''Chaukat Raja'' () is a 1991 Indian
Marathi
Marathi may refer to:
*Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India
**Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh
*Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
-language
family drama
In film and television show, television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or docudrama, semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humour, humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional te ...
film directed by
Sanjay Surkar
Sanjay Surkar (19 August 1959 27 September 2012) was a Marathi film director. He won three National Film Awards for the films ''Rao Saheb'' (1996), '' Tu Tithe Mee'' (1998) and ''Gharabaher'' (1999) in Best Feature Film in Marathi category. Al ...
and produced by
Smita Talwalkar
Smita Talwalkar (5 September 1954 – 6 August 2014) was an Indian actress, producer and director in Marathi cinema. She won two National Film Awards as producer of the films ''Kalat Nakalat'' (1989) and '' Tu Tithe Mee'' (1998).
Career
Born a ...
, starring
Dilip Prabhavalkar
Dilip Prabhavalkar (born 4 August 1944) is an Indian Marathi actor, director, playwright and author. He has a career spanning over five decades in Hindi and Marathi theatre, television and movies. He was awarded the National Film Award for Best ...
,
Ashok Saraf
Ashok Saraf (born 4 June 1947) is an Indian actor and comedian, known for his work in Marathi and Hindi films along with theatre in both languages. Saraf has received several awards including eleven Maharashtra State Film Awards and four Filmfar ...
,
Smita Talwalkar
Smita Talwalkar (5 September 1954 – 6 August 2014) was an Indian actress, producer and director in Marathi cinema. She won two National Film Awards as producer of the films ''Kalat Nakalat'' (1989) and '' Tu Tithe Mee'' (1998).
Career
Born a ...
and
Sulabha Deshpande
Sulabha Deshpande (; 1937 – 4 June 2016) was an Indian actress and theatre director. Apart from Marathi theatre and Hindi theatre in Mumbai, she acted in over 73 mainstream Bollywood films. She also performed in art house cinema such as '' Bh ...
. The story revolves around the mentally ill Nandu (portrayed by Dilip Prabhavalkar) and his life journey.
Dilip Prabhavalkar
Dilip Prabhavalkar (born 4 August 1944) is an Indian Marathi actor, director, playwright and author. He has a career spanning over five decades in Hindi and Marathi theatre, television and movies. He was awarded the National Film Award for Best ...
received the
Maharashtra State Award for Best Actor for his depiction of a youngster with developmental disabilities named "Nandu," conveys a great deal of innocence. The film's highlights include his stage performance of "Mi Asa Kasa Vegala," () and his reactions to his mother's passing. Before Prabhavalkar,
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
actor
Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal (born 30 May 1955) is an Indian actor, comedian, film producer and politician known for his works primarily in Hindi cinema, Hindi films. He has Paresh Rawal filmography, appeared in over 240 films and is the recipient of various L ...
was offered the role.
''Chaukat Raja'' was a commercial success and is regarded as a
classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...
milestone in
Indian cinema
The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on p ...
.
Plot
Meenal and Rajan Ketkar move to
Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
with their daughter Rani. Meenal is simple housewife who has grown up in the village and is not used to city life. Durgamaushi is an old woman who delivers milk to the apartment Meenal and Rajan have moved in. Durga Mavshi lives with her adult intellectually disabled son Nandu in a Chawl in front of Meenal's apartment building. During their first few days in the new house, Rani becomes the target of Nandu's mischief. Thinking Rani is in danger, Meenal intervenes and slaps Nandu. Durga Mavshi comes over and drags Nandu home while beating him with a stick. Meenal feels that she has met Durga Mavshi before but she is not able to place her in memory.
When Meenal visits Durga Mavshi's house with Rani to retrieve Rani's lost doll Gana, Durga Mavshi's neighbor, tells her about Nandu's past. Meenal realizes where she has met Durga Mavshi. Through flashback it is revealed that Nandu and Meenal (then Mangala Karve) were neighbors on Pawas, India. They were best friends and cared for each other a lot. Meenal called Nandu her Chaukat Raja (King of Diamonds in English) because of his versatile but uncommon personality. When Nandu is 10 and Meenal is 7, Nandu climbs a mango tree at Meenal's insistence but loses his footing. He has a severe brain injury due to this fall. Soon after, Durga Mavshi and Nandu move to Mumbai for better medical care and Meenal moves to a different village due to the father's job.
Realizing Nandu is her long-lost best friend and feeling responsible for his intellectual disability, Meenal tries to support Nandu. She reveals her identity to Nandu and then to Durga Mavshi. Durga Mavshi discourages Meenal from rekindling any relationship with Nandu since even though Nandu is intellectually a 10-year-old, physically he is in his 30s and society sees him as a man even though he is still a child. Meenal still tries to be friends with Nandu. Rajan doesn't understand the relationship Meenal and Nandu have, he becomes very possessive and tries to distance Meenal from Nandu.
