Awaara (1951)

Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Blistering performances.

in the East of Europe, under the Comunist regime, the Indian films have had a special status. as alternative to the Soviet movies and propaganda shows. but, in same measure, for the social message. clear . for romanticism and music and charm of actors and dramatic situations. but Awaara was more than a successful Indian film. it was, and remains, an epic. because it gives the right perspective about ordinary, every day situations. because it reminds the joy of life and the deep pain.because it is , like the childhood fairy tales, story of courage and self determination and love difficulties , sacrifice and happiness. because it is nice and bitter and translation in image of known situations. and, sure, for Raj Kapoor. in the East , the Indian film was an open window. Awaara was, for years, one of the most convincing examples.

Perhaps Raj Kapoor's greatest film. Release in 1951, the film was a huge hit not only in India but also in the then Soviet Union, Turkey and other nations. Raj Kapoor plays his Chaplinsque character in this character. Nargis delivers a great performance as Rita. The film is a commentary on the society that exists. It showcases how a petty thief wants to transform himself but the conditions prevalent around him don't allow him. He has to tread the path of evil. The film also showcases the poor living conditions of the slums. The chemistry between Raj Kapoor and Nargis is perfect. The boat scene between them is perfect. It's a craftily put classic. Performances put by Pritviraj Kapoor and Leela Chitnis are also good. The musical score seems perfect.The title song-"Awaara Hoon" was a huge hit when the film was released. The movie is both entertaining while at the same time conveying a strong social message.

I have always like watching movies. However, as time went by, I have only known of Hollywood, European, Japanese, and Filipino cinema. When I learned that Awara is one of Time Magazine's Top 100, I got a copy. The movie called my attention because I haven't seen a Bollywood movie. I watched Awara, and I was entertained. All the genre you can think of, you'll find it there. Name it: melodrama, action, comedy, romance, music, fantasy. Raj Kapoor craftily weaved them in the almost three hour-long classic.Behind the melodrama is the social commentary. The conflict between a person versus the orthodox beliefs of the milieu is a recurring theme each of us face in everyday life. Pressures to adhere to the norm led the main character to his plight. Children growing up in squalid areas is an important issue tackled.The musical sequences showed the movie's multi-faceted nature. It showed references to Chaplin, Rodgers/Hammerstein, and the like. Particularly amazing is the dream sequence in an east meets west setting. Elements of Hindu-Buddhist mythology are mingled with those of ancient Greco-Roman.The eclectic experience solidified my belief that Bollywood is indeed a pillar of world cinema. I look forward to watching more.

When I was little, my grandmother often told me about a movie from her younger ages - Awaara /released as Bradyaga/. She was always telling me, that when it came to Bulgaria it was a total hit. People watched it more that 20 times! (especially the gypsies, who thought of Indian people as their ancestors). If I ask somebody, who is over 50 year old about that film, I am sure, that he will remember it. And when the main actor - Raj Kapoor visited the country, thousands of people traveled to see him. My grandma, who was one of the best portrait photographers at that time and was asked to make his pictures with the leaders of the country, remembers that he and his wife never acted like international movie stars. They met with ordinary people, visited hospitals and orphanages. Why was that film so special? Especially in Bulgaria - a country on a Balcan peninsula with such a different culture from India? First of all, it was so different from the Soviet films that were broad-casted at that time. It was full of life, passion, love, music, and nevertheless - it was a social film - about the problems of the different classes. And it made a country so far away close. It was the first step for the good relationships between our two countries. A few years ago I have the chance to watch this movie. And I can tell, its messages are still up to day. Something that you can tell for every really good film. Watch it, you will not regret it.