Wahan Ke Log (transl. People from Out There) is a 1967 Hindi science fiction film.[1] Directed by Nisar Ahmed Ansari, the film stars Pradeep Kumar, Tanuja, Johnny Walker. One of the earliest sci-fi films made in India,[2][3] it tells the story of a supposed martial threat on India by aliens from outer space intending to rob the rich of their diamonds.[4][5] Made on a low budget, the film was promoted with the tagline "The strange visitors from Mars are on the way".[6]
| Wahan Ke Log | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | N. A. Ansari |
| Written by | K. B. Pathak |
| Produced by | N. A. Ansari |
| Starring | Pradeep Kumar Tanuja |
| Music by | C. Ramchandra |
Production company | Bundelkhand Films |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Plot
editAgent Rakesh is assigned by Chief Sheikh of the Central Intelligence Service to investigate the murder case of Dinanath from Karolbagh, with speculation of a possible involvement of aliens from Mars. Rakesh, who lives with his mother and is to marry Anita, embarks on a journey to Bombay along with private detective Neelkanth, from Blue Bird Detective Agency.
Cast
edit- Pradeep Kumar as Rakesh / Prince Ranveer Singh
- Tanuja as Anita
- Johnny Walker as Neelkanth
- Shobhna Samarth as Rakesh's Mother
- D. K. Sapru as Shaikh
- Neelofar as Margaret
- Nisar Ahmad Ansari as Professor Anil Chakravarty
- Hari Shukla as Dwarka Prasad
- Bela Bose as Sophia
- Laxmi Chhaya as Dancer
- M. A. Latif as Inspector Latif
- Viju Khote as Spaceship Pilot
Soundtrack
editThe music was composed by C. Ramchandra.[7][8] The lyrics were written by Shakeel Badayuni.[9] The songs are as follows:[10]
| Song | Singer |
|---|---|
| "Hum Tujhse Mohabbat Karke" | Mukesh |
| "Tum Kitni Khoobsurat Ho" | Mahendra Kapoor |
| "Woh Pyara Pyara Pyara" | Mahendra Kapoor |
| "Aawaz Meri Sunkar" | Asha Bhosle |
| "Zindagi Ka Nasha" | Asha Bhosle |
Reception
editA review carried by Link magazine was critical of the film, writing: "Credibility is not by any means its forte and there is very little in its length to distinguish it from the stock brew that Bombay is known to bottle under various labels".[11] Being one of the only sci-fi pictures from India, the film has been discussed by a number of scholars.[12][2][13] According to Sami Ahmad Khan, author of the essay Bollywood's Encounters with the Third Kind, Wahan Ke Log seems to have taken inspiration from the Sino-Indian War which took place five years before, even though no mention of China is made in the film.[3] The Times of India listed the film as one of India's "Super C grade movies", dismissing it as the worst of India's sci-fi films.[14] A retrospective review by The Hindu, however, called it "an unusual film, an interesting blend of a ghost and thieving aliens".[15]
References
edit- ^ Raj, Ashok (2009). Hero Vol.1. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 978-93-81398-02-9. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ a b Mohan Nautiyal, Chandra (20 June 2008). "A look at S&T Awareness – Enhancements in India" (PDF). Journal of Science Communication. 7 (2): 5. doi:10.22323/2.07020201. ISSN 1824-2049. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
The first Indian movie (in Hindi) which had some element of Sci-Fi in it was Wahan ke Log (people from there) and included visitors from Mars in its story.
- ^ a b Khan, Sami Ahmad (2014). "Bollywood's Encounters with the Third Kind". In Kishore, V.; Sarwal, A.; Patra, P. (eds.). Bollywood and Its Other(s): Towards New Configurations. Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 186–201. doi:10.1057/9781137426505_13. ISBN 978-1-137-42650-5.
- ^ Gokulsing, K. Moti; Dissanayake, Wimal (2013). Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas. Routledge. p. 247. ISBN 978-1-136-77291-7.
- ^ Smith, Iain Robert (2016). Hollywood Meme: Transnational Adaptations in World Cinema. Edinburgh University Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-7486-7747-4.
- ^ Ghosh, Avijit. "Hrithik passes PM test, over to box office". The Telegraph. No. 3 August 2003. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (10 July 2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Routledge. p. 190. ISBN 978-1-135-94325-7.
- ^ Gulzar; Nihalani, Govind; Chatterjee, Saibal (2003). Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema. Popular Prakashan. p. 538. ISBN 978-81-7991-066-5.
- ^ Vijayakar, Rajiv (2 June 2011). "The soft-spoken bard". The Indian Express. Express Group. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "Wahan Ke Log (1967)". myswar.co. MySwar. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
- ^ "Flying Saucers from Bombay". Link. No. 9. 1967. p. 36.
- ^ Reddi, Madhavi (2018). "Aliens as the Other in Post-Independence Hindi Cinema" (PDF). GNOVIS. 18 (2): 29–40. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Sawhney, Rashmi (1 October 2015). "An evening on Mars, love on the moon: 1960s science fiction films from Bombay". Studies in South Asian Film & Media. 6 (2): 121–146. doi:10.1386/safm.6.2.121_1.
- ^ "7 Super C grade movies". The Times of India. The Times Group. 15 August 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Sen, Aditi (14 April 2018). "What made N.A. Ansari's films so entertaining?". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 September 2020.