Aan

Aan (Hindi: आन, Urdu: ‫آن‬, translation:

Pride), released as The Savage Princess
in the United Kingdom and United States,
is a 1952 Indian Bollywood film,
produced and directed by Mehboob
Khan. It was India's first technicolour
film, as it was shot in 16mm Gevacolour
and was blown up in Technicolor.[2][3] It
stars Dilip Kumar, Premnath, and Nimmi,
and marked the debut of Nadira. It was
the most expensive Indian film ever at
the time.
 Aan

Film poster

Directed by Mehboob Khan

Produced by Mehboob Khan

Written by R. S. Choudhury
(story)
S. Ali Raza (dialogue)

Starring Dilip Kumar

Nimmi
Premnath
Nadira
Music by Naushad
Cinematography Faredoon A. Irani

Edited by Shamsudin Kadri

Release date July 4, 1952
Running time 161 min.

Country India

Language Hindi-Urdu

Budget ₹3,500,000[1]

Box office est. ₹35,731,000

($6,042,410)

Play media
Aan
Aan

It was the highest-grossing Indian film

ever at the time, domestically[4] and
overseas.[5] Aan was the first Indian film
to have a worldwide release in many
countries, subtitled in 17 languages and
released in 28 countries,[5] including the
United Kingdom,[6] United States,
France,[7] and Japan.[8] The film also
received critical acclaim in the British
press at the time.[9] In South India, it was
also dubbed and released in Tamil as
Aan (Murattu Adiyaal).[10]

Plot
It begins with a royal Indian family, which
consists of the Maharaj (Murad), his
brother Shamsher Singh (Premnath) and
sister Rajshree (Nadira). A local village
leader named Jai Tilak (Dilip Kumar)
enters a contest to tame Princess
Rajshree's horse, and after he is
successful, Shamsher challenges him to
a bout of fencing. Jai is declared the
winner of the fight after much dispute
and Shamsher is enraged at losing to a
poor villager. Jai then falls in love with
Rajshree and tries numerous times to
woo her, but the princess's arrogance
prevents her from revealing her true
feelings.
Shamsher becomes even more enraged
when the Emperor Maharaj reveals that
Shamsher is not the heir to his throne
after his death and that he plans to free
India from monarchy and turn to
democracy.

Shamsher then plans to gain control of

the kingdom by killing the Maharajah on
the night before he is due to travel to
England for a medical procedure.
However, he is unsuccessful after the
Maharajah escapes an attempt on his life
by Shamsher's henchmen and disguises
himself as a servant in his own palace.

Shamsher then sets his eyes on Mangala

(Nimmi) who is a village girl and
childhood friend of Jai, but her love is not
reciprocated as he is only in love with
princess Rajshree. After Mangala is
kidnapped by Shamsher Singh who plans
to keep her prisoner in his palace and
molest her, Mangala takes a bottle of
poison and dies. Jai kills Shamsher in
revenge and provokes Princess Rajshree
to launch an attack on his village to
avenge her brother's death. Jai manages
to kidnap Rajshree and sets out to gain
her love by taking her into his village and
forcing her to live as a peasant girl. Just
when Rajshree begins to realise her
feelings for Jai, Shamsher Singh who
was presumed dead returns to get his
revenge against Jai.
Production
This prestigious production was to be
India's first full feature in Technicolor.
The film was made with an extremely
large budget. Dilip Kumar, Nimmi and
Prem Nath, then at the height of their
popularity and success, were quickly
signed on for starring roles, but the
second female lead proved more
troublesome to cast. Initially, Nargis was
cast but left the film to concentrate on
her association with R. K. Studios. For a
time Madhubala was considered, with
considerable lobbying from Dilip Kumar
who was romantically involved with her
at the time, but for reasons unknown she
was never cast. Finally Mehboob Khan
decided to launch a newcomer and
selected the then unknown Nadira and
promoted her as his new star
discovery.[11]

When a first edit of the film was shown to

the film's financiers and distributors, they
objected that Nimmi's character died too
early. This was due to Nimmi's vast
popularity as an actress. Therefore, a
lavish and extended dream sequence
was filmed and edited in to give Nimmi
more prominence and screen time in the
film.[12]

The production cost of the film was

₹35 lakh (equivalent to ₹26 crore or
US$3.9 million in 2017).[1] It was the
most expensive film ever at the time.

