Shri 420 - Nationalism and Citizenship

In Shri 420, Raj Kapoor navigates themes of nationalism and citizenship through the story of Raj, the oft-misguided but sympathetic hero of the film.  Released in 1955, Shri 420 is typical Hindi melodrama with a social conscience, a product of both the influence of Charlie Chaplin’s filmography on Kapoor as well as the state of affairs in post-colonial Indian. This period, known as the Nehru years, bore witness to a significant change in the socioeconomic and political climate in Indian. “The Nehru years (1945-1965) witnessed the welling up of post-independence optimism as well as its ebbing away.” (Sahai, 1987) We see the optimism of the common man reflected in the aspirations of the footpath dwellers, whom, upon meeting Raj – or Raju, as he is affectionately called – espouse their belief in his ability to achieve success in Bombay. “Listen, I told you the poor man’s ‘Raj’ will come some day.” This statement reflects the desire of the common man to see one of their own overcome the odds. We later see Kapoor deflate this optimism during one of Raj the tramp’s musings. “To see this wretched world you have to look at it upside down.” In this statement, Kapoor coyly undermines the moral fabric of the Hindi film universe by casually asserting that to get ahead in life you have to consider the immoral, the perverse, and the untraditional.

If you want to find a model for the ideal Indian identity in Shri 420 you may look no further than the two female heroines of the film, Ganga Ma and Vidya. Ganga Ma, played by Lalita Pawar, is the very likeness of the typical mother figure in Hindi cinema, although she is not Raj’s actual mother; she is always pictured wearing a plain sari; her sexuality is never in question; she espouses quaint rural wisdom; and, she even sports the quintessential cross-eyed look so popular of rural mother figures in Hindi movies of the time. “The use of the mother figure, however, also points up a metaphor that is never far from the surface in Indian discourses on both femininity and nationalism: mother as motherland, Mother India, Mother Earth.” (Thomas, 1995) Vidya in turn is the archetype for female virtue. In typical Bollywood fashion, Vidya serves are Raj’s moral compass, and always strives to do what is just for society. Vidya represents what it means to be a good wife, just as Ganga Ma represents what it means to be a good mother. Betwixt the two they serve to paint a portrait of the ideal Indian woman.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Seth Dharamanand and the showgirl Maya serve as the villains of the film.  “The villain lacks any pride in Indian culture, usually represented either by his being a complete outsider or by his grossly parodied aping of Western mores.” (Thomas, 1995) Seth Dharamanand dresses in Western attire, drinks, and whores, but his greatest sin (according to the universe of Hindi cinema) is his willingness to cheat his fellows and prey up on the naivety of the common people. Similarly, Maya drinks, smokes, and dresses immodestly, all inappropriate behaviors for a young woman. Together, the two represent the corrupting influence of Western values and greed that serve to undermine the Indian values of modesty, hard work, and respect for tradition.

The subject of clothing is explored to such an extent in Shri 420 that it effectively becomes a metaphor for citizenship and patriotism. The opening song of the film, “Mera Joota Hai Japani,” was a smash success following the release of the film, and became a popular patriotic anthem. The chorus of the songs translates to: “My shoes are Japanese, my trousers are English, my hat is Russian, but my heart is Indian.” Through this song, Kapoor’s character of Raj the tramp positions himself squarely in the middle of the conversation of what it means to be a modern Indian man; he may wear clothes from other countries, but at his core he is a son of India, and that is where his allegiances lie. Later in the film we see Raj posing behind a fashionable Western suit in the window of the laundry where he works. When he appears in front of Vidya dressed in his normal shabby clothes, she questions his attire. Raj scolds her, saying, “Man wears clothes, clothes don’t wear man.” In this Kapoor is saying that appearances are deceiving, and that what is truly important is what a man (or woman) does through action and deed. When Raj buys Vidya a beautiful black sari with dirty money given to him by Dharamanand, Vidya is pleased at first, but later resents the gift, because it is a product of the corrupting influence of money and power. She imagines a snake slithering in the folds of the cloth, symbolizing the treachery of placing too much faith in material wealth.

Throughout the film, Kapoor toys with the duality of opportunity and corruption. With his country values, naivety, and desire to find honest work, the Raj who first arrives in Bombay is presented as the future of Indian prosperity, a man dedicated to find honest work in the promised land that is urbanized India. Yet, it is not honest and hardworking Raj who hits it big, but rather Raj Kumar, the 420, who realizes these ambitions of power and wealth. “In Shri 420, Raj Kapoor has sought to bring out the moral and metaphysical dimensions of urban corruption.” (Sahai, 1987) Still, in keeping with tradition, the movie ends happily; Dharamanand and his cronies are taken off in a paddy wagon, Vidya and Raj are reunited, and Raj repents for his misdeeds. Through his errors, Raj learns that life is a 420; you may cheat, steal, and lie to the top, but this success is hollow and will bring you no happiness. Rather, it is only through hard work and organization that can one hope to achieve prosperity. This sentiment echoes the nationalism and opportunism of the time, a reflection of the hope harbored by a fledgling democracy striving to find its place in modern world while clinging to time honored traditions.