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Dastak (1970) [N/A]

Release Date:
December 31, 1970

Original Title:
दस्तक

Genres:
Drama | Music

Production Companies:
Dachi Films

Production Countries:
India

Ratings / Certifications:
IN: U 

Runtime: 145

Overview from TheMovieDB

Tells the story of newly weds Hamid and Salma. They move into a rental flat next door to the local red light district. The flat had been the former home of a well known mujra and qawali singer, Shamshad. Men still come to the door in the hope of seeing Shamshad and do not seem too put out by seeing Salma despite her protestations. The couple struggle to live within the bounds of their own moral code while the earnings of prostitution seem to be flaunted around them. Hamid gets more and more angry and seemingly unable to reconcile his morality with the immorality of the world and at one point beats his wife and then rapes her making her into a 'whore' of his fantasy. The story here bears resemblance to the later 'Ek Chadar Maili Si' by the same director and seems to explore the complex world of women and sexuality as viewed by Indian men: mother, goddess, whore. This film also explores the ethos of prostitution in its reality and as a metaphor for the outside world.

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Performers

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Production

Art Direction:
Sudhendu Roy

Assistant Director:
Raj Ahuja
Sardar Basra
Shakeel Chandra
Makhan Singh

Director:
Rajinder Singh Bedi

Director of Photography:
Kamal Bose

Editor:
Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Original Music Composer:
Madan Mohan

Producer:
Rajinder Singh Bedi

Writer:
Rajinder Singh Bedi

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