Cast
Dilip Kumar as Jai Tilak
Premnath as Shamsher Singh
Nadira as Princess Rajshree
Nimmi as Mangala
Murad as Maharajah
Mukri as Chandan
Cukoo as dancer

International release
Aan was the first Indian film to have a
worldwide release in many countries. It
was subtitled in 17 languages, and
released in 28 countries. Its distribution
in the United Kingdom and Europe was
handled by Alexander Korda.[5] The film
had a lavish London premiere, attended
by Mehboob Khan, his wife Sadar Akhter,
and Nimmi.[6] The English version was
entitled Savage Princess. On the London
trip, they met many Western film
personalities, including Errol Flynn. When
Flynn attempted to kiss Nimmi's hand,
she pulled it away, exclaiming, "I am an
Indian girl, you cannot do that!" The
incident made the headlines, and the
press raved about Nimmi as the
"...unkissed girl of India".[13] The premiere
was also attended by the British prime
minister Lord Attlee, among other Indian
and British elites at the time.[9]

Although Nimmi was not the romantic

lead, she made a big impact on
audiences, and her character, Mangala,
emerged as the most popular in the
film.[14] This was to such an extent that,
when the film was released dubbed in
French in 1954, it was retitled Mangala,
fille des Indes (Mangala, girl of India) and
Nimmi was promoted as the main star of
the film in the theatrical posters and
trailers for the French language release.
Nimmi further revealed in a 2013
interview, that at the London premiere of
Aan, she received four serious offers
from Hollywood, including from Cecil B.
DeMille who greatly admired the
production design and Mehboob's vision
as a director. He was in fact, so
impressed by the film, that he personally
wrote a letter of commendation to
Mehboob Khan praising the film and the
performances of Nimmi and Nadira in
particular.[7]

Aan was also released in Japan in

January 1954, as the first Indian film to
ever release in Japan. Aan was accepted
by audiences there, and it earned a
considerable profit in Japan.[8]

Music
 Aan
Soundtrack album by Naushad

Released 1952

Genre Feature film

soundtrack

Naushad chronology

Jadoo Aan Baiju Bawra

(1951) (1952) (1952)

The film features an acclaimed

soundtrack composed by Naushad.

Hindi lyrics were by Shakeel Badayuni

 Length
No. Song Singers Lyrics
(m:ss)

"Maan Shakeel
Mohammed
1 Mera Badayuni 02:48
Rafi
Ehsan"

"Dil Mein
Mohammed
2 Chhupake 02:55
Rafi
Pyar Ka"

"Tujhe Kho
Lata
3 Diya 03:14
Mangeshkar
Hamne"

"Aaj Mere
Lata
4 Man Mein 03:55
Mangeshkar
Sakhi"

5 "Mohabbat Mohammed 03:36

Choome Rafi
 Jinke
Haath"

Mohammed
Rafi, Lata
"Gao
Mangeshkar
6 Tarane 04:41
&
Man Ke"
Shamshad
Begum

"Takra
Mohammed
7 Gaya 03:44
Rafi
Tumse"

Lata
"Khelo
Mangeshkar
Raang
8 & 04:18
Hamare
Shamshad
Sang"
Begum

9 "Aag Lagi Shamshad 03:32

 Tan Man Begum
Mein"

"Mein
Raani Shamshad
10 03:10
Hoon Raja Begum
Ki"

The Tamil lyrics were by Kambadasan.

Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum
rendered the Tamil songs also. However,
it appears that the lyricist did not approve
of their diction, and so songs sung by
Lata Mangeshkar were recorded again
with M. S. Rajeswari and songs sung by
Shamshad Begum were recorded with
Soolamangalam Rajeswari. While the
film had the original recordings, the
records (Plates) had both versions. So,
there are 14 songs recorded on the
gramophone records.[15]
No. Song Singers Lyrics

"Yetriduvaai Arul Kambad

1 S. M. Sarkar
Thaan"

"Manadhil Mei
2 S. M. Sarkar
Kaadhal"

"Izhandhen Unai Lata

3
Anbe" Mangeshkar

"Izhandhen Unai
4 M. S. Rajeswari
Anbe"

"Indru Endhan Lata

5
Nenjil Sakhi" Mangeshkar

"Indru Endhan
6 M. S. Rajeswari
Nenjil Sakhi"

"Mohamuththam
7 S. M. Sarkar
Tharum"
8 "Paadu Singara S. M. Sarkar,
Paadalai" Lata
Mangeshkar &
Shamshad
Begum

"Sandai
9 S. M. Sarkar
Moondathuve"

Lata
"Nagaru Nagaru Mangeshkar &
10
Mel Jal Jal" Shamshad
Begum

"Aah Sududhe Shamshad

11
En Maname" Begum

"Aah Sududhe Soolamangalam

12
En Maname" Rajalakshmi

13 Naan Raaniye Shamshad

Rajavin Begum
 Naan Raaniye Soolamangalam
14
Rajavin Rajalakshmi

Reception
Box office

Domestically in India, it was the highest

grosser of 1952,[16] grossing ₹2.8 crore
($5.88 million); adjusted for inflation, this
is equivalent to ₹356 crore ($53 million)
in 2016.[b] It was the highest-grossing
film in India at the time, and the first to
net ₹1.5 crore. It held the record for
several years, until it was surpassed by
Shree 420 (1955).[4]
It was also an overseas success, earning
considerable profit from overseas.[8] In
overseas markets, the film was released
in 28 countries and grossed ₹773,060[5]
($162,410).[a] Adjusted for inflation, this
is equivalent to $1.5 million[21]
(₹10.25 crore)[20] in 2016. Aan was the
highest-gross Indian film overseas at the
time, until it was surpassed by Awaara
(1951) after its Soviet release in 1954.

Worldwide, the film grossed

₹3.5731 crore ($6.04241 million).
Adjusted for inflation, this is equivalent to
₹373.25 crore ($54.7  million) in 2016. It
was the highest-grossing Indian film ever
at the time, up until it was surpassed by
Awaara after its Soviet release in 1954.

Critical reception

Aan received critical acclaim in the

British press at the time. The Times, for
example, wrote a positive review of the
film, comparing it favourably with
Hollywood productions at the time. They
stated that "Hollywood has nothing to
reach up to handsome Dilip Kumar and
seductive Nadira."[9]

Notes
a. 4.76 Indian rupees per US dollar from
1951 to 1965[18]
b. Domestic gross: ₹2.8 crore[17]
($5.88 million),[a] equivalent to
$53.2 million[19] (₹363 crore)[20] in 2016.

References
1. "Nadira – Interview" . cineplot.com. 25
November 2012.
2. Aan Archived 6 January 2007 at the
Wayback Machine. University of Iowa.
3. "Aan" . Upperstall. Retrieved 4 May
2013.
4. "Top Earners 1950-1959 (Figures in Ind
Rs)" . Box Office India. 19 September
2012.
5. Rajinder, Dudrah; Jigna, Desai (2008).
The Bollywood Reader . McGraw-Hill
Education. p. 65. ISBN 9780335222124.
6.
https://moviemahal.net/2017/01/11/meh
boobs-aan-1952-indian-cinemas-entry-
into-europe
7.
https://www.filmfare.com/features/nimmi
s-filmfare-interview-11920-2.html
8. Matsuoka, Tamaki (2008). Asia to
Watch, Asia to Present: The Promotion of
Asian/Indian Cinema in Japan (PDF).
Senri Ethnological Studies, Reitaku
University. p. 246. Archived from the
original (PDF) on 22 July 2011.
9. Gaur, Madan (1973). Other Side of the
Coin: An Intimate Study of Indian Film
Industry . Trimurti Prakashan [distributed
through Universal Book Service, Delhi].
p. 160.
10. "Dhool" . Archived from the original on
5 March 2016.
11. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-
paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/Aan-
1952/article15922186.ece
12.
http://m.rediff.com/%0Amovies/2003/feb
/13dinesh.htm
13.
https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2017
/feb/18/4378/when-nimmi-turned-down-
errol-flynn-s-kiss .
14.
http://m.rediff.com/%0Amovies/2003/feb
/13dinesh.htm
15. "Dhool" . Archived from the original on
5 March 2016.
16.
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/topactors.
htm
17. "Box Office 1952" . Box Office India.
22 September 2012.
18. "Pacific Exchange Rate Service" (PDF).
UBC Sauder School of Business.
University of British Columbia. p. 3.
Retrieved 21 November 2017.
19. "CPI Inflation Calculator (domestic
gross)" . Bureau of Labor Statistics.
December 2016. Retrieved 30 November
2017.
20. "Exchange Rates (68.3 INR per USD)" .
The World Factbook. Central Intelligence
Agency. 2016. Retrieved 30 November
2017.
21. "CPI Inflation Calculator (overseas
gross)" . Bureau of Labor Statistics.
December 2016. Retrieved 30 November
2017.
External links
Aan at the Internet Movie Database
Review of Aan
Aan (1952) on YouTube

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Aan&oldid=842148782"

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