Thinking that if he is older, Meenal might feel more comfortable with being friends with him, Nandu observes older people around him and imitates some romantic behavior he has seen. Scared, Meenal seeks help from Director (
Reema Lagoo
Reema Lagoo (born Nayan Bhadbhade; 21 June 1958 – 18 May 2017) was an Indian theatre and screen actress known for her work in Hindi and Marathi cinema. She began her acting career in the Marathi theatre, after which she became a household na ...
) of a school for intellectually disabled kids. Rana and Meenal convince Durga Mavshi that the school is the best option for Nandu and he will be able to show improvements with support from the school. It takes Nandu a while to settle in his new environment but he is able to make friends and learn new skills.
During a talent show, Nandu performs a song on stage. He notices Meenal in the audience but gets spooked when Meenal has to leave in the middle of his performance. Nandu runs away from the school. On hearing this news, Durva Mavshi goes into shock and passes away soon after. Police find Nandu near a brothel and bring him back to the Chawl. Nandu is unable to perform last rites for his mother as he does not understand that she is dead. He runs to the only other person he finds comfortable - Meenal. Meenal is shocked to hear about Durva Mavshi's death, but Rajan doesn't want to see Nandu in his house and he kicks Nandu out. Rajan's lack of empathy saddens Meenal even further. Understanding his mistake, Rajan follows Nandu to the Chawl, to find him curled up in bed, helpless, crying his eyes out.
In the aftermath, Rajan and Meenal adopt Nandu. Nandu, with support from the school, becomes an internationally renowned artist.
Cast
*
Dilip Prabhavalkar
Dilip Prabhavalkar (born 4 August 1944) is an Indian Marathi actor, director, playwright and author. He has a career spanning over five decades in Hindi and Marathi theatre, television and movies. He was awarded the National Film Award for Best ...
as Nandu (a disabled boy)
*
Smita Talwalkar
Smita Talwalkar (5 September 1954 – 6 August 2014) was an Indian actress, producer and director in Marathi cinema. She won two National Film Awards as producer of the films ''Kalat Nakalat'' (1989) and '' Tu Tithe Mee'' (1998).
Career
Born a ...
as Madhavi Ketkar
*
Sulabha Deshpande
Sulabha Deshpande (; 1937 – 4 June 2016) was an Indian actress and theatre director. Apart from Marathi theatre and Hindi theatre in Mumbai, she acted in over 73 mainstream Bollywood films. She also performed in art house cinema such as '' Bh ...
as Durga Maushi (Nandu's mother)
* Dilip Kulkarni as Rajan Ketkar
*
Ashok Saraf
Ashok Saraf (born 4 June 1947) is an Indian actor and comedian, known for his work in Marathi and Hindi films along with theatre in both languages. Saraf has received several awards including eleven Maharashtra State Film Awards and four Filmfar ...
as Ganpat (Gana)
* Gauri Kendre as Ganga's wife
*
Nayana Apte as Gynaecologist
*
Nirmiti Sawant
Nirmiti Sawant is a Marathi people, Marathi actress, who mainly acts in Marathi films, television and dramas. She became popular after her performance in Indian soap opera, daily TV soap ''Kumari Gangubai Non-Matric'' along with Pandharinath K ...
as Colony resident
*Rajasi Behere as Rani
*
Reema Lagoo
Reema Lagoo (born Nayan Bhadbhade; 21 June 1958 – 18 May 2017) was an Indian theatre and screen actress known for her work in Hindi and Marathi cinema. She began her acting career in the Marathi theatre, after which she became a household na ...
as Director of school
Reception
In a positive review ''
Medium
Medium may refer to:
Aircraft
*Medium bomber, a class of warplane
* Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''The Medium'' (1921 film), a German silent film
* ''The Medium'' (1951 film), a film vers ...
'' reviewed overall film as "A joy for audiences who denounce melodrama for realistic acting."
Awards
* 1992 –
Maharashtra State Film Award
Maharashtra State Film Awards, one of the prestigious awards of Marathi cinema, are awarded by the Government of Maharashtra to Marathi language films and artists. They were first awarded in 1963.
The Maharashtra State Film Awards are adjudicat ...
for Best Actor –
Dilip Prabhavalkar
Dilip Prabhavalkar (born 4 August 1944) is an Indian Marathi actor, director, playwright and author. He has a career spanning over five decades in Hindi and Marathi theatre, television and movies. He was awarded the National Film Award for Best ...
– for his portrayal of a disabled boy
* 1992 Maharashtra State Film award for Best playback singer female for song "Ek Jhoka"
Soundtrack
The music is composed by
Anand Modak
Anand Modak (; 13 May 1951 – 23 May 2014) was an acclaimed Marathi film composer and music director in Marathi cinema and Marathi theatre, known for his experimental style. His notable films include ''22 June 1897'' (1979), ''Kalat Nakalat'' ...
and songs were penned by Sudhir Moghe.
References
External links
*
{{Smita Talwalkar
1990s Marathi-language films
Films directed by Sanjay Surkar
Films scored by Anand Modak
1991 drama films
Marathi-language family drama films
Films about disability in India
Films set in Mumbai