Massey Sahib

Massey Sahib is a 1985 Hindi drama film directed by Pradip Krishen, starring Raghubir Yadav in the title role. It was Krishen's first film, and was an adaptation from Joyce Cary's 1939 novel Mister Johnson. It won Yadav two international acting awards.^[1] The film also stars Arundhati Roy, who was yet to write her first novel and win the Man Booker Prize, along with Barry John and Veerendra Saxena.

Synopsis

The film is set in 1929, in a small town in Central India. Francis Massey (Raghubir Yadav) is a clerk in the Deputy Commissioner's office in the colonial administration of British India. He aspires to be like the colonial rulers, and thinks of himself as different from his Indian compatriots. In his wish to help the rulers – in particular, his immediate superior, Deputy Commissioner Charles Adam (Barry John) – he adopts methods that are irregular. Adam's dream project of building a road through the forest is stuck for lack of funds. Massey manages to get it completed using a mixture of manipulation, persuasion and threats. To his surprise, he is accused of corruption by the very boss whom he had meant to help, and who had condoned his earlier transgressions. His wife too is forcefully taken back by her family. He turns for help to his friend Banaji to get his wife back. Banaji refuses to help him. In an act of frustrated rage, Massey kills Banaji. He is arrested for murder, and Adam advises him to plead guilty to accidental manslaughter. However, Massey refuses, secure in the belief that his Adam Sahib will help him out, leading to the tragic denouement.

Cast

• Raghubir Yadav – Francis Massey
• Barry John – Charles Adam
• Arundhati Roy – Saila
• Madan Lal - Banaji
• Jacqueline Garewal - Ruby Adam
• Virendra Saxena - Pasa

Crew

• Directed by – Pradip Krishen
• Written by – Pradip Krishen
• Music by – Vanraj Bhatia
• Cinematography – R. K. Bose

Production

The film was shot on location in and around Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh. In an interview, Raghubir Yadav said that he was very nervous about facing the camera for the first time, but was reassured by Barry John, with whom had worked on the stage. He added, "Till we reached Pachmarhi for the shoot, I was not clear how I would play this complex character. One week before the shooting I saw an old man on the road in an outfit similar to what Massey was expected to wear. He seemed to belong to that era. I followed his mannerisms."^[2]

Awards

• Silver Peacock for Best Actor – Raghubir Yadav, International Film Festival of India, 1987
• FIPRESCI Critic's Prize for Best Actor – Raghubir Yadav, Venice Film Festival, 1986

References

External links

• Massey Sahib at the Internet Movie Database
• "Massey Sahib (online)". Cinemas of India, NFDC.