Katha (film)
Encyclopedia
Katha (Hindi: कथा ) is a 1983 Hindi film by Sai Paranjpye
featuring Naseeruddin Shah
, Farooq Shaikh
and Deepti Naval
in the main roles. The film is about the daily lives of people living in a Bombay chawl
.
It was shot on location at Salunke Chawl near Churchgate
. Jalal Agha
and Sarika
made guest appearances in the movie. Apparently, one of the principal characters played by Faroukh Sheikh was named Basu Bhatt, after filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya
The tortoise — Rajaram P. Joshi (Naseeruddin Shah
) — is a middle-class clerk living in a chawl (middle-class apartment complex) in Bombay. He is secretly in love with his neighbor, Sandhya Sabnis (Deepti Naval
) but is unable to disclose his love for her, mainly due to his timidity. Rajaram is a very good-natured and hardworking man and most of his neighbors and colleagues take advantage of his goodness.
One day Rajaram's fast-tallking friend Bashudev (Farooq Shaikh
) — the hare — comes for a visit and makes himself at home. Bashudev generally impresses people by his false success stories and his over-the-top attitude.
Bashudev starts wooing Sandhya, and she falls in love with him. He then joins Rajaram's company, Footprint shoes, by impressing his boss Mr. Dhindhoria telling him false stories about his golf love and work experience. He also starts flirting with Dhindhoria's beautiful wife Anuradha (Mallika Sarabhai
) and his daughter Jojo (Vini Paranjapey) at the same time.
In the chawl the Sabniss decide to marry Sandhya and Bashudev, much to the misery of Rajaram. But on the day of the engagement, Bashudev disappears after being caught red-handed by Jojo romancing Anuradha. The engagement is called off. Rajaram then offers to marry the devastated Sandhya, but she tells him that she has been very intimate with Bashudev and is perhaps pregnant. Rajaram shows his greatness by accepting her in spite of all this and expressing his long hidden love towards her.
Sai Paranjpye
Sai Parānjpye is a movie director and a screenwriter in India. She is the director of award-winning movies, Sparsh, Katha, Chasme Buddoor, and Disha....
featuring Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
, Farooq Shaikh
Farooq Shaikh
Farooq Sheikh or Farooque Sheikh is an Indian actor, philanthropist and a popular television presenter. He is best known for his films during the 1970s and 1980s. His major contribution was in Parallel Cinema or the New Indian Cinema...
and Deepti Naval
Deepti Naval
Deepti Naval is an acclaimed Indian actress. She has acted in over 75 Hindi films, and most often worked in arthouse and independent films, known as parallel cinema in India.-Early life:Born in Amritsar, Punjab, India...
in the main roles. The film is about the daily lives of people living in a Bombay chawl
Chawl
A chawl is a name for a type of building found in India. They are often 4 to 5 stories with about 10 to 20 tenements, referred to as kholis, which literally mean 'rooms' on each floor...
.
It was shot on location at Salunke Chawl near Churchgate
Churchgate
Churchgate is an area in downtown South Mumbai. During the eighteenth and up to the mid 19th century, Bombay was a walled city. The city walls had three gates, and Church Gate, named after St. Thomas Cathedral, Mumbai was one of the gates. The gate was situated near the present day location of...
. Jalal Agha
Jalal Agha
Jalal Agha was an Indian actor and director in Bollywood films. Son of the popular comedian Agha, Jalal studied acting at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.-Career:...
and Sarika
Sarika
Sarika was born on 3 June 1962 into a Maharashtrian family in New Delhi, India, and became an acclaimed National Award winning Indian actress.-Career:...
made guest appearances in the movie. Apparently, one of the principal characters played by Faroukh Sheikh was named Basu Bhatt, after filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya
Plot
The film is loosely based on the classical Indian folktale, of the hare and the tortoise and provides a modern interpretation. Even though the good (tortoise) may win in the end, is it worth the wait?The tortoise — Rajaram P. Joshi (Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
) — is a middle-class clerk living in a chawl (middle-class apartment complex) in Bombay. He is secretly in love with his neighbor, Sandhya Sabnis (Deepti Naval
Deepti Naval
Deepti Naval is an acclaimed Indian actress. She has acted in over 75 Hindi films, and most often worked in arthouse and independent films, known as parallel cinema in India.-Early life:Born in Amritsar, Punjab, India...
