नफरत की लाठी तोड़ो मेरे देश प्रेमियों: आनंद बक्षी

नफ़रत की लाठी तोड़ो, लालच का खंजर फेंको,
ज़िद के पीछे मत दौड़ो, तुम प्रेम के पंछी हो,
देश प्रेमियों, आपस में प्रेम करो देश प्रेमियों…

देखो, ये धरती, हम सब की माता है,
सोचो, आपस में, क्या अपना नाता है,
हम आपस में लड़ बैठे,
हम आपस में लड़ बैठे तो देश को कौन सम्भालेगा,
कोई बाहर वाला अपने घर से हमें निकालेगा,
दीवानों होश करो, मेरे देश प्रेमियों…

मीठे, पानी में, ये ज़हर न तुम घोलो,
जब भी, कुछ बोलो, ये सोच के तुम बोलो,
भर जाता है गहरा घाव जो बनता है गोली से,
पर वो घाव नहीं भरता जो बना हो कड़वी बोली से,
तो मीठे बोल कहो, मेरे देश प्रेमियों…

तोड़ो, दीवारें, ये चार दिशाओं की,
रोको, मत राहें इन, मस्त हवाओं की,
पूरब पश्चिम उत्तर दक्खिन वालों मेरा मतलब है,
इस माटी से पूछो क्या भाषा क्या इसका मज़हब है,
फिर मुझसे बात करो, मेरे देश प्रेमियों…

∼ आनंद बक्षी

चित्रपट: देश प्रेमी (१९८२)
निर्माता: सुभाष देसाई
निर्देशक: मनमोहन देसाई
लेखक: कादर खान, के. बी. पाठक, प्रयाग राज
गीतकार: आनंद बक्षी
संगीतकार: लक्ष्मीकांत प्यारेलाल
गायक: मोहम्मद रफ़ी
सितारे: अमिताभ बच्चन, हेमा मालिनी, परवीन बॉबी, शम्मी कपूर

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nam9Rv7-qrw

Synopsis

Master Dinanth (Amitabh Bachchan) is a freedom fighter and participated in the war against the British in 1942 and independence was eventually won in 1947. But after independence, the people’s love for their country seems to be diminishing and they are too busy betraying it like ex British landlord Thakur Pratab Singh (Amjad Khan). Master Dinanth finds out about Thakur Pratab Singh’s illegal activities such as smuggling of weapons and ammunition and gets him arrested. In revenge for putting him in prison, Pratab Singh gets Master Dinnanth’s wife Bharati (Sharmila Tagore) and daughter Priti (Parveen Babi) kidnapped by Thakur’s partner in crime Sher Singh (Kader Khan) to try to change his ways but to no avail. Thakur also provokes an attack on Masterji’s home by the local villagers who accuse Dinanath of betraying his country and he is forced to flee his home with his young son Raju. His wife becomes a victim of leprosy and escapes from Sher Singh, leaving her daughter Priti in a friend’s care. Masterji is informed that his wife and daughter could be dead as they find a necklace of hers near the train tracks. Masterji is devastated by his wife and daughter’s loss and he and his son move on with their life.

They settle into a slum called Bharat Nagar which is divided in 4 sections with a don in each one of different backgrounds: Punjabi (Shammi Kapoor), Madrasi (Premnath). Bengali (Uttam Kumar) and Muslim (Parikshat Sahni). All of them love their own section but nobody thinks of themselves as Indian except Masterji. Masterji sets out trying to bring peace between the four dons and once they settle their differences the four underworld dons use the Masterji’s stay in Bharat Nagar to cover up their own illegal activities.

15 years later, Masterji’s now grown-up son Raju (again played by Amitabh Bachchan) turns out to be the opposite of his father. He starts working for Thakur Pratab Singh unaware that Thakur had once kidnapped his mother and sister. Will Raju find out what Thakur did to his family? Will Master Dinanath find out his son is not who he thinks he is? and will Master ever find his wife and daughter again?