Dilip Kumar & Vyjantimala - Naya Daur revisited

Thespian Dilip Kumar and the legendary danseuse and actor  Vyjantimala Bali, came back together for the special screening of the Naya Daur, released in colour.  A classic B.R. Chopra movie, Naya Daur was a movie ahead of its time, truly a naya daur.

Set in the backdrop of a village where only two occupations provided rozi roti to the villagers, the Tanga business and the log industry, it is a tale of indiscriminate use of machine robbing poor laborers of their livelihood.  Belonging to the Tangewala profession, Dilip Kumar refused to accept it lying down when the village Zamindaar's son, Jeevan, got a bus to transport piligrims to the nearby hill top temple, which hitherto was the only source of livelihood for the tangewalas.  He challenges Jeevan to a race and spares no effort to ensure success, including building a short cut road through the hilly terrain, bridges across rivulets.  Truly reminiscent of older times, Dilip Kumar was the lone voice of dissent against Jeevan, the other villagers being in awe of the Zamindar and not having the courage to go against their beloved Zamindar, Nasir Hussain, or his son, Jeevan.  However, Dilip Kumars grit and determination and the sheer injustice of the situation drew them to join hands with Dilip Kumar, culminating in a brilliantly shot race to the finish between the tanga and the motor bus, the animal winning the race against the machine. 

Vyjayanti mala went on to do many more roles with Dilip Kumar, the famous of them being Ganga Jamuna, Madhumati etc.  However, she was not the original choice for the movie.  Originally, this role was to be played by Madhubala, but fate dictated otherwise.