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{{Short description|Indian film producer, distributor and director}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bhagwan Das Varma
| image = Bhagwan Das Varma.jpg
| caption = Bhagwan Das Varma in the 1950s
| birth_date = 1907
| birth_place = [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] of [[British India]].
| death_date = 1962 (aged 55)
| death_place = [[Bombay]], India
| spouse = {{ublist|{{marriage|Tarawanti|1935}}|{{marriage|[[Purnima (Hindi actress)|Purnima]]|1954}}}}
| occupation = {{hlist|producer|distributor|director}}
}}

'''Bhagwan Das Varma''' (1907-1962) was a Bollywood film producer and director. He was one of six brothers that were founders/partners of [[Varma Films]], a company predominantly involved with the production and distribution of Hindi language films. After the Varma Films banner was retired in the mid-1950s, Bhagwan Das continued his film production and distribution activities with two affiliated companies: Varma Pictures and V. P. Productions.

During his 11-year career span, starting from its inception with the release of the film [[Suhaag Raat (1948 film)|Suhaag Raat]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/suhag-raat/cast/ |title=Suhaag Raat (1948) |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=January 1948 | access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> in 1948, to the release of his last film, [[Main Nashe Mein Hoon]]<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/main-nashe-mein-hoon/cast/|title= Main Nashe Mein Hoon (1959) |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date= January 1959 | access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> in 1959, Bhagwas Das Varma directed 3 films: [[Aurat (1953 film)|Aurat (1953)]],<ref>{{cite web|title= Aurat (1953) Cast - Actor, Actress, Director, Producer, Music Director | url= https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/aurat-1995/cast-crew | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210721221805/https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/aurat-1995/cast-crew | url-status= live | archive-date= 21 July 2021 |publisher=Cinestaan|access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> [[Pooja (1954 film)|Pooja (1954)]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/pooja-2/cast/ |title=Pooja (1954) |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=January 1954 | access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> and [[Baghi Sipahi (1958 film)|Baghi Sipahi (1958)]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/baghi-sipahi/cast/ |title=Baghi Sipahi (1958) |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=January 1958 | access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> A sample of the careers of 3129 movie directors shows that about 63% directors made only one movie, and only about 7% directors made 3 or more movies.<ref>{{cite book | chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1108/S0573-8555(2003)0000260004 |publisher= Emerald Group Publishing Limited|last1=De Vany |first1=Arthur|title= Economics of Art and Culture Invited Papers at the 12th International Conference of the Association of Cultural Economics International |chapter= Motion Picture Directors: Luck, Talent and Rewards |series= Contributions to Economic Analysis | date=2003|volume= 260 | pages=2–17|doi= 10.1108/S0573-8555(2003)0000260004 |isbn= 978-0-44450-995-6 }}</ref> A more recent but smaller sample of the careers of 193 movie directors shows that about 34% directors make only one movie and only about 14% made 3 or more movies.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0929119914001369 |title= Managerial Ability and Success: Evidence from the Career Paths of Film Directors | journal = Journal of Corporate Finance|publisher= Elsevier|last1=John |first1=Kose |last2=Ravid |first2= S. Abraham| last3=Sunder |first3=Jayanthi| date=2017|volume= 44 | pages=425–439|doi= 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2014.11.001 |issn= 0929-1199|url-access=subscription }}</ref> With Bhagwan Das’s career including 3 movies as a director, the above comparison benchmarks are indicators of the notability of Bhagwan Das arising from his prolific directional proclivity.

