Dharti Kahe Pookar Ke

Dharti Kahe Pookarke- Manna dey and Lata Mangeshkar-Film Do Bigha Zameen 1953- Lyricist Shailendra-Music Salil Choudhary

Post war Hindi Cinema had skewed in favour of realist wave, and leftist views.  Films like Awara, Boot Polish (1954) and Do Bigha Zameen (1953) representative cinemas of realism.  Inspired by De Sics's The Bicycle Thief (1947), Bimal Roy produced Do Bigha Zammen, which gives a telling commentary on the spate of landless labourers, their plight after the brutal industrialization, having no humane understanding.

Shambhu Mahato (Balraj Sahani) is a petty farmer , happy with farming his Do Bigha Zameen in famine prone West Bengal. He lives with Parvati (Nirupa Roy) and Kanhaiya (Ratan Kumar). His land comes under threat of industrialization. Local Zamindar and Village Thakur device a scheme to give their land for a Factory. Shambu's land comes under the scheme. Shambhu is tricked to either pay huge amount towards loan taken by Shambhu's father or relinquish his land.As a result, he is forced to go Calcutta to earn required amount, within three months. He leaves his father and wife behind. He pulls rickshaw in the city. Rest of the film shows his life in city under harsh conditions.

The end is is quite poignant and sorrowful. Unable to earn the required money, Shambhu comes back to village only to learn that his land has been confiscated for factory.  The above song "Dharti Kahe Pookar Ke" comes in the film , when Shambhu decides to go to Calcutta. The farmers and their families working in the fields urge departing Shambhu to brave the adversities of life with courage. No one knows, whether he will be back again. In fact the words are reflections of thoughts going in Shambhu's mind. He leaves village in pessimistic attitude. However, at the end, what he gets after three months, is handful of soil of his land. The watchman of factory forbids him to take even that handful soil. The film ends with the handful of soil, flowing through Shambu's hand. Very tragic end.

The film handles with sublimity ,the onslaught of brutal industrialization, plight of landless farmers, society plagued with corruption, rural migration to cities brimming full with burgeoning population, . Most positive aspect of the film is upholding the dignity and self esteem in most turbulent conditions. Shambhu could have chosen unethical ways to earn money, bust he sticks to his values and works with dignity under harsh condition.

भाई रे
गंगा और जमुना की गहरी है धार
आगे या पीछे सबको जाना है पार
धरती कहे पुकार के, बीज बिछा ले प्यार के
मौसम बीता जाय, मौसम बीता जाय
मौसम बीता जाय, मौसम बीता जाय
अपनी कहानी छोड़ जा, कुछ तो निशानी छोड़ जा
कौन कहे इस ओर तू फिर आये न आये
मौसम बीता जाय, मौसम बीता जाय
तेरी राह में कलियों ने नैन बिछाये
डाली-डाली कोयल काली तेरे गीत गाये
तेरे गीत गाये
अपनी कहानी छोड़ जा, कुछ तो निशानी छोड़ जा
कौन कहे इस ओर तू फिर आये न आये
को : मौसम बीता जाय, मौसम बीता जाय
हो भाई रे
नीला अम्बर मुस्काये, हर साँस तराने गाये
हाय तेरा दिल क्यों मुरझाये
हो हो हो हो हो
मन की बन्शी पे तू भी कोई धुन बजा ले भाई
तू भी मुस्कुरा ले
अपनी कहानी छोड़ जा, कुछ तो निशानी छोड़ जा
कौन कहे इस ओर तू फिर आये न आये
हो भाई रे, भाई रे, भाई रे, ओ ओ
मौसम बीता जाय, मौसम बीता जाय

      
            

Do Bigha Zameen 1953
Starcast: Balraj Sahani, Nirupa Roy,Nazir Hussain,Ratan Kumar,Jagdeep, Murad, Nana Palshikar, Meena Kumari (Guest Role)
Lyrics: Shailendra
Music: Salil Choudhary
Story by Salil Choudhary
Screenplay by Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Produced and Directed by Bimal Roy