Main Nashe Men Hoon

About the film

Main Nashe Mein Hoon (English: I Am Intoxicated) is a 1959 Hindi film directed by Naresh Saigal. The film was the second of only two films (the other being Night Club (1958)) distributed and produced by Varma Pictures, an affiliate of Varma Films.

The film’s narrative centers around the downward spiraling effects of alcoholism together with womanizing and the mitigating role that familial structures can have on these effects. In the film’s retelling of this good and evil story, the protagonist in the film, who gets trapped into a sliding descent, is played by lead actor Raj Kapoor, one of the greatest and most influential actors and filmmakers in history of Indian Cinema. The familial structures that attempt to alleviate the falling descent of the protagonist come largely from the person played by lead actress Mala Sinha, who at the time this film was released, was the highest paid actress (along with actress Vyjanthimala).

Plot

Judge Kundan Lal Khanna and his wife Rajni Khanna are part of a well-to-do household proud of their college-going son, Ram Das Khanna. Also, part of the household is Shanta who is being raised by the Khannas after the untimely death of her parents who were friends of Rajni Khanna. Rajni’s hope is that Shanta will someday make a suitable wife for Ram Das.

As one learns early in the film, Kundan Lal’s father, Dharam Das Khanna, was an alcoholic and womanizer and is serving a life sentence after being accused of two murders. Understandably, Kundan Lal develops a strong dislike for alcoholism and womanizing and wants to make sure that his son Ram Das never follows the path of his grandfather.

Unknown to the Khanna family, Dharam Das is released from prison early for good behavior, and is hired by the family as a servant, where Dharam Das explores ways to amend the suffering he has caused the Khanna family.

Music

Lyrics were by Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri and Mirza Ghalib

Key details