Poster for the film 'Shri 420' (1955).; Graphic, paper, printed, Bombay, India, C20

The poster is dominated by the face of the film star Nargis in the top right hand corner. She is dressed in a sari with a bindi on her forehead to emphasise her traditional character. In the bottom left hand corner is the full figure image of the film star Raj Kapoor as the simple country boy/ vagabond character. He wears a hat, carries all his possessions in a cloth bundle tied to a stick swung over his shoulder and is gesturing to show that he has empty pockets. This image of Kapoor has since become one of the most famous in Indian cinema history. A row of modern buildings in the middle ground separate the two figures and serve to indicate the narrative dilemma of the film: the main theme juxtaposes the rich but corrupt urban society against the warm-hearted rural poor. The titles are on the bottom left corner and the Raj Kapoor film studio logo is in the top left hand corner.

Both Nargis and Raj Kapoor are immediately recognisable and first appeared together in the highly successful film Awara (1951) in which Raj Kapoor played a tramp. In Shri 420 he revives this role and the vagabond costume in which he is seen in this poster not only identifies his role in this film but also conjures up associations with his role in Awara. This image is particularly important because it refers to one of the most famous Indian film songs of all time: ' Mera Joota hai Japani..' In this song he says that while he is dressed in an odd assortment of clothes from around the world his heart and soul is still Hindustani.

Given by R.K. Studios. Copyright R.K. Films & Studios

1970s reprint of original design

This film features two of India's most loved stars, Raj Kapoor and Nargis. The poster depicts Kapoor as a vagabond in his, now famous, tramp costume coming to seek his fortune in the city. A popular song from the film describes him as wearing Japanese shoes, English trousers and a Russian hat; but despite that, his heart is still Hindustani. The cityscape which separates the two characters indicates both the general theme of the film, city life and modernity, as well as the more specific theme of urban housing.

IS.107-1986