The irresistible 60s and 70s had served some unforgettable devotional films like Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai, Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansaar, Guru Manyo Granth etc., so the time was ripe for a devotional film to see the light of the day in the 1980s.
And this came in the form of Ucha-Dar Babe Nanak Da, a film that got released in1987. Shamsher Singh (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) is shown as a pure-hearted, selfless and God-fearing man. The only sad part in his life is that he is childless. One day, while returning from a pilgrimage, he and his wife, Bansa (Tanuja), find an abandoned child. They decide to bring up the child and name him Gurdit. Later, the couple have a child of their own. Both siblings grow up, devoted to each other, until a woman drives a wedge between them.
As the story proceeds Gurdit (played by Gurdas Mann) has his leanings towards the religious and spiritual world, but family politics and a planned attack on him by Jaswant (Gurdit’s love interest Channi’s brother) makes him lose his voice. But, Gurdit still keeps his faith in the Almighty and seeks ‘His’ benevolence and gets his voice back with the grace of Waheguru.
The film showcased many Gurudwaras from across the country like Bangla Sahib, Manikaran Sahib, Damdama Sahib, Nanak Jhira Sahib and many more, which gave a chance for many to seek darshan of these places of worship, albeit on the screen. The devotional title song Main Sobha Sunn Ke Aaya sung by Gurdas Mann himself, still resounds in our ears, till date.
The film boasted of a steller star cast in the shape of Gurdas Mann, Preeti Sapru, Kulbushan Kharbanda, Tanuja, Nimmi, Gurbachan, Nirmal Rishi, Aruna Irani, Girija Shankar and Mehar Mittal.
The film was directed by K. Pappu while its dialogues were written by Amrik Gill.
Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da was a huge commercial success as families flocked theatres in hordes, to watch it. Once again the Devotional genre had triumphed in a big way and this film will be remembered in the annals of the Punjabi film industry for many decades to come.
