Traditional Diwali disappeared from Hindi cinema:

Now I remember - the song composed by Mukesh 'Ek woh Bhi Diwali thi, Ek Yeh Bhi Diwali hai, Ujda hua gulshan hai, Rota hua maali hai.'

On Diwali, pomp and show are seen everywhere. Bollywood also does not lag behind in celebrating this festival and its impact is also visible on screen in cinema. Festivals have often been depicted in films. But with time, due to the way commercialism has come to dominate human life, Bollywood, and cinema, Diwali has almost disappeared from Hindi films.

It's a matter of time. There was a time when Diwali did not mean shopping, it was a festival of lights. Electric lamps were not installed; lamps were lit using oil wicks. Even without anyone telling us, we knew that Diwali is celebrated to celebrate the return of Lord Shri Ram to Ayodhya. That was the time when the village, society, family, and relationships were not full of stories. We lived them and learned from them. On the occasion of Diwali, I learned from my mother and aunt how to plaster and make rangoli, and from my uncle, I learned how to light a candle. There was a different pleasure in making mud huts with my sisters. The elders were seen worshiping Lakshmi and tried to carry on the same tradition in the same manner. The village and the society were left behind with time, but the traditions remained with us and moved with us. Yes! This is a bitter truth. Now everything has become pretense and hypocrisy. Ever since the BJP government was in power in Uttar Pradesh, every year Diwali has been celebrated by lighting lakhs of earthen lamps on the banks of river Saryu in Ayodhya, but our filmmakers have not learned anything from this.

The truth is that Diwali has disappeared from films. The meaning of Diwali is the celebration of the whole family together. This festival works to give energy to relationships. But we do not remember after the film 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam' released in 2001, any Diwali scene was shot in any film, where the entire family was seen together. In the 2001 film 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam', as the Raichand family gets ready to celebrate Diwali and organize Lakshmi Puja in their luxurious home, Jaya Bachchan walks out into the foyer as if she realizes that her son is about to arrive. Is. Starring actors like Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor, this film brilliantly shows the importance of family and relationships. Everyone remembers a scene from this film when Jaya Bachchan stands at the door carrying the Aarti plate for her son i.e. Shahrukh Khan. This scene has been filmed for the occasion of Diwali.

The film 'Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya', released in 2001, showed the relationship between husband and wife amidst domestic problems and tremendous comedy. The song ‘Aayi Re Diwali Suno Ji Gharwali’ of this film is a song filmed on Diwali, which enhances the beauty of the festival. There is a Diwali scene between Johnny Lever and Ketaki Dave in this film, seeing which it is difficult to stop laughing.

Earlier in 2000, there was a Diwali song 'Pairon Mein Bandhan Hai' in the film 'Mohabbatein'. This melodious song has a special place in everyone's heart. This song says a lot. Directed by Aditya Chopra, the musical romantic drama film also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Jugal Hansraj, Jimmy Shergill, and Shamita Shetty among others. But after this, even Aditya Chopra could not show a joint family celebrating Diwali in any of his films. Perhaps the main reason for this could also be that he himself has forgotten the importance of this festival and relationships.

In the film “Vaastaav” released in 1999, filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar filmed the festival of Diwali in a unique way while talking about relationships. Due to being a gangster, there is sourness between Sanjay Dutt and his family. But on the occasion of Diwali, gangster Sanjay Dutt comes out of his hideout laden with gold jewelry to meet his family. There was a moment in the film where Sanjay Dutt tells his mother (Reema Lagoo) the value of the gold worn on his body and says – “Ye dekh pachas Tola”, this scene is worth watching.

But Rajshree Production's film “Hum Aapke Hain Kaun..!” released in 1994, had such a lovely scene of Diwali, which people like to watch even today. In the film, Renuka Shahane's character gives birth to a boy during the festive season. The entire family celebrates Diwali on the occasion of his arrival, which is memorable due to an iconic song ‘Dikhtana’. Directed by Sooraj Barjatya, this film also featured Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Mohnish Bahl in important roles.

Whatever was shown as the festival of Diwali in the above films of the nineties or later is not in accordance with the Indian civilization or culture. But for the generation that does not have knowledge of Indian civilization, tradition, and culture or who was born in a foreign country, It is true that for them the scenes depicted in these films are Diwali. But if you want to enjoy Diwali, you will have to watch films made before the seventies. The songs composed for the festival of Diwali in the films of that period also give spiritual satisfaction. This is the reason why these words of the 1961 song written by Pt. Narendra Sharma, “Jyoti Kalash Chhalke Hue Pink Red Golden Color, Clouds of Clouds Jyoti Kalash Chhalke Ghar Aangan Van Upvan Upvan Karti Jyoti Amrit Ke Sinchan Mangal Ghat Dhalke, Jyoti Kalash Chhalke” When Mangeshkar's voice is heard even today, it is as if the lights of Diwali illuminate the soul.