==Family==
Bhagwan Das Varma was born as Bhagwan Das Chawla in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] of [[British India]]. He was one of six sons born to Laxmidas and Hakumdai Chawla. The other five brothers were Ramrakha, Munshiram, Biharilal, Waltiram and Santram. After moving to [[Bombay]] in the late 1940s to enter the movie industry, the six brothers changed their last name to Varma, and debuted with the release of their first film, [[Suhaag Raat (1948 film)|Suhaag Raat]] (1948),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/suhag-raat/cast/ |title=Suhaag Raat (1948) |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=January 1948 | access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref> distributed under the banner of [[Varma Films]].<ref name="Varma">{{cite journal|title=Pictures In Making-Varma Films|journal=Filmindia|date=November 1948|volume=14|issue=11|pages=84|url=https://archive.org/stream/filmindia194612unse#page/n387/mode/2up/search/Varma|accessdate=26 July 2023}}</ref>

In 1954, Bhagwan Das married actress [[Purnima (Hindi actress)|Purnima]], who had worked in a majority of the films produced by Varma Films; it was Purnima’s second marriage.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.cinemaazi.com/feature/dil-se-bhula-do-tum-hamein-poornima|title= 'Dil Se Bhula Do Tum Hamein'-Poornima | publisher = Indian Cinema Heritage Foundation| first=Shishir Krishna|last=Sharma| date= 25 March 2020|access-date=13 June 2021}}</ref>

Involvement in the Indian film industry was pursued by Bhagwan Das and Purnima as well as members of their immediate family. Jagdish Varma, son of Bhagwan Das from his previous marriage, started a new production and distribution company called J.V. Film Enterprises<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/production-house-details/j-v-films-corporation|title=J.V. Films Corporation|website=Indian Film History| access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref> associated with two films: [[Insaaniyat]] (1974)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/insaaniyat|title=Insaaniyat|website=Indian Film History| access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref> and [[Oonch Neech Beech]] (1989).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/oonch-neech-beech|title=Oonch Neech Beech|website=Indian Film History| access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref> Jagdish and his brother Satpal Varma were the producers of ''Insaaniyat'' <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/insaaniyat-2/cast/|title=Insaaniyat|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=January 1974 | access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref> whereas Jagdish was the producer of ''Oonch Neech Beech'' and Satpal the co-producer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/oonch-neech-beech/cast/|title=Oonch Neech Beech|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=28 July 1989 | access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref>

Purnima Das Varma’s son from her first marriage, Anwar Hashmi, worked as a character actor in [[Baharon Ki Manzil (1968 film)|Baharon Ki Manzil]] (1968).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/My-wife-and-my-audience-both-took-time-to-understand-me-Emraan-Hashmi/articleshow/20603710.cms|title=My wife and my audience, both took time to understand me: Emraan Hashmi – Times of India|website=[[The Times of India]] |date=16 June 2013 |access-date=4 July 2021|archive-date=16 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816131529/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/My-wife-and-my-audience-both-took-time-to-understand-me-Emraan-Hashmi/articleshow/20603710.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

Particularly prominent among the descendants of Bhagwan Das is [[Emraan Hashmi]], a film actor. He is the grandson of Purnima Das Varma; Purnima’s son from her first marriage, Anwar Hashmi, is Emraan’s father making Bhagwandas Varma step grandfather of Emraan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/happy-birthday-emraan-hashmi-did-you-know-his-grandmom-was-a-big-film-star-in-1950s-101616520444619.html|title= Happy Birthday Emraan Hashmi: Did you know his grand mom was a big film star in 1950s |date=24 March 2021 |publisher=Hindustan Times |access-date= 3 July 2021}}</ref>

