Dutt plays Birju, the younger son of the central character, played by Nargis, who he later married.
Having grown up an atmosphere of denial and deprivation in the rural heartland, Birju has witnessed humiliation heaped on his single mother. He is roughened by life, ready for revenge.
Depite the bare-knuckled bravado of Birju, Dutt conveys the humanity within his character’s brash exterior. That is the triumph of his performance.
The skilful shading that Dutt and director Mehboob Khan impart on the character’s misguided actions helps establish why Birju's mother cannot forgive his final transgression.
Text: Jitendra Kothari | Design: Uday Kuckian