45: A Throw of Dice

Prapancha Pash

IND  74m  Dir: Franz Osten

Based on: Mahabharata (Indian Epic)

It seems a bit odd that director Franz Osten could make a film like this which involved working with an Indian cast and celebrates Indian culture and yet became a member of the Nazi party- there seems to be two completely opposing world views in there.

The film is based on an episode from the Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic which is comparable to the work of Homer in it's importance. Two kings and cousins, Ranjit and Sohan compete for the love of hermit's daughter Sunita. She choose Ranjit so Sohan kills her father and frames Ranjit. This is unsuccessful so instead he competes against Ranjit in a game of craps, declaring that the winner will marry Sunita and becomes the others' slave, and cheats to ensure the outcome.

In terms of plot it's certainly not the most engaging. The fact that Sohan has two plans feels a bit odd and so it almost feels like two stories in one. The characters are not really expanded on in the way they could be with Ranjit's downfall through gambling inevitable and Sohan never really given the motivation for his deeds that he should be. 

Another reason that the plot isn't particularly successful is that so much of the focus of the film is on the look. But what a look! The film contains 10,000 extras, 1,000 horses and lots of elephants and tigers as well as some beautiful scenery and buildings. For many seeing this film on it's release in Europe this would have been the first time they'd have seen India and so in that respect this film has an important role in opening up the world.

A Throw of Dice serves as an early prototype for Bollywood films at a time when India's film industry was only just starting. It has attractive leads and tells a good-versus-evil story with a romantic element whilst being full of pageantry and spectacle. All it really lacks is the song and dance numbers that are so synonymous with Bollywood.

A fascinating film in terms of cinematic history that shows the beginning of a global film industry expanding beyond America, the USSR and Western Europe.