ONE of the greatest Indian films that very few from the modern generation have seen is the 1954 classic Boot Polish.
The movie masterpiece, produced by Raj Kapoor, broke all the rules to become a huge international success and offered audiences something genuinely different. The emotional story of two orphans trying to survive the harsh realities of homelessness and their journey towards a brighter future received international acclaim, including a special mention at the Cannes Film Festival.
It also won best film at the Filmfare Awards after its release on August 20, 1954.
Eastern Eye marks the recent 70th anniversary of this extraordinary Bollywood movie you likely haven’t seen by revealing 10 reasons why it remains special after so many decades.
Story: The biggest hero of Boot Polish was the writing. Bhanu Pratap delivered a gripping storyline of two orphans, forced to fend for themselves in an unforgiving world, who try to make an honest living by shining shoes. The well-crafted tale takes audiences into the heart of darkness but then lifts them into the light with a wonderfully crafted ending. There are relatable human emotions, great life lessons, and important social commentary, which remain relevant today. Boot Polish showed that if the writing is strong enough, a movie doesn’t need big stars to be successful.
A poster from Boot PolishPerformances: There haven’t been many performances from young protagonists in a commercial Hindi film that can match the brilliance of child actors Ratan Kumar and Naaz. Their portrayals of two siblings trying to survive in cruel surroundings while holding onto their humanity struck a chord with audiences globally. Their innocence added honesty to the emotions onscreen, elevating the film further. Both received international acclaim, with Naaz earning a special mention at the Cannes Film Festival. David also delivers an award-nominated performance as the kind-hearted bootlegger.
Direction: Legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor may have only been credited as the producer, but it is said that he ghost-directed large parts of the film. Prakash Arora, who had worked as Kapoor’s assistant in previous blockbusters, was officially credited as director. Whether it was one or both of them working together, the direction is flawless from start to finish. From the great pacing to the realistic storytelling inspired by Italian neo-realism and bringing out the best in the cast, everything about the filmmaking was spot-on.
Reality: By the 1950s, most Bollywood movies had a larger-than-life quality, but Boot Polish offered a grounded connection to reality, making it more relatable. It spotlighted poverty without the romanticism of commercial films, which portrayed impoverished characters living carefree lives. This realistic drama inspired other filmmakers to add authenticity to their stories, eventually contributing to the Hindi cinema art house movement. Its raw reality also helped it connect with international audiences.
A still from Boot PolishTimeless: Themes such as child poverty, homelessness, struggling to make an honest living, and the plight of orphans make this film timeless. The human emotions and the universal dream of a better tomorrow covered in the movie remain relatable even today. This shows how special this time-transcending treasure is.
Music: The songs, composed by music duo Shankar Jaikishan, perhaps don’t get the credit they deserve. The standout track, Nanhe Munne Bachche Teri Mutthi Mein Kya Hai, written by legendary lyricist Shailendra, was a huge hit. Sung by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle, the song became iconic. The other tracks blend seamlessly into the narrative, adding depth to the story.
Moments: The film is filled with memorable moments, from captivating set pieces like the climax to tearjerking scenes and inspiring dialogues about the value of hard work. These unforgettable scenes, built around emotions and key messages, are still impactful today. The songs are also beautifully picturised.
Ending: Boot Polish was inspired by the neo-realism of Italian cinema, which was taking global cinema by storm, but the huge difference was the ending. Whilst Italian cinema took a deep dive into darkness, Boot Polish offered rays of hope, culminating in a feel-good ending that resonated deeply with audiences. The finale tied in with the children’s journey and gave the film great repeat value.
A still from Boot PolishPath breaker: From its storytelling and unique protagonists to its international success, Boot Polish was a path-breaking film for Bollywood. It helped Indian cinema gain global recognition, becoming the first commercial Hindi film to achieve wide distribution in America. Its achievements gave Indian filmmakers the courage to try new things and expand creatively.
Life-affirming: While some may view it as a tearjerker, Boot Polish is ultimately life-affirming. Decades before Slumdog Millionaire, this film told the story of street orphans overcoming adversity while holding onto their humanity. It shows that kindness can exist in a cruel world and that challenges can be overcome. By illustrating the value of perseverance, Boot Polish has inspired generations and remains a cinematic masterpiece.
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A seated Jain enlightened teacherAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Ganesha from JavaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
A Chinese silk painting depicting the BuddhaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
ArdhanarishvaraAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Head of a grimacing yakshaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
NagaAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
The Bimaran casketAshmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Hunia Chawla
A still from rehearsal
Them performing liveNajmuddin Saifuddin Qawwal Group
The cast of Marriage Material in key moments from the play, including Avita Jay, Kiran Landa, Omar Malik, Irfan Shamji and Anoushka Deshmukh
Sathnam Sanghera’s 'Marriage Material' adapted into bold new play on conformity
The play Marriage Material at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre is Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s adaptation of Sathnam Sanghera’s novel of the same name, which first came out in 2013.
She is lucky to have Iqbal Khan direct Marriage Material. The play, a co-production with the Birmingham Rep, is set in the late 1960s. Mr and Mrs Bains (played by Jaz Singh Deol and Avita Jay) run a corner shop in Wolverhampton. Their younger daughter, Surinder (Anoushka Deshmukh), is 16, her sister Kamaljit (Kiran Landa) is just a bit older.
They have a neighbour, Patwant Dhanda (Irfan Shamji), who, as we shall soon see, is not a very pleasant man. In fact, he comes across just as racist as Enoch Powell, who represented Wolverhampton South West for the Tories from 1950 to 1974.
