{ "id": "epmezmvh5y", "slug": "sagina", "title": "Sagina (सगीना)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s", "label": "Hindi films of the 1970s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1970-1975", "label": "Released 1970 to 1975", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1970-1975" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1970-1975", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000: Released 1970 to 1975", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1970-1975", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s", "label": "Hindi films of the 1970s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1970-1975", "label": "Released 1970 to 1975", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1970-1975" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Sagina (सगीना) is a 1974 Hindi drama by Tapan Sinha, a colour remake of his Bengali Sagina Mahato (1970), starring Dilip Kumar as tea-estate union leader Sagina Mahato with Saira Banu; music by S.D. Burman; a commercial failure.", "snippet": "Sagina (सगीना) is a 1974 Hindi drama by Tapan Sinha, a colour remake of his Bengali Sagina Mahato (1970), starring Dilip Kumar as tea-estate union leader Sagina Mahato with Saira Banu; music by S.D. Burman; a commercial failure.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1970-1975", "markdown": "# Sagina (सगीना)\n\n**Sagina** (सगीना) is a 1974 Hindi-language drama film directed by Tapan Sinha, a remake of his own Bengali film *Sagina Mahato* (1970), with [Dilip Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/dilip-kumar) and [Saira Banu](https://www.edgepedia.org/saira-banu) repeating their lead roles as trade union leader [Sagina Mahato](https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina-mahato) and Lalita.[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in) • [2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570) Set against labor unrest in the tea estates of Darjeeling in the early 1940s, the film was a commercial failure on release but earned Sudhendu Roy a Filmfare Award for its art direction.[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570) • [3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/sagina/movieshow/61352243.cms)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Release | 15 July 1974 (India, Hindi); some listings give 26 July 1974[4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/movie/sagina) • [5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/sagina/) |\n| Director / producer | Tapan Sinha (director and screenplay); J.K. Kapoor, Rupa Sree International[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570) • [6](https://cinegraph.org/movies/sagina-1974) |\n| Lead cast | Dilip Kumar as Sagina Mahato; Saira Banu as Lalita; Aparna Sen as Vishaka Devi; Anil Chatterjee as Aniruddha[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072109) |\n| Music | S.D. Burman; lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri; the song \"Saala Main To Sahab Ban Gaya\" is sung by Kishore Kumar[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570) • [8](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/sagina) |\n| Source material | Remake of *Sagina Mahato* (1970), based on a short story by Bengali writer-journalist Gour Kishore Ghosh; story credit in the remake is Rupadarshi[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in) • [8](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/sagina) |\n| Setting | The 1942–43 labor movement in the tea gardens of north-eastern India, narrated through fictional characters[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570) |\n| Commercial result | Declared a commercial failure[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Story\n\nSagina Mahato is a factory laborer in the tea gardens of north-eastern India, an aggressive, honest character who is the first to fight the tyranny of the British estate bosses.[4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/movie/sagina) He is portrayed as part-jester and part-leader: he physically avenges the mistreatment of an elderly co-worker, Gurung ([Om Prakash](https://www.edgepedia.org/om-prakash)), while also keeping the workers from a rebellion that might disturb the status quo.[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in)\n\nSagina's potential earns him a place in a [Communist party](https://www.edgepedia.org/communist-party), and he is drawn in by the attention, particularly that of the articulate party member Vishaka Devi ([Aparna Sen](https://www.edgepedia.org/aparna-sen)). He becomes a welfare officer at the tea estate, but is later revealed to be a pawn in a conspiracy between the Leftist leader [Aniruddha](https://www.edgepedia.org/aniruddha) (Anil Chatterjee) and the estate's British owners. Back in Darjeeling, the workers are tortured by the police and Mahato's enemies turn them against him.[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in)\n\n## Production\n\nTapan Sinha, a leading Bengali director coming off the successes of *Hatey Bajarey* (1967) and *Apanjan* (1968), met Dilip Kumar through a common friend and persuaded him to take the role in the 1970 Bengali original.[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in) The Hindi remake followed four years later, shot in color on a bigger budget. Saira Banu recalled that Sinha and Kumar were close friends, and that the film was made outdoors at Gayabari in [West Bengal](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-bengal) in a relaxed atmosphere.[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570)\n\nThe screenplay was by Sinha, with dialogue by Rahi Masoom Reza and story credit to Rupadarshi; Bimal Mukherjee was the cinematographer and S.D. Burman composed the music.[8](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/sagina) Dilip Kumar recommended [Kader Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kader-khan) for the role of Anupam Dutt after watching him perform in stage plays; it was an early film role for the later prolific writer-actor.[8](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/sagina)\n\n## Reception and comparison with the original\n\nThe 1970 Bengali *Sagina Mahato*, shot in black and white, won the National Film Award in the [Bengali language](https://www.edgepedia.org/bengali-language) category and was screened at the Moscow International Film Festival.[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in) The Hindi remake, while equally critical of the ruling elite and of the undemocratic ways of the armed Left, was judged by the film critic Devarsi Ghosh of Scroll to be a diluted version of the angrier original, tonally inconsistent as it moved between star vehicle and serious drama.[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in) The film was declared a commercial failure.[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570)\n\nThe remake did receive industry recognition: Sudhendu Roy won the 1975 Filmfare Award for Best Art Director, Colour, for the film.[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/sagina/movieshow/61352243.cms) In 2023, on the film's forty-ninth anniversary, Saira Banu wrote that Sagina's office scene, in which he steps out feeling suffocated and races a train, was her favorite, and called Kumar's work \"one of Sahib's most spellbinding and enthralling performances\".[2](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570)\n\n## Place in Dilip Kumar's career\n\n*Sagina Mahato* and *Sagina* together constitute Dilip Kumar's major work outside [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema); he had earlier made only a guest appearance in the Bengali-language *Pari* (1966).[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in) In the remake, reviewers found him most effective in restrained scenes conveying the pathos of betrayal, particularly the sequence in which Mahato and Vishaka Devi share stories of their upbringing, which is better remembered than the song \"Saala Main To Sahab Ban Gaya\".[1](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Dilip Kumar's Bengali film as a hero was a noble failure, Scroll.in (Devarsi Ghosh, 9 July 2021)](https://scroll.in/article/846052/scroll_in)\n2. [Saira Banu: 'Sagina was Dilip Kumar's most enthralling performance', The Telegraph India (PTI, 17 July 2023)](https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/entertainment/saira-banu-sagina-was-dilip-kumars-most-enthralling-performance/cid/1952570)\n3. [Sagina (1974), Times of India eTimes film page](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/sagina/movieshow/61352243.cms)\n4. [Sagina (1974), Plex movie page](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/movie/sagina)\n5. [Sagina, Bollywood Hungama movie page](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/sagina/)\n6. [Sagina, Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/movies/sagina-1974)\n7. [Sagina (1974), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072109)\n8. [Sagina (1974), Moviebuff](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/sagina)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 1970s › Released 1970 to 1975*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Sagina (सगीना)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Sagina (सगीना)](https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina](https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Sagina (सगीना)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sagina. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Sagina is a 1974 Hindi drama by Tapan Sinha, a colour remake of his Bengali Sagina Mahato, starring Dilip Kumar as tea-estate union leader Sagina Mahato with Saira Banu; music by S.D." }