20 Mar

Raj Kapoor’s filmmaking was generic and coherence

Raj Kapoor’s first film, Aag, is restrained by smallness of scale; the set is modest and the fiery character of the emotional triangle in the story is rendered chiefly through high-contrast lighting. But his third and fourth films (Awara and Shri 420) disclose a fully operatic style. In Awara, the key court scene is played in a deep, amply lit hall; and in both Awara and Shri 420, the houses of the rich are magnificently spacious, fitted with winding stairs, high ceilings and tall, curtained windows. For music, Raj Kapoor employed the lyricist Shailendra and the composers Shankar-Jaikishen, who specialized in brightening up traditional melodies; a number of their songs for Awara Hun, Mera Joota Hai Japani are among the most popularly known in India. Raj Kapoor also delights in soaring camera movements, as over the courtroom in Awara and under the circus tent in Mera Nam Joker. The speed and freedom of the camera contributes to the audience’s sense of dynamic progress.

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