Massey Sahib

Synopsis

The film is set in 1929, in a small town in Central India. Francis Massey (Raghubir Yadav) is a clerk in the Deputy Commissioner's office in the colonial administration of British India. He aspires to be like the colonial rulers, and thinks of himself as different from his Indian compatriots. In his wish to help the rulers – in particular, his immediate superior, Deputy Commissioner Charles Adam (Barry John) – he adopts methods that are irregular. Adam's dream project of building a road through the forest is stuck for lack of funds. Massey manages to get it completed using a mixture of manipulation, persuasion and threats. To his surprise, he is accused of corruption by the very boss whom he had meant to help, and who had condoned his earlier transgressions. His wife too is forcefully taken back by her family. He turns for help to his friend Banaji to get his wife back. Banaji refuses to help him. In an act of frustrated rage, Massey kills Banaji. He is arrested for murder, and Adam advises him to plead guilty to accidental manslaughter. However, Massey refuses, secure in the belief that his Adam Sahib will help him out, leading to the tragic denouement.

Cast

Crew

Production

The film was shot on location in and around Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh. In an interview, Raghubir Yadav said that he was very nervous about facing the camera for the first time, but was reassured by Barry John, with whom had worked on the stage. He added, "Till we reached Pachmarhi for the shoot, I was not clear how I would play this complex character. One week before the shooting I saw an old man on the road in an outfit similar to what Massey was expected to wear. He seemed to belong to that era. I followed his mannerisms."

Awards