Deewaar (1975) thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Deewaar (1975)

Indian Film Poster
1975 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Using a pyramidal structure, this poster for Deewaar (1975) depicts archetypal characters from the ‘lost and found’ genre of Indian film. This involves the separation of brothers at birth and their eventual reunification. Amitabh Bachchan is depicted with headband, hooded eyes and brooding look, indicating his role as an ‘angry young man’. The older woman is recognisable as a typical long-suffering mother character, and the other male figure as the good brother. The two women are then associated with the two men as either wives or girlfriends.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Deewaar (1975)
  • The Wall
Materials and techniques
Lithograph on paper
Brief description
Indian film poster
Physical description
This poster design uses a triangular structure to link the characters. The differing scales of the images reflect their relative importance to the narrative. At the apex is a profile of the actor Amitabh Bachchan who develops his role as the 'angry young man' in this film. His portrait has been 'painted-over' in shades of pink, the emphasis is placed on his large eyes, heavy eyelid and large lips which have become his trademark.

Below him are figures which represent character types. On the left hand side is the mother figure, on the right is the 'brother figure and the two wives/girlfriends in the middle. The main portrait contrasts with the rest of the poster which is 'painted-over' in shades of yellow. The title runs across the bottom of the poster, the typography is large and particularly distinctive.
Dimensions
  • Height: 102cm
  • Width: 76.5cm
Production typeMass produced
Gallery label
Using a pyramidal structure, this poster depicts archetypal characters from the 'lost and found' genre, which involves the separation of brothers at birth and their eventual reunification. Amitabh Bachchan is depicted with his head band, hooded eyes and brooding look, indicating his 'angry young man' role. The older woman is recognisable as a typical long-suffering mother character, and the other male figure, as the good brother. The two women can then associated with the two men as either wives or girl friends.
Subject depicted
Summary
Using a pyramidal structure, this poster for Deewaar (1975) depicts archetypal characters from the ‘lost and found’ genre of Indian film. This involves the separation of brothers at birth and their eventual reunification. Amitabh Bachchan is depicted with headband, hooded eyes and brooding look, indicating his role as an ‘angry young man’. The older woman is recognisable as a typical long-suffering mother character, and the other male figure as the good brother. The two women are then associated with the two men as either wives or girlfriends.
Associated object
Bibliographic reference
Rachel Dwyer & Divia Patel, Cinema Indai: The Visual Culture of the Hindi Film, Reaktion Press, 2002.
Collection
Accession number
IS.95-1988

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Record createdOctober 22, 2002
Record URL
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