) but is unable to disclose his love for her, mainly due to his timidity. Rajaram is a very good-natured and hardworking man and most of his neighbors and colleagues take advantage of his goodness.
One day Rajaram's fast-tallking friend Bashudev (Farooq Shaikh
Farooq Shaikh
Farooq Sheikh or Farooque Sheikh is an Indian actor, philanthropist and a popular television presenter. He is best known for his films during the 1970s and 1980s. His major contribution was in Parallel Cinema or the New Indian Cinema...
) — the hare — comes for a visit and makes himself at home. Bashudev generally impresses people by his false success stories and his over-the-top attitude.
Bashudev starts wooing Sandhya, and she falls in love with him. He then joins Rajaram's company, Footprint shoes, by impressing his boss Mr. Dhindhoria telling him false stories about his golf love and work experience. He also starts flirting with Dhindhoria's beautiful wife Anuradha (Mallika Sarabhai
Mallika Sarabhai
Mallika Sarabhai is an activist and Indian Classical Dancer from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Daughter of Classical Dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and renowned Space Scientist Vikram Sarabhai, Mallika is an accomplished Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer.-Early life:Mallika Sarabhai was born in...
) and his daughter Jojo (Vini Paranjapey) at the same time.
In the chawl the Sabniss decide to marry Sandhya and Bashudev, much to the misery of Rajaram. But on the day of the engagement, Bashudev disappears after being caught red-handed by Jojo romancing Anuradha. The engagement is called off. Rajaram then offers to marry the devastated Sandhya, but she tells him that she has been very intimate with Bashudev and is perhaps pregnant. Rajaram shows his greatness by accepting her in spite of all this and expressing his long hidden love towards her.
Cast
- Naseeruddin ShahNaseeruddin ShahNaseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
as Rajaram Purshotam Joshi - Farooq ShaikhFarooq ShaikhFarooq Sheikh or Farooque Sheikh is an Indian actor, philanthropist and a popular television presenter. He is best known for his films during the 1970s and 1980s. His major contribution was in Parallel Cinema or the New Indian Cinema...
as Bashudev (Bashu) - Deepti NavalDeepti NavalDeepti Naval is an acclaimed Indian actress. She has acted in over 75 Hindi films, and most often worked in arthouse and independent films, known as parallel cinema in India.-Early life:Born in Amritsar, Punjab, India...
as Sandhya Sabnis - Jalal AghaJalal AghaJalal Agha was an Indian actor and director in Bollywood films. Son of the popular comedian Agha, Jalal studied acting at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.-Career:...
as Himself - Sudha Chopra as club singer
- Arun Joglekar as Bhau Sabnis (Sandhya's father)
- Veeni Paranjape Joglekar as Jojo
- Yatin Karyekar as Dancer
- Rita Rani Kaul as Sandhaya's neighbour
- Leela MishraLeela MishraLeela Mishra was an Indian film actor, who worked as a character actor in over 200 Hindi films for five decades, eventually playing stock characters like aunts, Chachi or Mausi...
as Dadi Amma - Mallika SarabhaiMallika SarabhaiMallika Sarabhai is an activist and Indian Classical Dancer from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Daughter of Classical Dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and renowned Space Scientist Vikram Sarabhai, Mallika is an accomplished Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer.-Early life:Mallika Sarabhai was born in...
as Anuradha - SarikaSarikaSarika was born on 3 June 1962 into a Maharashtrian family in New Delhi, India, and became an acclaimed National Award winning Indian actress.-Career:...
as Herself