==Film career==
Bhagwan Das Varma began his film career as one of the founders/partners of [[Varma Films]], a company that produced and distributed Indian films. The company started its distribution house with the film [[Suhaag Raat (1948 film)|Suhaag Raat]] (1948)<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sohag Raat|journal=Filmindia|date=May 1948|volume=14|issue=5|pages=71|url=https://archive.org/stream/filmindia194612unse#page/n387/mode/2up/search/Sohag+Raat|accessdate=22 May 2021}}</ref> and its production house the next year with the film [[Patanga (1949 film)|Patanga]] (1949).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Patanga|journal=Filmindia|date=May 1949|volume=15|issue=5|pages=312| url=https://archive.org/details/filmindia194915unse/page/n312/mode/2up?view=theater&q=patanga|accessdate=22 May 2021}}</ref> Both films were commercial successes. ''Suhaag Raat'' was the seventh highest-grossing film of 1948<ref>{{cite web|title=Top Earners 1948|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=153&catName=MTk0OA==|publisher=Box Office India|access-date=1 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012171051/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=153&catName=MTk0OA%3D%3D|archive-date=12 October 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and ''Patanga'' was the seventh highest-grossing film of 1949.<ref>{{cite web|title=Top Earners 1949|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=154&catName=MTk0OQ==|publisher=Box Office India|access-date= 1 July 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016234445/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=154&catName=MTk0OQ==|archivedate=16 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In the next several years that followed these box-office hits, Bhagwan Das and his brothers produced and/or distributed the following films: [[Thes (1949 film)|Thes]] (1949), [[Neki Aur Badi (1949 film)|Neki Aur Badi]] (1949), [[Sagai (1951 film)|Sagai]] (1951), [[Baadal (1951 film)|Badal]] (1951), [[Parbat (film)|Parbat]] (1952), [[Aurat (1953 film)|Aurat]] (1953), [[Ladla]] (1954) and [[Pooja (1954 film)|Pooja]] (1954). After the Varma Films banner was retired in the mid-1950s, Bhagwan Das together with his surviving brothers continued his film production and distribution activities with affiliated companies. V P Productions was associated with [[Baghi Sipahi (1958 film)|Baghi Sipahi]] (1958), and Varma Pictures with Night Club (1958) and [[Main Nashe Mein Hoon]] (1959).

In addition to playing the above roles with Varma Films and affiliated companies, Bhagwan Das made his debut as a producer with ''Badal'' in 1951. Like ''Sohaag Raat'' and ''Patanga'', ''Badal'' was a commercial success. ''Badal'' was the eighth highest-grossing film of 1951.<ref>{{cite web| title=Top Earners 1951|
url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=156&catName=MTk1MQ==| publisher=Box Office India| access-date= 1 July 2021|
archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030033107/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=156&catName=MTk1MQ==|archive-date=30 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> ''Badal'' was motivated by the 1938 American film [[The Adventures of Robin Hood]]. In the Indianized version of the Robin Hood legend, a [[Jagirdar]]’s henchmen loot poor villagers until Badal (played by [[Premnath]]) steals from the oppressor and helps the repressed while getting into a romantic relationship with the tyrant’s daughter Ratna (played by [[Madhubala]]).<ref>{{cite book|last=Rajadhyaksha|first=Ashish|title=Encyclopedia of Indian cinema|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=1994|isbn=9780195635799|location=|page=84}}</ref> The film received mixed reviews<ref>{{Cite book |last=Akbar |first=Khatija |title=Madhubala: Her Life, Her Films |title-link=Madhubala: Her Life, Her Films |year=1997 |publisher=[[Hay House]] |isbn=978-93-80480-81-7|pages=111–112 }}</ref> with the performance of Premnath, the lead actor in ''Badal'', being described as being a little too loud whereas Madhubala generally being praised for her performance as the Jagirdar’s daughter. [[Mohan Deep]], in his unofficial biography about Madhubala, describes the romantic relationship that developed during the filming of ''Badal'' that may have helped in the commercial success of the film.<ref>{{cite book |last=Deep |first=Mohan |title=The Mystery and Mystique of Madhubala |publisher=Magna Publishing Co. Ltd |year=1996 |isbn=1906574219 |pages= 52–59}}</ref>

