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Mammo

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Mammo
Poster
Directed byShyam Benegal
Written byKhalid Mohammed
Shama Zaidi
Javed Siddiqui
Produced byNational Film Development Corporation of India
StarringFarida Jalal
Rajit Kapoor
Surekha Sikri
CinematographyShyam Benegal
Edited byShyam Benegal
Music byVanraj Bhatia
Distributed byNFDC
Release date
  • 8 June 1994 (1994-06-08)
Running time
130 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Mammo is a 1994 Indian Hindi film by Shyam Benegal. It stars Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri, Amit Phalke and Rajit Kapur.

The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1995. Farida Jalal won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, while Surekha Sikri won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. It was the first film of his Muslim trilogy, which included Sardari Begum (1996) and Zubeidaa (2001). The film was critically acclaimed and is regarded amongst Benegal's best works.[1][2]

Plot

13-year-old Riyaz (Amit Phalke) lives a poor lifestyle in Bombay, India, with his grandmother, Fayyuzi (Surekha Sikri), and her sister, Mehmooda Begum, alias Mammo (Farida Jalal). Quite outspoken and embittered over his dad abandoning him, Riyaz does not have many friends, save for Rohan. When Mammo plans a surprise birthday party for him, Riyaz is offended as he believes his friends will make fun of him as his lifestyle is not as good as theirs. Fayyuzi and Riyaz have an argument with Mammo, and she leaves for the mosque at Haji Ali; she returns when they apologize. Although Mammo was born in Panipat during the British Raj, she was one of thousands of Muslims who left for Pakistan after Partition. She and her husband automatically became Pakistani citizens. Although childless, her marriage is a happy one until her husband's death. Over property matters, Mammo is thrown out of the house by her relatives.

Having nowhere else to go, she came to live with her widowed sister in Bombay on a temporary visa. Every month she walks to the nearest police station to get an extension. She finally paid Rs.4800 as a bribe to get a permanent visa through Inspector Apte. When Apte was transferred, a new police inspector took over, processed her papers, took her to be an illegal immigrant, arrested her, had her escorted to the Bombay Central Railway Station and forced her to board the Frontier Mail, which would return her to Pakistan. Riyaz and Fayyuzi make every possible attempt to trace and bring her back, all in vain. Now 20 years later, Riyaz has grown up and has written a book about his Mammo, hoping that someday, somewhere she will find it and they will be reunited.

The movie touches upon several emotional aspects of day-to-day life. Unable to extend her visa, she is deported back to Pakistan. Political priorities defeat humanitarian ones. The director shows a happy ending where Mammo comes to Riyaz and her sister at the end. She pretends that she is dead so that she can continue to stay in India thereafter.

Cast

Soundtrack

The music soundtrack to Mammo was composed by Vanraj Bhatia and the lyrics were written by Gulzar and the song was sung by Jagjit Singh.

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Yeh Faasle Teri Galiyon Ke Humse Taye Na Huye"Jagjit Singh5:58

Reception

Reviewing the film at the International Film Festival of India, S. R. Ashok Kumar of The Hindu wrote that "This emotional film is one of the best of director Shyam Benegal. Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri, Amit Phalke, Himani Shivpuri have come out with sterling performances. Music by Vanraj Bhatia adds life to the film".[3]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
1996 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Best Actress (Hindi) Farida Jalal Won
1995 Filmfare Awards Best Actress (Critics) Won
National Film Awards Best Feature Film in Hindi Shyam Benegal, NFDC and Doordarshan Won [4]
Best Supporting Actress Surekha Sikri Won

References

  1. ^ "Mammo (1994)". Art House Cinema. 11 January 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Movie Reviews | UPN World". www.upnworld.com. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  3. ^ Kumar, S. R. Ashok (12 January 1996). "The cream of Indian cinema". The Hindu. p. 26. Archived from the original on 21 December 1996.
  4. ^ "National Film Awards 1995" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
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