Shehar Aur Sapna

Synopsis and themes

It was based on Abbas's own story, One Thousand Nights on a Bed of Stones, which describes the struggle in the life of pavement dwellers in the backdrop of rapid industrialization. The theme of the film signified a marked departure from the films, made in 1950s, the opening decade of independent India, as by now the euphoria seen the films like, Naya Daur (1957) and Boot Polish (1954), had been replaced by realism and death of economic idealism. This was also seen in later films like Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974) and Mani Kaul's Uski Roti (1969), as industrialization didn't turn out to be a boon for the masses as promised.

Production

Abbas used his own experiences of sleeping on the footpath at one point in his life, as he had used in his three other films. To prepared for shooting the city "figuratively", he walked about the city under all weathers, to be able to recreated the settings to match the emotional landscape of the film. Though most shot was shot outdoors, in Mumbai slums and roads, on a shoestring budget, for crucial scenes, the cylindrical drainpipes were carried to the studios to recreate life of the urban poor indoors, complete with slums, hutments by the railway line.

Awards

Cast

Music

1. Hazar Ghar Hazar Dar Yeh Sab Hain Ajnabi Magar - Manmohan Krishna
2. Patthar Ka Bhagwan Yehan Hain - Manmohan Krishna
3. Pyaar Ko Aaj Nayi Tarh Nibhana Hoga - Manmohan Krishna
4. Yeh Shaam Bhi Kahaan Hui - Manmohan Krishna