Many fans and well-wishers of Hindi cinema have been concerned by the drought – almost a famine – of really good films in recent times. When was the last great film – one which would have an assured place in any listing of all-time great Hindi films – released? This may be a good time to remember some of the best film-makers who contributed outstanding films with social relevance. Bimal Roy was a highly talented film-maker who contributed some of the best films of this genre, including Do Bigha Zamin, Bandini and Sujata.

His films are marked with a seriousness of purpose, very good stories, memorable characters and great songs which see a confluence of poignant lyrics with great music, qualities which attract the discerning viewer. On the other hand, Raj Kapoor was a filmmaker with somewhat different but equally great qualities. He had a good understanding of entertainment, and a talent for presenting highly relevant issues in ways that were entertaining for audiences. Kapoor contributed outstanding films with social relevance including Shree 420, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Awara, Jagte Raho and Boot Polish. Shailendra contributed much to the enduring value of RK films with his superb lyrics. Hrishikesh Mukherjee had a long innings in this genre of film making, from Anuradha to Anand. His films often showed the dilemmas of idealistic persons in sympathetic ways.

His deep understanding of Indian social realities enabled him to bond well with audiences on serious themes and he combined serious issues well with entertainment. Apart from his better known films like Satyakam , Anari and Bawarchi, there are lesser known gems like Aashirwad which should not be missed. V. Shantaram belongs to even earlier days, yet he had the courage of taking up very bold, new and unconventional subjects, as is evident from his films like Do Ankhen Barah Hath, Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani, Aadmi and Duniya Na Maane.

Guru Dutt started with lighter films with social relevance, but soon sprang a big surprise with Pyaasa, one of the most intense and well-made films of all times. In his last film (Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi) he again came very close to social concerns but he did not live long enough to complete this film. Brothers B.R. Chopra and Yash Chopra were involved in several films of high social concern including Dharamputra, Kanoon, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Dhool Ka Phool, Sadhana, Humraaz, Kala Pathar,Veer Zaara and Chak De India.

These are films which use the trappings of commercial cinema like the star-system but without disturbing the social content of the film. As Sahir Ludhianvi was regularly used as a lyricist in these films, several outstanding songs of social change are available in these movies. Mehboob as a leading film maker was known for his strong social commitment. His film Mother India can never be forgotten as the most important film ever made on the lifelong struggles and deep commitments of rural women in India. Gulzar has made several films on social relevance like Koshish and Achanak. K.A. Abbas had the longest commitment with cinema of social concern with films like Dharti ke Lal, Pardesi, Do Boond Pani, Munna and Shahar aur Sapna. Asit Sen is another talented film-maker remembered for films like Mamta, Khamoshi and Anokhi Raat, different and unconventional films with important social concerns and excellent music.

Chetan Anand contributed well with several films including Neecha Nagar, Haqeekat and Hindustan Ki Kasam. His younger brother Dev Anand was more of a star, but also contributed to the genre of social concern with films like Kala Bazaar and Hum Dono. The youngest of the three brothers Vijay Anand collaborated with Dev to create an outstanding film like Guide. What is common to many of these film-makers was that they gave a lot of thought to working out how they could succeed in taking their message of social reform to people within the existing constraints of the film industry.

They may have been forced to make some compromises but they accepted this and often (but not always) managed to reach a wide enough audience with their social message. Another important aspect is that several of these film-makers created their own film units. They were very good at recognizing talent and creating conducive conditions in which several talented persons (with their own egos) could work together with good team spirit. This was certainly true of Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt and Bimal Roy. Their units became hubs attracting a lot of talent, contributing to creating great films. While cinema is seen as a means of entertaining people, making money and attaining glamour, there is certainly also a higher purpose.

This can be done while entertaining people of course, but at other times there may be a need to engage audiences more intensely. Both kinds of efforts are welcome. What is important is that a sincere effort should be made to reach out to people to do something about serious problems, such as injustice, inequality, war or ecological ruin. The technology for this has been improving steadily; there are more openings now; more training facilities exist for various aspects of film-making, and there is a lot of talent available.

Despite all this, somehow, the rich potential of cinema to contribute towards a better world is not being adequately realized. In the case of Hindi cinema, the contribution of mainstream films was better in the 1950s than what we see in the 2020s. As compared to full-length, expensive feature films it would appear that the prospects for documentary films are better. Here India has some very talented filmmakers led by the great Anand Patwardhan. His journey of film-making has truly been an outstanding one, but despite worldwide recognition for his work, he has faced increasing problems in taking his films to more people. If such is the fate of one of the best known documentary filmmakers, one can imagine the difficult prospects faced by younger ones. One way out of these difficult conditions can be for film makers of social commitment and courage to work with unity and solidarity.

Another source of strength can be to establish closer linkages with people’s movements of justice and equality, ecology and peace, and to work in collaboration with them, learning from them, and also contributing to them. This task will be helped also by strengthening the film society movement. This has to reach ordinary people in rural and semiurban areas, while getting rid of its elitist orientation. This movement should be linked more closely to films of social concerns, instead of just being a film art movement in the narrow sense.

(The writers have worked together to spread community libraries and write some books, the latest of which is titled ‘Hindi Cinema and Society’.)