With a great ensemble of talented artists, this is writer-director Saeed Akhtar Mirza’s sarcastic comedy which was one of the most important & thoughtful movies made in the 80s (representing the Art Cinema wave) with a strong social message. It is also rated among the most courageous movies made in that era which openly thrashed the flawed judicial system operating in the country wherein a simple court case could take years and even decades to reach any justified conclusion.
The film revolves around a simple “Repairs & Maintenance” case filed by an elderly couple living on rent in an old ‘Chawl’, against their wealthy but arrogant landlord. The case continues till years and meanwhile there are several attempts made to scare the couple to step back but they stay firm on their decision and keep fighting for justice. During this whole drama of their prolonged case, repeated dates and justice delayed, the film gives the viewer a comic account of how the witnesses are bought, lawyers bribed, judges be fooled and the whole ages old judicial set-up is used by the nexus between the landlord and builders mafia for their own mutual benefits. And the one, who actually suffers caught in between this whole rotten system, remains the common poor man who simply remains helpless as always.
MJHH was made in 1984 when the country was still developing and changes were being brought in at a very slow pace. However the sad irony or relevance of this film is that its burning subject still remains more or less the same even today in 2012 after almost three long decades of its release. Our Judicial system still more or less works on the same guidelines where it takes years to reach a conclusion in a case unless it gets some media attention or pressure from the higher authorities.
And that is the reason why I consider MOHAN JOSHI HAAZIR HO as an important film of Indian Cinema as it can be studied as a perfect example of how the medium of films can be used to showcase social problems or to draw the much required attention of the authorities towards a notable issue related with the common man. So do experience this simple classic, if you love watching films made as a funny satire on some important social issues of the 80s developing India. And in case if you are still not convinced then just read the inviting names in the star-cast given below and then decide.
Directed by Saeed Akhtar Mirza
Music by Vanraj Bhatia
Starring : Bhisham Sahni, Dina Pathak, Amjad Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor, Deepti Naval, Salim Ghouse, Mohan Gokhale, Rohini Hattangadi, Satish Shah and more.
Tags :
Mohan Joshi Haazir Ho (1984), Movies To See Before You Die Drama Comedy, Must See Movies List by Bobby Sing, Bollywood Art Wave Classics List at Bobbytalkscinema.com, Hindi Films 80s Art Cinema Wave, Hindi Films on Social Satire, Worth Watching Art Movies of the 80s, Sayeed Akhtar Mirza's films.
