Dastak (1970)
2h 25m
Running Time
December 31, 1970Release Date
Plot.
Tells the story of newly weds Hamid and Salma. They move into a rental flat next door to the local red light district. The flat had been the former home of a well known mujra and qawali singer, Shamshad. Men still come to the door in the hope of seeing Shamshad and do not seem too put out by seeing Salma despite her protestations. The couple struggle to live within the bounds of their own moral code while the earnings of prostitution seem to be flaunted around them. Hamid gets more and more angry and seemingly unable to reconcile his morality with the immorality of the world and at one point beats his wife and then rapes her making her into a 'whore' of his fantasy. The story here bears resemblance to the later 'Ek Chadar Maili Si' by the same director and seems to explore the complex world of women and sexuality as viewed by Indian men: mother, goddess, whore. This film also explores the ethos of prostitution in its reality and as a metaphor for the outside world.
Where to Watch.
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Cast & Crew.
Sanjeev Kumar
Hamid Ahmed
Rehana Sultan
Salma Ahmed
Shakeela Bano Bhopali
Shamshad Begum
Anwar Hussain
Akhtar Marativale
Manmohan Krishna
Shahid
Rajinder Singh Bedi
Director / Writer / Producer
Madan Mohan
Original Music Composer
Niranjan Sharma
Tazdar Khan
Kamal Kapoor
Brijmohan
Kamal Bose
Director of Photography
Jagdev
Actor
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Editor
Sudhendu Roy
Art Direction
Dev Kishan
Mirza
Raj Ahuja
Assistant Director
Sardar Basra
Assistant Director
Shakeel Chandra
Assistant Director
Makhan Singh
Assistant Director
Details.
Release DateDecember 31, 1970
Original Nameदस्तक
StatusReleased
Running Time2h 25m
Genres
Last updated:
Wiki.
Dastak (knock on door) is a Hindi film made in 1970. It was written and directed by Rajinder Singh Bedi and was his directorial debut.
The film is known for its performances by its leading cast, Sanjeev Kumar, and the newcomer, Rehana Sultan, and for its memorable songs by Madan Mohan. He won his first National Film Award for it and the lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the film director-turned-editor of this black-and-white film and won a Filmfare Award, his second after Madhumati in 1958.