were also religious offerings like Bhakta Prahlada, Ramayna etc. were produced in telugu and tamil language. However, the producers of Punjabi films deviated from the prevailing trend and the first Punjabi talkie churned out was a folklore based “Ishk-i-Punjab” alias “Mirza Sahiban” (1935). Even the silent films made earlier in Lahore were fantasy/stunt, costume dramas like Husn Ka Daku, Heer Ranjha, etc. The second film “Shiela” alias “Pind Di Kuri” was hit at the box office and it paved the way for more films of this genre like ‘Heer Sayal’, ‘Sohni Mahiwal’, ‘Sohni Kumaharan’, ‘Gul Bakawali’, ‘Sassi Punnu’, ‘Dulla Bhatti’ and ‘Yamla Jatt’ etc..

The Punjabi film makers remained aloof to the idea of making films on life and teachings of great Sikh Gurus whereas a few non-Lahorite producers had the courage to launch three religious films viz ‘Soordas’, ‘Pooran Bhagat’ and ‘Matwali Meera’ in Punjabi language. In reality, Punjabi film makers sparsely used bhajans/Gurbani Shabads in their productions during the first three decades. Only eight movies ‘Shiela’, ‘Kurmai’, ‘Gul Baloch’, ‘Phumman’, ‘Sat Saliyan’, ‘Satluj De Kande’, ‘Kade Dhup Kade Chhan’ and ‘Kully Yaar Di’ each had only a single bhajan. This indifferent attitude of Punjabi film makers towards the Socio-religious heritage of Punjab was disgusting.

The golden age of religious films in Punjabi cinema was ushered in by Maheshwari brothers, the famous cloth merchants of Amritsar. Ram Maheshwari of Kalpanalok took the historic step of making the first Sikh religious Punjabi film “Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai” (1969) on the auspicious occasion of quincentennial birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The film was based on Guru Nanak’s most inspiring message of ‘Love for Humanity’. The gist of Bekal Amritsari's story was narrative of a true and historical incident which took place in the precincts of holy Darbar Sahib, Amritsar.

The film had an impressive star cast which included Prithiviraj Kapoor, Som Dutt, Vimi, Nishi, Suresh, David, Tiwari, Jagdish Raj and I.S. Johar etc. The film begins in 1947, with two devout Sikhs and friends Gurmukh Singh (Prithviraj Kapoor) and Prem Singh (Suresh), having a prosperous forest contract business. The viewers are treated to a brief vignette to show that they are more like real brothers than friends. After twelve years of their marriage, Gurmukh Singh and his wife (Veena) were blessed with a son Gurmeet Singh. Now they arranged to get Prem Singh married to a pretty, effervescent girl Ratan Kaur (Nishi). The wedding festivities were resplendent with glitter and gaiety. Initially, the new bride Ratan Kaur showers much affection on Gurmeet. But soon she is bad-mouthed by her wastrel brother Shukarguzar ‘Shuka’ Singh (I.S. Johar). Shuka adds fuel to the fire by poisoning their minds and sowing the seeds of unhappiness, hatred and suspicion.

On Shuka’s instigation, Ratan Kaur files an embezzlement case against Gurmukh Singh. The peace and tranquility of the family is shattered.  However, Gurmukh comes clean and Ratan Kaur is penalized. Shuka’s another attempt to falsely implicate Gurmukh in a criminal case is foiled by the police inspector (Jagdish Raj). Even in this dark hour, Gurmukh’s heart glows with faith in his Guru. He shelters the flame of love and humanity against all odds. Then Ratan and Shuka try to break up the engagement of Gurmeet with Charanjeet Kaur ‘Channi’ (Vimmi) but Channi’s mother did not agree for dissolution of the match. The love birds Channi and Gurmeet frequent each other.

Ratan Kaur becomes furious on seeing Gurmeet and Channi together. In fury of rage, she flings the glass of milk aside which hit a photo frame and the glass splinters damaged Gurmeet’s eyes. He is operated by an eye surgeon (Tiwari), but his vision is gone. He offers to break ties with Channi, but she refuses. Gurmeet goes on a sikh-pilgrimage accompanied by Channi and Ratan Kaur. They visit various Gurudwaras seeking Waheguru’s blessings. Their prayers are answered in Durbar Sahib, Amritsar and Gurmeet gets back his eye-sight. Shuka is punished by God for his misdeeds and gets blind by a shooting firework on the Deewali night. As the darkness of hatred is dispelled, the pristine glory of the Guru’s divinely message of love, goodwill, justice and peace reilluminates the hearts of two friends. 

