The Dialogue of Mother India : Mehboob Khan's Immortal Classic

The Dialogue of Mother India, Mehboob Khan’s Immortal Classic features the film’s complete dialogue by Vajahat Mirza and S. Ali Raza and songs by Shakeel Badayuni presented in Hindi, Urdu, and Roman scripts. Lavishly illustrated, the original dialogue is accompanied by an English translation, introduction and commentary. Though cinema is primarily a visual medium, dialogue is crucial to every aspect of the film narrative. It can identify the location of the story, direct and hold the attention of the viewer, develop plot, create atmosphere, situate the story in a social and cultural context and, most importantly, reveal and express every character’s emotion. The film’s dialogue, brilliantly delivered by Nargis, Raaj Kumar, Kanhaiyalal, Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar bring alive this magnificent saga of survival and fortitude. Acknowledged as one of Indian cinema’s most important and best-loved films, Mehboob Khan’s Mother India has a powerful and poignant screenplay that matches its visual beauty and enduring appeal.