saw it for the first time since my childhood today

First of all, I am Turkish! so I literally grew up the this movie like so many people in Turkey. But as a child, I was not really aware what this film is about. I used to see this film as a drama with wonderful songs and dancing. Now, seeing it again after 20+ years (I'm 32 presently), I realize that this movie has a brilliant story with an extremely good filmmaking.

(Lots of spoilers)

At one level, I think this is a father-son story. Sons idealize their fathers and don't want to be like their fathers at the same time. This movie takes the "nature versus nurture" discussion to its most critical and dramatic format: father and son. Also remember that the genetical aspect of criminality was under discussion at that time, somehow giving a more credible stance to the subject matter of this movie.

At another level however, I feel that this movie questions the Westernization of India (I admit that I am not that knowledgeable about India, so this is only my gut feeling). The girl's name was Rita (western, modern name) and the boy's name is Raj (a "plain" Indian name?)

India had this cast system which had apparently no social mobility, so you literally grew up to be "like" your father, at least in terms of social standing (see the paragraph above). Later, as India westernized, social mobility was much wider, but I think the movie claims that this is only an appearance. As long as social prejudices and poverty exists, social mobility can not be so much.

Finally, in the movie, there is this dilemma between goodness and high status. The basic discussion in the movie (a thief's son will be a thief) takes a different turn when you realize that Raj's father who is a high respected judge, is not "good" (he left his pregnant wife!) but only has social status. Raj has a low social status (a thief and a killer) but also is a mixture of good and evil. This may also be Raj Kapoor's critique of Indian society (of MOST societies) which equate goodness with social status and respectability.

END OF SPOILERS


In the end, I think this film is equal in quality to a Dostoyevski novel (compare it to Crime and Punishment as Raj being Raskolnikov, or Brothers Karamozov), but also has that extremely hummable theme song :)

(yes, the song has been covered by many Turkish singers;)). I only wish it was in color because the addition of colors would add to the visual depiction of richness and poverty.

This is one masterpiece, and I am really glad I saw this again.