This devotional film is oozing with reverence and faith which echo in its hymns and melodies. Its music set to the Sikh tenets, carried best of Gurbani kirtan and Shabads which were totally Raaga based. The story required some scenes to be picturised in the sacred Golden Temple. The music composer S.Mohinder thought that the music for those scenes being very sensitive must be performed by the finest exponent of Sikh religious classical singing. So he persuaded his mentor Bhai Samund Singh Ragi to render two Shabads II Kal Taaran Guru Nanak Aaya II and II Miti Dhundh Jag Chanan Hoya II. He believed that what Bade Ghulam Ali Khan’s singing was to ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, the Shabads sung by Bhai Samund Singh are to ‘Nanak Nam Jahaj Hai’. He got Asha Bhosle to render Shabads like II Mere Sahib Tu Main Mann Nimane II; II Prabh Ju To Ke Laj Hamari II and II Re Man Aiso Kar Sanyasa II while Manna Dey came fervently with II Hum Maile Tum Ujjal Karte II; II Bissar Gai Sab Taat Paraai II and II Guraan Ik Deh Bujhai II. A heart tugging Shabad composed by Dashm Pita II Mittar Pyare Nu Haal Mureedan Da Kehna II was rendered by Mohammed Rafi. Mohinder Kapoor rendered the warring shabad II Deh Shiva Bar Mohe II. Bhushan Mehta and S. Mohinder himself recited II Laanvan Har Chouthari Laanv II. Apart from these devotional offerings, the film had two song and dance sequences “Hada Ni Hada Haner Pai Geya” and “Bull Tere Ne Chandigarh De”.

The film was ethically and aesthetically magnificent in its content and form, capturing the serenity and tranquility of almost all the sikh shrines/ gurudwaras. The film was released on 3 April, 1970 with great pomp and show. Even the villagers and first time movie goers used to came on their bullock-carts, spend nights outside the cinema halls and waited in long queues to buy a ticket for the film. Most of them used to enter the cinema halls bare-footed as a symbol of reverence and throw coins on the screen as and when scenes of various shrines flashed on the big-screen. Unprecedented dimensions, never a Punjabi film so spontaneously and lavishly applauded, really a film of the nation and for the nation. ‘Nanak Nam Jahaj Hai’ became the first Punjabi film to celebrate Golden Jubilee at all the major centres in the Punjab Circuit.

Acclaimed as the noblest of all Punjabi films, virtuously it has proved a phenomenal hit at the box office not only in Punjab but also in big cities throughout India. The film was adjudged the ‘Best Feature Film in Punjabi Language’ at the National Film Awards- 1969. The inspiring and soulful music composed by S. Mohinder also got him the national recognition. He was awarded “Cash Prize of Rs. 5000 and a Plaque” as the Best Music Director of the year. It was something unusual but certainly well merited, epoch-making success of the cult movie ‘Nanak Nam Jahaj Hai’.

The success of the movie ‘Nanak Nam Jahaj Hai’ opened the floodgates of Sikh history to the film world. During the next decade of 1970, it had spawned a series of Sikh socio-devotional movies like Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansaar (1971), Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam (1972), Man Jeete Jag Jeet (1973), Sat Guru Teri Oat (1974). Mittar Pyaare Nu (1975), Change Mande Tere Bande (1976), Main Papi Tu Bakshanhar (1976), Papi Tarey Anek (1976), Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun (1976), Sacha Mera Roop Hai (1976), Guru Manio Granth (1977), Sat Sri Akal (1977) and Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da (1987) etc., which attracted the movie buffs to the cinema halls. But this trend lost shine with the coming of revengeful and meaningless run of the mill movies churned out in 1980s.

However, no other Punjabi film maker of this genre could replicate the popularity of 'Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai', as only cheap versions were served in the name of religiosity. No doubt, the title of the film reflected religious tendencies, but in its original form, such films turned out to be masala films. The actors in Punjabi religious films had little to do with tenets of Sikhism. What is needed now is to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Punjab in a meaningful and harmonious way. Today's new generation has a warm attachment to Indian life philosophy, religious traditions and customs. Filmmakers need to create meaningful cinema on topics related to Punjabiat. May Punjabi cinema gets another showering of purposeful socio-cultural devotional films.