''Insan Aur Gadha'' (Man and Donkey) is a 1973 Pakistani Urdu satirical comedy film produced and directed by Kamal. The comedy actor Rangeela played the title role of a donkey-turned-human. The other lead cast included

Nisho Bilquis Khanum, (born 13 August 1954) also known as Nisho (Urdu; نشو۔) is a Pakistani film actress. She has worked in more than 150 feature films of Lollywood. Early life Bilquis Begum was born in Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. She completed h ...

, Kamal, and

Rozina Rozina may refer to: People * Rozina (Bangladeshi actress) (born 1955) * Rozina (Pakistani actress) (born 1950) * Rozina Ali (born 1967), English surgeon and consultant * Rozina Cambos (1951–2012), Israeli actress * Rozina Islam, Bangladeshi jo ...

. The central idea of the film was taken from Krishan Chandar's novel "''Gadhay Ki Sarguzasht''". After a few weeks of its release, ''Insan Aur Gadha'' was banned by the Bhutto Government due to a parody speech scene that the government did not like. "Publicly, the reason given for the ban was that the scene had ridiculed the (Pakistani) masses, by depicting them as a bunch of donkeys".

Plot

A donkey desires to be a human, so he prays to God to fulfill his wish. But when his prayer is actually answered and he transforms into a man, he quickly finds out that his life purpose and moral duties were more meaningful and easily identifiable when he was a donkey than when he is a human being. He eventually asks God to change him back into a donkey since he is so disappointed in humanity (or its lack thereof).

Cast

* Rangeela — as the human version of a donkey * Kamal — as the master *

Nirala Nirala, real name Syed Muzaffar Husain Zaidi () (8 August 1937 – 9 December 1990) was a Pakistani comedian and film actor. He only appeared in Urdu films made in Pakistan. His first film was ''Aur bhi gham hain'' (1960). His last film wa ...

Aslam Pervaiz Aslam Parvez (12 February 1932 – 21 November 1984) was a Pakistani film actor. Early and personal life Aslam Parvez was born as Chaudhary Muhammad Aslam Tarar into a family of traders in Lahore, Punjab, British India on 12 February ...

* Hanif * Mehmood Ali * Reshma * Shakeel * Sikandar * Guests appearances:

Ghazala Kaifee Ghazala Kaifee (née Najam) is a Pakistani actress. She is one of the most popular actresses of her time and was one of the most successful actress of 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. She is known for her roles in dramas '' Laikin'', ''Qissa Meherbano K ...

, Iqbal Hassan, Kemal Irani, Afzaal Ahmad,

Sultan Rahi Sultan Rahi (; June 24, 1938 – January 9, 1996) was a Pakistani actor, producer and screenwriter. He established himself as one of the leading and most successful actors of Pakistani and Punjabi cinema, and received a reputation as Pakistan' ...

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Release and ban

''Insan Aur Gadha'' was released on 31 August 1973. Soon after its release at theaters, the

Pakistan People Party The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is a political party in Pakistan and one of the three major Pakistani political parties alongside the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. With a centre-left political position, it is curr ...

's government banned the film due to a satirical speech by the donkey-turned-human character, delivered before a large gathering of donkeys. The political government of the time took the satire as an offense. According to a film critic ''

Mushtaq Gazdar Mushtaq Gazdar () (1937 – 15 November 2000) was a Pakistani film maker and cinematographer, who scripted, directed and produced around 190 short feature films, documentary films and newsreels on subjects including poverty-stricken women, e ...

'', the scene did not conceal the fact that it was parodying Prime Minister

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani barrister and politician who served as the fourth president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973 and later as the ninth Prime Minister of Pakistan, prime minister of Pakistan from 19 ...

's distinctive brand of populist oratory. Though, a month later, the film was allowed to be screened again.

Awards

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Insan Aur Gadha 1973 films 1973 comedy films Films based on Pakistani novels 1970s Urdu-language films Pakistani comedy films Urdu-language Pakistani films Nigar Award winners Film censorship in Pakistan