The Vagabond
The first appearance of the tramp persona that would make Raj Kapoor famous remains one of the greatest Indian films ever made.
- 23 Feb 19:00 NFT2 not available online
One of the greatest and most famous Indian films ever made, Awaara was a global sensation and marks the first appearance of the tramp persona that would make Raj Kapoor famous: a sly, sexy bandit, a carefree underdog who could charm a rock. Collaborating for the first time with star writer KA Abbas, Kapoor concocted a modern-day version of the tale of Rama's banishment of Sita, and the film's marvellous, extended dream sequence revolutionised Hindi cinema, introducing the idea of externalising characters' inner conflicts though song-and-dance numbers.
| Director | Raj Kapoor |
| Cast | Raj Kapoor, Nargis |
| Country | India |
| Year | 1951 |
| Running time | 193min + interval |
| Certificate | U |
BFI Southbank Programme Update - 22 May (No.32)