Utsav

Utsav
File:UTSAV.jpg Movie poster
Directed by	Girish Karnad
Produced by	Shashi Kapoor
Written by	Krishna Basrur, Girish Karnad (Screenplay) Sharad Joshi (Dialogue)
Based on	Mrichakatika by Śūdraka
Starring	Rekha Amjad Khan Shashi Kapoor Shekhar Suman
Narrated by	Amjad Khan
Music by	Laxmikant Pyarelal Vasant Dev (lyrics)
Cinematography	Ashok Mehta
Edited by	Bhaudas Divakar
Release dates	23 August 1984 (1984-08-23)
Running time	145 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi

Utsav (Hindi: उत्सव; English: The Festival) is a 1984 Hindi drama film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad. The film is based 2nd-century BC Sanskrit play, Mrichakatika (The Little Clay Cart) by Shudraka.

The film stars Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Amjad Khan, Anuradha Patel, Shekhar Suman, Anupam Kher, Shankar Nag, Neena Gupta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Annu Kapoor, Sanjana Kapoor and Kunal Kapoor.

The role of Samsthanak played by Shashi Kapoor, who is also the producer of this movie, was originally to be played by Amitabh Bachchan. However, in July 1982 Bachchan met with a major accident in Bangalore, therefore the producer himself decided to step in. The film's music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal and is still noted for its songs like, 'Mann Kyun Behka', a rare duet by Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar, and Anuradha Paudwal's 'Mere Man Baje Mridang' for which she won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award in 1985. Suresh Wadkar also has a song, 'Saanj Dhale Gagan Tale'. The Central Board of Film Certification of India gave this movie "A" certificate which means "Restricted to adults" on 23 August 1984.

Overview

The film is an adaptation of Mṛcchakaṭika (The Little Clay Cart), a ten-act Sanskrit drama attributed to Śūdraka an ancient playwright generally thought to have lived sometime between the second century BC and the fifth century AD whom the prologue identifies as a Kshatriya king and a devotee of Siva who lived for 100 years. The play is set in the ancient city of Ujjayini during the reign of the King Pālaka, near the end of the Pradyota dynasty that made up the first quarter of the fifth century BC.

Plot

The story is about a courtesan, Vasantasena (Rekha), and her chance meeting with a poor Brahmin man, Charudatta (Shekhar Suman), in Ujjain.

Cast

• Shashi Kapoor as Samsthanak
• Rekha as Vasantsena
• Amjad Khan as Vatsayana, author of Kamasutra; narrator
• Shankar Nag as Sajjal, the thief
• Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Teacher of Aryak
• Shekhar Suman as Charudutt
• Neena Gupta as Madanika, courtesan slave in Vasantsena's house
• Anuradha Patel as Aditi, Charudutt's Wife
• Anupam Kher as Samsthanak's friend
• Annu Kapoor as Masseur who is trying to be an ascetic
• Sanjana Kapoor as A courtesan slave in Vasantsena's house
• Kunal Kapoor as Aryak, the revolutionary.
• Harish Patel as Maitreya, Charudutt's friend.
• Yunus Parvez as One of the gamblers, who later becomes the owner of the masseur
• Satish Kaushik as Cart driver
• Utsav Shah as Civic driver

Production

The film was shot in Bangalore in 1982-83. Eventually producer Shashi Kapoor, incurred a loss of Rs 1.5 crore after the film's release in 1984, as it was a commercial failure. Thus he couldn't produce another film until Ajooba (1991).

Soundtracks

No.	Title	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Mere Man Baaja Mridang Manjira"	Aarti Mukherji, Anuradha Paudwal, Suresh Wadkar
2.	"Mann Kyun Behaka Re Behaka"	Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle
3.	"Saanj Dhale Gagan Tale"	Suresh Wadkar
4.	"Neelam Pe Nabh Chhaye"	Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle

Awards

• 1985 National Film Award for Best Art Direction: Nachiket Patwardhan, Jayoo Patwardhan
• 1985 Filmfare Best Lyricist Award: Vasant Dev - "Mann Kyun Behka"
• 1985 Filmfare Best Female Playback Award: Anuradha Paudwal - "Mere Man Baje Mridang"

External links

• Utsav at IMDb
• A study of film Utsav