It will be recalled this was a time when Sikhs working on the buses were told they couldn’t wear a turban. That was a hard-fought battle that had to be won.
The Bains, meanwhile, simply want to get their girls married off.
Nothing new here, I thought.
What makes the tale different is that the plot twists and turns down the generations. Mr Dhanda, who has the makings of a paedophile, makes a pitch for one of the girls when Mr Bains dies early in the play. “A life with no man in the house is no life,” he informs the newly widowed Mrs Bains.
Mr Dhanda has a wife but she has returned to India so he considers himself to be a free man.
Surinder’s English teacher from school, Miss Flanagan (Celeste Dodwell), who is also head of the fifth form, tells Mrs Bains about her daughter: “I don’t want to embarrass you, but she is bright. Ridiculously bright.”
She adds: “Mrs Bains, I think it would be a pity if Surinder didn’t stay on at school.” The initial response from Mrs Bains is not encouraging: “Too much education makes people’s brains get mixed up, they don’t sleep at night…”
But she is finally persuaded that Surinder should be allowed to stay on for a while longer before being married off.
Mr Bains was very old school. When Surinder confides she would one day like to be “a somebody”, he is amused that “my daughter wants to be a somebody”.
“Like you,” she tells her father.
Mr Bains consoles his daughter: “We will find a somebody for you to marry.”
At the point of a possible marriage, however, Surinder is sweet-talked by chocolate salesman Jim Wilson (Tommy Belshaw) into running away with him. They share a love of literature, and he calls her “Sue Bains”. But the relationship does not end well.
Once she has left, Surinder is written off as “dead” by her family. The story that is circulated is that she was only 16 when she was killed in a car crash. That’s better than to let on that she ran off with a white man.
By the time she is reconciled with her sister towards the end of the play, a great deal has changed. Kamaljit married Tanvir Banga (Omar Malik), a young man who helped out in the Bains’ corner shop. When the two sisters meet again, Tanvir has also died. But he and Kamaljit had a son, Arjan Banga (Jaz Singh Deol doubles up for this role after the death of Mr Bains). He has come home after his father’s death to help his mother who is still running the family corner shop.
Meanwhile, Mr Dhanda’s business has prospered. He now has a son, Ranjit Dhanda (the role is taken by Omar Malik after Tanvir’s death), and he is nearly as unpleasant as his father.
Arjan has an English fiancée, Claire (Celeste Dodwell). In London, Arjan worked as a creative director. But after deciding to stay in Wolverhampton to help his mother, he decides he cannot marry Claire because she is white. In other words, Asians are not free of racism, either. Happily, at the end, the couple are reconciled.
As for Surinder, she parted company with Jim Wilson after realising he was all talk, depended on her for money and had failed to earn a penny from his literary pretensions. She had prospered, though, as a hotel owner and had been transformed in time into a well-groomed businesswoman. After being tracked down by Arjan, she decides to return to her roots in Wolverhampton and help Kamaljit run the family corner shop. Perhaps 50 years had passed during the passage of the play.
Being subjected to racism turned some Asians into racists themselves. The word goreh (white person) is repeatedly spat out with venom. Maybe it is worth remembering the play’s audience isn’t exclusively Asian – white folk are watching as well. And maybe some of the toilet humour ridiculing white people, which always makes me cringe, could be cut out.
In Sanghera’s novel, there is a quote from Enoch Powell’s speech in November 1968: “The West Indian or Asian does not, by being born in England, become an Englishman. In law he becomes a United Kingdom citizen by birth; in fact, he is a west Indian or an Asian still... he will by the very nature of things have lost one country without gaining another, lost one nationality without acquiring a new one. Time is running out against us and them. With the lapse of a generation or so we shall at last have succeeded – to the benefit of nobody – in reproducing ‘in England’s green and pleasant land’ the haunting tragedy of the US.”
In Marriage Material, where the acting is marvellous (apart from Mr Dhanda’s Indian mannerisms and accent being overdone) we do travel across a couple of generations.
There is a scene when Tanvir rejects Mr Dhanda’s vision of creating a little Punjab in Wolverhampton.
Mr Dhanda wants to take over the Bains’ corner shop and is putting pressure on Tanvir to sign the papers. He says: “In this country, money is the path to freedom.”
“Sign, please,” he instructs Tanvir. “We must make sure our children learn to behave nicely, according to our rules.”
He insists: “We maintain our identity so we can be ourselves.”
Tanvir disagrees: “We can be us here. With the goreh.”
Dhanda warns him: “Then we will be inviting chaos.”
Tanvir’s comment is telling: “You sound like Enoch.”
Kamaljit, who is expecting a baby with her husband Tanvir, says: “I would like my child to grow up knowing the history of the Gurus and to read the Granth Sahib. And to love their culture.”
Tanvir tells his wife: “I would like my child to go to the finest schools, to cheer for England in the World Cup and eat Yorkshire pudding on a Sunday.”
Kamaljit sets out a dream that has perhaps come to pass with many third and fourth generation British Asians: “Maybe our child can do both.” Much, much later, in a throwback to the past, we learn of Surinder’s O-level results: “Biology A, Chemistry A, English Language A, English Literature A, French A, History B, Latin A, Mathematics A, Physics A…”
Kamaljit tells her younger sister: “Never mind about the B.”
And that is quintessentially Asian. Their acting is outstanding.
Marriage Material is at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre until June 21, and at the Birmingham Rep from June 25-July 5