Being called the hero of the common man is an accomplishment all by itself and it is one of the few accomplishments, Balraj Sahni garnered in his long career. The serious look on his face never let him miss a chance to turn his movie into a blockbuster. His art of dialogue delivery and marvelous expressions helped make a mark on the hearts of the audience. The stamp left by Sahni is nearly impossible to take away from the industry. In his phenomenal career, he nurtured several movies that are going to be recited for years by the buffs. Here we bring you a look at the top 10 cult classics of the Balraj Sahni aka Common man’s hero:
1. Kabuliwala: Based on the creation of Rabindranath Tagore, Kabuliwala is a heartwarming movie. The movie is about the connection between a dry fruit seller from Afghan, who finds his daughter figure in a girl named Mini, whom he met during his work trip in Calcutta.
2. Do Raste: With this movie, Rajesh Khanna broke the record of delivering 17 consecutive blockbusters on the screen. There is no denying that the movie was all in all Rajesh Khanna’s classic, but Sahni managed to leave his mark in the blockbuster with her ground-breaking acting performance.
3. Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere: Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere is the story of Panchu Kumtekar, who struggles to make a life in Mumbai. Panchu who manages to make a livelihood as a con-man, gambling and picking pockets with the assistance of another poverty-stricken male, Choti, is accompanied by his little brother. This movie marked the debut of Dharmendra in the Bollywood industry.
4. Do Bigha Zameen: This movie is a true cult classic in every sense. The work of the movie was recognized by the Indian government, as it was awarded the All India Certificate of Merit for Best feature film, it became the first film to win the Filmfare, Best movie award, and the first Indian film to win the International Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
5. Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan: Helmed by Sadashiv J. Row Kavi, the eye-sobbing drama captured Balraj Sahni and Meena Kumari playing the lead role. The movie is based on the connection of love between a Bhabhi and her brother-in-law.
6. Hindustan ki Kasam: One of the initial war movies, Hindustan Ki Kasam, started the genre of patriotic movies in the industry. The movie vividly described the role of the IAF in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war in the western sector.
7. Waqt: This movie was produced by B. R. Chopra and starred an ensemble cast including Sunil Dutt, Raj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Sadhana, Balraj Sahni, Madan Puri, Sharmila Tagore, Achala Sachdev, and Rehman. It pioneered the concept of films with multiple stars, starting a trend followed by other films. The film took the top spot at the box office in 1965.
8. Garam Hawa: If someone wants to go through the effect of the partition between India and Pakistan, this movie can be a great source of information for them. Starring Balraj Sahni in lead, the movie is about a Muslim business and his people’s struggle to get their rights in the country which was once.
9. Dharti ka Lal: In 1949, Dharti Ke Lal became the first Indian film to receive widespread distribution in the USSR. The movie was critically acclaimed for its scathing view of the notorious Bengal famine of 1943 in which over 1.5 million people died. It is considered an important political film as it gives a realistic portrayal of the changing social and economic climate during World War II.
10. Bhabhi: Shanta marries a widower and earns the love and respect of his brothers but the big happy joint family is divided by the quarreling of the younger daughters-in-law.
