This review is written by Mr Arunkumar Deshmukh
This film 300 DAYS AND AFTER – 1938 is one such film, which I had seen in Hyderabad,m ay be somewhere in 1949 or 1950 or so, or may be a little later-not very sure.
This film was based on or in today’s language ” inspired” by MGM’s ” A Billionair’s story” in which Edward Arnold and Mary Nash had acted under the Direction of the legendary Haward Hawks.
This was the first comedy film of Sarvottam Badami,the director.
Badami was born in Bangalore and worked as a Car mechanic ,though he was attracted towards films. He was called to Bombay to organise and help in the sound recording of a Tamil film from Sagar Movietone. Seeing his interest in films and the knowledge of languages, he was offered the chance to complete the direction of a half made Tamil film. He grabbed the opportunity and succeeded. His first few Hindi films were social like Chandrahasa, Grihlaxmi and Dr.Madhurika.
300 days and after was his first comedy film. When he did a good job of it he got Aap ki Marzi-1939 and Ladies Only-39. After this film Badami left Sagar and started his own Sudama films and went back to social films again.
The film 300 days and after was from Sagar Movietone. The cast of this film was Motilal, Sabita Devi, Miss Bibbo, Yakub, Sankata Prasad(elder brother of character artist Kanhaiyalal), Pesi Patel etc.
Sudhir (Motilal) is a bachelor billionaire,doing nothing and enjoying life to the fullest with wine, women and gambling. As a result, his health starts falling prematurely when he is just 25-26 yrs only.
one day he falls down and a Doctor is called. After many tests and inspection of everything his family doctor tells him that because of his wayward living and uncontrolled lifestyle he is suffering from many ailments.If he treats them now, he may get all those again and again. The only remedy is Sudhir should do hard manual work, exercises and lead a simple living, which,the doctor says, Sudhir will never be able to do.
Sudhir is angry. He challenges the doctor that he will leave all his wealth, go out in the world, do physical work and earn money for himself. The doctor takes a bet with him and the deal is Sudhir should go out for 300 days without using a single paisa from his existing wealth for himself. Sudhir is ready for this.
Next day Sudhir goes out with few ordinary clothes, little money and a strong will to face the big bad world.
The film is full of funny situations when Motilal gets different jobs and does not know how to do them. First he tries to work as a Vegetable vendor, but he does not know the names of any vegetable.
He even takes some fruits as vegetables,to sell. Next he tries to work as an assitant in a Barber shop, where he shaves off half mustache of a customer. He tries to work as a car driver and a Tram ticket collector also.
Finally, he joins as a worker in a Soap factory, where he has to drive sometimes the Seth’s wife -Ramola devi(Bibbo), who tries to entice him. Sudhir starts likng a typist girl in the factory Sharada(Sabita Devi). Sharada teaches music to Ramola, wife of Seth Laxmi Das. Motilal takes her everyday to the tuition. They start loving each others. Motilal stays with a kind hearted Vegetable vendor woman as a tenant. She tends to him , feeds him well and takes his care as her son.
Suddenly the Factory must close down due to some loss. All workers are worried. Motilal secretly sends his own money to the Sethji as an anonymous partner. The Factory is saved.
Now in this all jumble, 300 days come to an end. Surprisingly Motilal finds himself absolutely fit, healthy and understands the meaning of true life and Love. He goes back to the doctor to claim his bet money, which he donates to a school.
Sudhir marries Sharada and brings the kind vegetable vendor lady as his family member to live with him for ever.
There are 9 songs in the film. There are 3 songs each to Miss Bibbo and Sabita Devi.
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