Watan (1938)

Watan (1938) poster

Ostensibly a Central Asian war fantasy about a conflict between the Cossacks and the Tartars, Mehboob’s film proposes a tale advocating national independence. The Cossacks are oppressed by the despotic Russian king (Siddiqui) and his minister Jabir (Kayamali), who has Tartar blood in him. General Murad (Kumar) covertly sides with the opposition, gets arrested for treason and escapes. He meets the wild Gulnar (Sitara Devi) and gets her to spy as a maid of Princess Nigar (Bibbo). Nigar falls for Murad and Gulnar withdraws from the scene for the sake of her nation. Eventually Nigar, at the head of an army of women, helps defeat the villains.

Director: Mehboob Khan
Runtime: 168 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Anil Biswas
Production: Sagar Movietone
Country: India
Language: हिन्दी
Original Language: hi
More Films by Director: Mehboob Khan

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Watan about?
Ostensibly a Central Asian war fantasy about a conflict between the Cossacks and the Tartars, Mehboob’s film proposes a tale advocating national independence. The Cossacks are oppressed by the despotic Russian king (Siddiqui) and his minister Jabir (Kayamali), who has Tartar blood in him. General Murad (Kumar) covertly sides with the opposition, gets arrested for treason and escapes. He meets the wild Gulnar (Sitara Devi) and gets her to spy as a maid of Princess Nigar (Bibbo). Nigar falls for Murad and Gulnar withdraws from the scene for the sake of her nation. Eventually Nigar, at the head of an army of women, helps defeat the villains.
Who directed Watan?
Watan was directed by Mehboob Khan.
Who stars in Watan?
Watan stars M. Kumar, Bibbo, Maya Banerjee, Yakub, Sitara Devi, Kayamali.
How long is Watan?
Watan has a runtime of 2h 48m (168 minutes).
Where was Watan produced?
Watan was produced in India.