| Shaheed-E-Mohabbat (Boota Singh) | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Manoj Punj Shamim Ara |
| Produced by | Manjeet Maan |
| Written by | A True Story |
| Screenplay by | Suraj Sanim |
| Based on | A True Story during Partition by 1947 |
| Starring | Gurdas Maan Divya Dutta Arun Bakshi Raghuvir Yadav B.N. Sharma Yograj Chedha |
| Music by | Amar Haldipur |
| Editing by | Omkarnath Bhakri |
| Release date(s) | January, 1999 |
| Running time | 130 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Punjabi |
Shaheed-E-Mohabbat (Punjabi: ਸ਼ਹੀਦ-ਏ-ਮੁਹੱਬਤ) is a National Award winning Punjabi movie based on a True Story directed by Manoj Punj and produced by Manjeet Maan starring Gurdas Maan, Divya Dutta, Chetana Das and Arun Bakshi in lead roles.
The movie was an International hit. It was screened at the 1999 Vancouver International Film Festival, International Film Festival of India and many more.
Contents |
The film is set in 1947.
A Sikh ex-military man Boota Singh in his thirties, returns to his village in Jalandhar from the Burma front after World War II. A hope to have a family of his own yet lurks in some corner of his heart. A trader assures him that if he could raise Rs. 2000/- he would buy a young bride for him from UP. Boota starts saving every penny.
India got freedom in 1947 and Pakistan was born; riots begins on both sides. Boota's village also comes in the grip of riots.
One day while working in his fields a beautiful young Muslim girl, chasing by the vengeful locals comes to him for help. The youths demands the girl or Rs. 2000/-.
Boota could shake them off only after giving them his life's savings. His hopes to settle down by raising dowry money are shattered when he needs to use his savings to rescue the Muslim girl, Zainab. With nowhere to go she stays with Boota.
Later the villagers objects that he can't keep her home like that, he should either marry her or leave her in a camp, where people bound for Pakistan are located. Boota decides that since he is far older, he would better leave her at the camp. As he is about to send her off with a man bound for the camp and who is prepared to marry her there, Zainab, who was already learned about the sacrifice he have made for her and also got touched by his simplicity, asks Boota, if he is so poor that he cannot even feed her two Rotis per day to keep her alive; Boota Singh and Zainab falls in love and decides to get married. Boota's life transforms overnight. Then they have a baby girl. Boota Singh is pretty happy, matrimonially speaking, he is leading a pleasant life.
An uncle of Boota who was scheming that Boota will die unmarried and so the family property will goes to him, becomes jealous on his marriage with Zainab and When in 1952 India and Pakistan agrees to depart the women left behind in riots, he informs the police that there is such Muslim girl in their village also. And in Boota's absence police forcibly dumps Zainab (leaving the kid behind) into a truck bound for a Refugee camp.
And then Zainab is sent to her parents in village Barki (Pakistan). Boota sells all his land and goes along with his child to Pakistan illegally. He is quickly arrested and brought before a judge who is quite willing to free him if his wife owns up. But, under pressure from her family, the girl backs off. A disappointed and mournful Boota jumps with his daughter before an oncoming train. He dies, but miraculously, his daughter is survived. Pakistani youth, overcome by this, hails him "Shaheed-E-Mohabbat Boota Singh" (Martyr-in-love, Boota Singh) and erect a Memorial and a Trust in his name.
The music director is Amar Haldipur and the playback singers are: Gurdas Maan, Asha Bhosle, Mahalakshmi Iyer Anuradha Paudwal, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Karaamat Ali Khan. Amar Haldipur made his best. The movie has 6 original soundtracks: