New Delhi: May 11 marks the birth anniversary of Saadat Hasan Manto, whose contribution to literature and cinema continues to influence generations. While Manto is widely remembered for his writing on human suffering during and after partition, his contribution to Indian cinema is often overlooked. Long before realism and parallel cinema became acclaimed in Bollywood, Manto had already brought ordinary lives and unusual truths to the silver screen.
Manto’s writings focused on people who existed away from glamour on the street, like sex workers, labourers, alcoholics, lonely migrants and emotionally broken humans trying to survive in a rapidly changing India and Pakistan during Partition. At a time when Indian cinema preferred idealistic heroes and theatrical storytelling, Manto‘s characters were filled with imperfections, pain and moral conflict. His realism later became the foundation of parallel cinema in India.
Manto directly confronted the chaos of Indian streets during partition. Unlike mainstream films like Ram Rajya (1943), Nadaan (1943), Gaon ki Gori (1945), and others, which were busy portraying an idealistic society. Manto wrote scripts, dialogues and stories which were unusual for the cinema of that era.
Toba Tek Singh, a short story published in 1955, remains one of Manto’s most celebrated stories. Set during the Partition of India, it follows Bishan Singh, a Sikh asylum inmate who is to be repatriated to India. When he learns that his hometown, Toba Tek Singh, now lies in Pakistan, he refuses to cross the border and collapses in the no-man’s land between the two countries.
The story became so powerful and emotionally relevant that it was adapted into a Bollywood movie in 2017 with the same name, directed by Ketan Mehta, starring Pankaj Kapur and Vinay Pathak.
“Manto was a fearless writer who exposed the bitter truths of society without any hesitation,” assistant professor Vandana, who teaches Hindi Literature at Government Girls Degree College in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, told ThePrint. “Long before realism became a recognised movement in Indian cinema, Manto was already portraying society without filters.”
Also read: Why the third attempt is the lucky charm for UPSC aspirants
‘Exceptional storyteller’
Manto also worked as a writer for movies like Mirza Ghalib (1954), directed by Sohrab Modi. The story follows the life of Urdu poet, Mirza Ghalib, played by Bharat Bhushan and his lover Moti Begum, played by Suraiya. The film was awarded the President’s Gold Medal for the Best Feature and President’s Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi at the second National Film Awards.
Manto also acted in a film, Aath Din (1946), directed by his close friend Ashok Kumar. The film follows an Army officer, Shamsher Singh (played by Ashok Kumar), who wants to settle as a farmer. His marriage is arranged with Neela, who ditches him, but in the end, Neela finally finds love in Singh. Manto plays Karpa Ram, an Air Force officer and is also credited as the writer.
Even decades after he died in 1955, Manto’s influence can still be seen in films that attempt to portray society with honesty rather than spectacle. Nandita Das’ 2018 film Manto, with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role, revisited both his life and literary works, introducing a new generation to his fearless storytelling in a different India.
Manto’s association with Hindi cinema helped him uniquely blend literature and visual storytelling.
Danish Husain, who portrayed the character of Arshad Zaidi in the biographical film Manto and is also known for his work as a dastango (storyteller), told The Print that Manto was “an exceptional storyteller and a master at transforming literary narratives into cinematic screenplays.”
One of the most emotional reasons for Manto leaving India was the disappointment he felt when Ashok Kumar rejected one of his screenplays while accepting a script by Ismat Chughtai, he said, adding, “Manto saw the incident as a personal betrayal from a close friend during a deeply fragile phase of his life.”
Danish praised Das for her authenticity and attention to detail in the biopic.
“Nandita Das recreated Manto’s world with remarkable realism. The authenticity she maintained was extraordinary, and it was fascinating to witness the very characters Manto once wrote about come alive around us,” he said.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)