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If we want to experience the festival of Diwali in the true sense, then we should watch films like Jayant Desai's film 'Diwali' shown in 1940, Gajanan Jagirdar's film 'Gharghar Aayi Diwali' shown in 1955, Deepak Asha's 'Diwali Ki Raat' shown in 1956. Joharbai Ambale Wali expresses Diwali with these words for Swarnakanta in the film 'Ratan' released in 1944 - "I have come Diwali, I have come Diwali, let the kite dance with Deepak, tell me with whom I should dance.." and in 1946, Maharana Pratap In the film 'Maharana Pratap' made on the life of Maharana Pratap, it is said in Khurshid's voice in the words of Swami Ramanand - 'Aayi Diwali Deepon wali, sing friends, sing friends, O Pardesi Meri Neer Bhari Ankhiyan.'

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In fact, festivals like Diwali remained so intertwined in Indian life that without them it was not possible to express our happiness and sorrow. These festivals, in some way or the other, reflected our sensitivity and our sociality. If the peak of joy had to be shown on the big screen, then festivals like Diwali would have been used as an excuse, even if in the words of Rajendra Krishna in 'Khazanchi', something like this can be heard - 'Diwali has come, how did it bring light and the lamps of happiness lit up in every house. 'These rows of lamps make the sun shy, when do these springs of light come every day?' Is the song from Dev Anand's film 'Jamgaati Diwali ki raat aa gayi' in any film today, as if a wedding procession has come in the house of stars? Gone, just as the flower's face got colored, the buds got the way to laugh, just as the bride felt shy due to the advice.' As is heard in a song.

Or in the voice of Geeta Dutt in the 1957 film 'Paisa', it comes like this - 'Priya is coming, the one who shakes the strings of the Veena is coming, Priya is coming, the listener of Prem Aalap is coming, and Nupur’s Shehnai is playing 'Jhannan Jhannan', Deep Jalenge Deep Diwali. Have you come?

In the film 'Anurag' released in 1972, all the neighbors celebrate the festival of Diwali together to fulfill the last wish of the cancer children. Where the importance of relationships comes to the fore with teamwork, mutual trust, and confidence. In fact, Diwali is not just a festival or the celebration of the lamp lit on the return of Shri Ram to the forest, rather the festival of 'Diwali' is a festival of giving the message of family unity, relationships, and humanity. Where 'sweetening the mouth' has its own importance.

There are many songs made in Bollywood which are not only sung beautifully but also touch the heart. There is one such devotional song composed on Diwali which almost everyone must have heard. The song 'Deepawali Manao Suhani', filmed on Diwali in the 1977 film 'Shirdi Ke Sai Baba', is widely hummed.

A very beautiful song has also been shot on Diwali in the film “Jugnu” released in 1973. Whose lyrics are – “Deep Diwali Ke Jhoote...?” This song composed by Kishore Kumar touches the hearts of people. In this song, actor Dharmendra and comedian Mehmood are shown having fun with many children.

The truth is that earlier the diversity and tradition of the festival of Diwali was visible in Hindi cinema. At that time, the faces shining amidst the earthen lamps in the songs had a different color. At that time, the lamps used to depict the feelings of human hearts on rangoli were lit and spread such light, for which no one has the answer today. Now neither our filmmakers are serving anything like this nor is it visible anywhere in society.

Diwali has always been a festival that plays the role of a catalyst for Indian culture. This wonderful song is heard in filmmaker Mugan Kumaran's film 'Jeevan Jyoti', released in 1976, written by Anand Bakshi and composed by Lata Mangeshkar under the direction of musician Salil Chaudhary. Which cow, Tulsi, temple, rangoli, family, and all the symbols of Indian culture are beautifully reflected. The lyrics of the song are – “The Gaia (daughter-in-law) of the house applies Tilak like this that Gaia becomes the mother of the house and feeds milk… Through the door through which the daughter-in-law of the house decorates Rangoli, Goddess Lakshmi comes inside the house.”

Earlier, Diwali also gave us an opportunity to remember what we had lost to achieve this. A glimpse of this is seen in the song 'Ek woh bhi Diwali thi, Ek yeh bhi Diwali hai, Ujda hua gulshan hai, Rota hua maali hai' sung by Mukesh.

Ketan Mehta once said – “In my view, cinema is an experience of life, which you can expand… By watching the cinema, a person can expand his seriousness. I believe it is possible to serve intelligent and serious entertainment. Cinema is not a slogan or a statement written on the wall but an experience.'' If we test these words of Ketan Mehta, we will realize that the main reason for the disappearance of traditional Diwali from our present-day films is that Today's generation of filmmakers lacks the experience of Indian civilization, culture, and traditional festivals.

The truth is that Indian, especially Hindi, cinema has stopped participating in the excitement of Diwali. In the last several years, there has hardly been any film in which Diwali has been shown in its traditional style.

-Shantiswarup Tripathi