Furthermore, Bhagwan Das made his debut as a director in 1953 with the film ''Aurat''. The film’s plot was a re-working of the Biblical tale of [[Samson]] and [[Delilah]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Liddle|first1=Madhulika|author1-link=Madhulika Liddle|date=22 July 2009|title=Aurat (1953)|url=https://madhulikaliddle.com/2009/07/22/aurat-1953/|website=Dustedoff|language=en}}</ref> ''Aurat'' was released shortly after the release of the American film [[Samson and Delilah (1949 film)|Samson and Delilah]], a commercially successful film directed by [[Cecil B. DeMille]] with a box-office revenue of $25.6 million<ref>{{cite book|last=Block|first=Alex Ben|title=George Lucas's Blockbusting: A Decade-by-Decade Survey of Timeless Movies Including Untold Secrets of Their Financial and Cultural Success|year=2010|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=9780061963452|page=323}}</ref> and a budget of only 3.1 million.<ref>{{cite book |last=Birchard |first=Robert |title=Cecil B. DeMille's Hollywood |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |year=2009 |isbn=9780813138299|page=334}}</ref> Unlike its American version, ''Aurat'' was not successful at the box office.<ref name="Aurat4">{{cite web|last=Tuli|first=A.C.|date=28 October 2001|title=Spouses don't click as screen lovers|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011028/spectrum/main8.htm|access-date=20 July 2021|publisher=[[Tribune India]]|archive-date=20 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520004716/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011028/spectrum/main8.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Aurat'' also marked the first time Purnima worked in an important role under the direction of Bhagwan Das.

''Pooja'' was Bhagwan Das’s second film as director and his only film for which he wrote the screenplay. Purnima was cast as the main female lead in the film. It was the first film in which Purnima, who had previously worked in character roles for various movies for Varma Films, worked as the leading actress playing the role of a child widow. The film revolved around the controversial issue of remarriage of Indian women in general and, more specifically, remarriage by widows.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323691687| title=Widow Remarriage in India | first=Radhika|last=Kapur|date=2018|access-date=13 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| title=Problems of Widow Remarriage in India | journal = Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research 2(2)| first=Varun|last=Malik|date=2013|pages=23–31| s2cid=160553811 }}</ref> Portrayals of widows in the Indian Cinema have been documented by various scholars.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://ifp.ujk.edu.pl/studia_filologiczne/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Portrayal-of-Women-in-the-Popular-Indian-Cinema.pdf|title=Portrayal of Women in the Popular Indian Cinema|journal=Artykuły i rozprawy|last=Rehman|first=Sharaf|date=2017|pages=157–173|access-date=14 October 2021|archive-date=26 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026232325/https://ifp.ujk.edu.pl/studia_filologiczne/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Portrayal-of-Women-in-the-Popular-Indian-Cinema.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Bajwa|first=Seva Singh|title= Facets of Indian Cinema |publisher=K. K. Publications|year=2018|isbn=978-8178443188|pages=33–38}}</ref> "Young or old," as has been noted, a widow "will be dressed in white. She will wear no makeup or jewelry. She is treated as a cursed person responsible for her husband’s death. She has no right to any happiness and will never be allowed to remarry."<ref>Rehman(2017), p. 164</ref> Portrayals of widow remarriages in the Indian cinema during the 1950s were rare, making the film a daring depiction of the romantic pursuit of a widow by the male lead.

