Dharmatma

(1975)

Dharmatma's story emerges from a strong conflict between father and son - a story which keeps the gigantic characters standing miles apart in their approach towards life. Father believes strongly that the end justifies the means. The son negates this dogma - he believes that the means are as important as the end.

This basic conflict creates an unbridgable gulf between the two and keeps the son apart from the father. It takes the son away to the rugged land of Afganistan, to the picturesque valley of Bamiyan, to the ink blue lakes of Bande-Amir. Here the story takes a most dramatic turn and leads you through an unforgettable saga of love where only the fittest could survive.

'Dharmatma' is not merely a film but an epic of life - where one event leads to another, where a man lays down his life for the sake of his ideals, a man who is an institution unto himself. The film with its technical and visual brilliance has a strong message to convey. A message to the youth of this nation, a message to the leaders of our nation, that patriotism not a mere sentiment - it is an action of principles based on the strength of character beyond the narrow circle of self interest.