Document Fragment View
Fragment Information
Showing contexts for: Oppressor in Bikramjeet Singh Bhullar vs Yash Raj Films Private Limited & Ors. on 20 December, 2023Matching Fragments
• The oppressors: Afghan • The oppressors: The British (i.e. Foreign) invaders Raj • The active protagonist: • The active protagonist: Balli Kartar Singh (Shamsher's (Shamshera's son) son) • The legend: Shamshera • The legend: Shamsher • The antagonist: 'Daroga' Singh Shuddh Singh • The antagonist: • Boiling hot water used to 'Subedaar' Rashid Khan torture/scald khameran • Boiling hot oil used to • Birds: Shamshera's son scald soldiers. wrestles an eagle (bird of • Birds: Rashid Khan has a prey); Shamshera's son is pet kite (bird of prey) which helped by a flock of crows, kills pigeons; crows as well there are numerous scenes as "kochri" (a night bird, using crows as a storytelling considered an ill omen) are device for serious scenes.
6) Antagonists: Antagonists:
The antagonists in the film are The antagonists in the film are
barbaric foreign invaders barbaric foreign invaders (British
(Afghans) who pillage and Raj) who pillage and plunder the
plunder the village. The village. The protagonists fight for
protagonists fight for freedom freedom from this terror. The
from this terror. antagonists in the film are the
British oppressors who have
connived with the upper castes to
enslave the Khamerans. The
protagonists fight for freedom
from this enslavement.
7) Opening scene/theme: Opening scene/theme:
Movie begins with text on The film begins with "1871"
screen which reads "1761 followed by narration, through a
Noorpur, Punjab" followed by voiceover.
narration, through a voiceover. The narrator talks about how the
The Narrator talks about how Khamerans were sidelined out of
one must fight for freedom, and society by the upper castes and a
about how by virtue of its hero rose among them to bring
geographical location Noorpur them a life of pride and dignity.
attack/defence against foreign
invaders.
8) Characterization/depiction of Characterization/depiction of
protagonist: protagonist:
Shamsher's son is a young Shamshera has open long hair
Sardar without a turban - Open with a beard & axe in hand riding
long hair flowing in the wind, a horse.
with a sword in hand, riding a Shamshera's son has rippling
horse, his muscles rippling. muscles, and is shown finding a
Kartaar is handed over weapon (axe) that resembles his
Shamsher Singh's sword by his father's.
grandfather Hari Singh, saying Balli is handed over Shamshera's
that now he is worthy of it. axe by Dhoodh Singh.
9) Shamsher's son and his Shamshera's son is depicted as
friends/gang are described/ part/leader of a dacoit tribe/gang
depicted as "luteras" (i.e. of his friend who loot the wealthy.
looters/dacoits) who loot the Shamshera's son is referred to as
Afghans: "naya lutera" (i.e. new looter/
"Bas ek toli hai luteron ki... jo dacoit) in town.
aksar hamare lashkaron par
hamla bol deti hai! Ek baar
voh hamaare haath lag
jaayein..."
10) Antagonist depiction/setting: Antagonist depiction/setting:
Rashid Khan, the ruthless
Shudh Singh (played by Sanjay
Afghan General, has a fort
Dutt), is shown in a fort/fortress.
outside the village. "Camera
- Wide shots of make-shift tents.
pans a garrison with several
- Chained slaves comprising of
make-shift tents and cottages,
men & women.
with Afghan soldiers roaming
- British soldiers lashing &
around. An open space with
torturing the chained slaves to
horses left to roam around can
carry out their menial duties.
be seen in the background.
- Shudh Singh seen whipping the
On one side, we see slaves,
bunch of slaves.
several of them women, doing
menial work under the watch of
some soldiers, who are liberal
with their lashes."
11) Visualization of musical Visualization of musical/song
sequence: sequence:
"Scene begins with the tight Song sequence with a male dancer
close-up of an Iranian dancer. who swirls a long cloak/ghaghra,
As we pull back, we see her at with glimpses of about 2-3 dozen
the center of a huge ghagra, kids emerging from under the
which is held by four men. The ghagra/cloak.
men swirl the ghagra and the
waves are created, we see a
glimpse of around 30- 40
dancers hidden under the
ghagra."
12) Shamsher's son's guide is his Shamshera's son's guide is his
uncle - "Chacha" - called uncle "Chacha" - called Doodh
Uddham Singh: Singh:
Shamsher's son's uncle Shamshera's son discovers his
"chacha" is shown as his close longlost uncle "chacha".
confidante, companion and "DOODH SINGH: Tere baap ka
guide and their interactions hum-pyala hoon... jisne naksha
play a key role in driving the yehi racha... Doodh Singh hai
story forward naam re launde... mein hun tera
wohi chacha!" Doodh Singh plays
Shamshera's son's confidante,
companion and guide for the rest
of the film.
13) SECRET PASSAGE/ SECRET PASSAGE/TUNNEL
TUNNEL IN THE WELL: IN THE WELL:
A well with a secret Kaza fort has a well with a secret
passage/tunnel plays a key part passage/tunnel which plays a key
of the story. part in the story.
"SCENE 104 EXT NOORPUR • "The travel through the back of
NIGHT: Rashid, Yahya and the fort, across Azaad nadi and
some of the soldiers have come enter a rocky crevice and into
to the community well. He asks the inside of the well." This is
one of them to dive in. The followed by a voiceover about
soldier comes back in a while a secret tunnel in the well,
and says, "There's a path!" which Shamshera tries to
Rashid turns to yahya and locate by diving in
smiles, "Break the walls of the Shamshera's son then escapes
path ... Drain their well!" Kaza through the same secret
tunnel in the well by diving in
14) Symbolism/use of BIRDS - Symbolism/use of BIRDS -
and interaction with birds - at and interaction with birds - at
• Kids are play acting the Sikh- • Kids with Shamshera's son, are Afghan war (i.e. role playing play acting Khameran-British the underdog and oppressors) Officer (i.e. role playing the underdog and the oppressors)
21) Climax: Face-off with Climax: Face-off with handheld handheld weapons and hand-to- weapons and hand-to-hand hand combat between combat between Shamshera's son Shamsher's son & Rashid Khan & Shuddh Singh in the climax of in which the former kills the film. Shuddh Singh is fatally Rashid Khan wounded by Shamshera using his father's axe.