The last film to be directed by Bhagwan Das was ''Baghi Sipahi''. The film was loosely based on the 1951 American film [[Quo Vadis (1951 film)|''Quo Vadis'']], which in turn was adapted from the 1896 book with the same title by [[Henryk Sienkiewicz]]. ''Quo Vadis'' was commercially very successful. It was on the [[List of highest-grossing films|highest grossing film]] of 1951, with a box-office revenue of $21.2 million<ref>{{cite book|last=Lev|first=Peter|title= Transforming the Screen, 1950–1959. Vol. 7 of History of the American Cinema|publisher=University of California Press|year=2006|isbn=978-0-520-24966-0|page=15}}</ref> and a budget of only $7.6.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hall|first1=Sheldon|last2=Neale|first2=Steve|title=Epics, Spectacles, and Blockbusters: A Hollywood History|date=2010|publisher=Wayne State University Press|isbn=978-0-8143-3008-1|page=137}}</ref> Given the low budget of ''Baghi Sipahi'', despite being a [[historical drama film]] and the well-documented relationship between box-office revenues and budgets in academic studies,<ref>{{cite journal |title= Motion Picture Performance: A Review and Research Agenda | journal = International Journal of Management Reviews |publisher= John Wiley & Sons Limited|last1= Allègre |first1=Hadida L. | date=2009|volume= 11 |issue= 3 | pages=297–335|doi= 10.1111/j.1468-2370.2008.00240.x |s2cid= 146556034 |issn= 1468-2370|doi-access= free }}</ref> ''Baghi Sipahi'' was not commercially successful. In addition to directing ''Baghi Sipahi'', Bhagwan Das also produced this film. Once again Purnima, who was by this time married to Bhagwan Das, played an important role in the film. What made this last directional endeavor of Bhagwan Das notable was that this was the first time he was directing [[Madhubala]], who was playing the lead female role in the film. Madhubala has been designated one of the greats in [[Indian cinema|Indian cinematic history]], and her status has withstood the test of time in the decades following her death.<ref name="m3">{{Cite news|title=Remembering Madhubala, the 'Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood'|work=[[India Today]]|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/madhubala-310060-2016-02-23|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426100644/https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/madhubala-310060-2016-02-23|archive-date=26 April 2019}}</ref><ref name="mill">{{Cite web|last=Mohamed|first=Khalid|date=2017-12-16|title=Here's Why Madhubala Has a Huge Millennial Fan Following|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/flashback/madhubala-fan-following-among-millennials|access-date=11 November 2021|website=[[The Quint]]|language=en}}</ref> In 1958 alone, the year in which ''Baghi Sipahi'' was released, Madhubla was the lead actress in four films ([[Phagun (1958 film)|Phagun]], [[Kala Pani (1958 film)|Kala Pani]], [[Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi]] and [[Howrah Bridge (1958 film)|Howrah Bridge]]) that were all on the list of the ten highest grossing films of the year 1958.<ref>{{cite web|author=Box Office India|title=Top Earners 1958|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=164&catName=MTk1OA==|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030041245/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=164&catName=MTk1OA==|archive-date=30 October 2013|access-date=11 November 2021|publisher=boxofficeindia.com|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Although not on this list of highest grossing films, ''Baghi Sipahi'' is considered one of the most "memorable films" of Madhubala.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Madhubala {{!}} Upperstall.Com|url=http://old.upperstall.com/people/madhubala|access-date=11 November 2021|website=old.upperstall.com|archive-date=20 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120221205/http://old.upperstall.com/people/madhubala|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{|border="1" cellpadding="5"
!Year||Film|| Role
|-
|1959||''[[Main Nashe Mein Hoon]]''|| As Partner/Founder of Varma Pictures
|-
|1958||''Night Club''|| As Partner/Founder of Varma Pictures
|-
|1958||'' [[Baghi Sipahi (1958 film)|Baghi Sipahi]]''|| As Producer & Director and also as Partner/Founder of V.P. Productions
|-
|1954||''[[Pooja (1954 film)|Pooja]]''|| As Director and also as Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1954||''[[Ladla (1954 film)|Ladla]]''|| As Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1953||''[[Aurat (1953 film)|Aurat]]'' || As Director and also as Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1952||''[[Parbat (1952 film)|Parbat]]''|| As Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1951||''[[Baadal (1951 film)|Badal]]'' || As Producer and as Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1951||''[[Sagai (1951 film)|Sagai]]'' || As Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1949||''[[Patanga (1949 film)|Patanga]]'' || As Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1949||''[[Neki Aur Badi (1949 film)|Neki Aur Badi]]'' || As Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1949||''[[Thes (1949 film)|Thes]]'' || As Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|1948||''[[Suhaag Raat (1948 film)|Suhaag Raat]]'' || As Partner/Founder of Varma Films
|-
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|nm0201875|Bhagwan Das Varma}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varma, Bhagwan Das}}
[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:1962 deaths]]
[[Category:Hindi film producers]]
[[Category:Film producers from Mumbai]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Mumbai]]

Bhagwan Das Varma - Revision history

DessieIqj504 at 03:07, 30 April 2026