indian cinema heritage foundation

Paisa (1957)

  • FormatB-W
  • LanguageHindi
  • Length4494.27 meters
  • Gauge35 mm
  • Censor RatingU
  • Censor Certificate NumberU-20992-MUM
  • Certificate Date22/07/1957
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  "If you want to be happy, earn a little and spend a little and spend a little less". That was the guiding principle of Shantilal's life-and he was happy-Happy at home with his wife Sheela, his son Mohan and his daughter indira-happy at his work where he was Manager in the Branch Office of a  Bank and where he had earned the respect and esteem of his subordinates-his colleagues and his superious alike-Happy in his corteous social circle where they had regard for his integraty-his honesty and his corteous social habits and sterling character.

    He was devoted to his friend Kishore to whose son Behari his daughter Indira was engaged yo be married.

    He was happy, happy in the real sense of the word and was happy to share his happiness with others-the haventos-who sought his help off and on which he willingly gave.

   But into this paradise of happiness sneak in the self seekers-the drones and snobs of our society who do not know when they have enough and who are ever restless to acquire more and more of wealth and whose motto in life is to spend more and then try to earn still more by hook or crook-by fair means or foul.

   Such an one is Kalidas, a childhood friend of Shantilal and Malti and Pushpa the happy go luccky friends of Sheela.

   Mohan and Sheela fall for the pomp and show of the so called social life and eventually drag Shantilal into the mire-the all devouring fire of greed envelopes the family and Kalidas adds fuel to the fire and fans it till it engulfs Shantilal, Sheela, Mohan and last but not the least Indira-poor Indira who happens to be teh first to sustain teh burns of the fire and is maried to an old man on whose riches Shantilal has his evil eye. Mohan protests-he has to leave the house-Sheela tries to raise her voice but her voice is stiffled in her throat.

   Shantilal is a different man now-money for comfort-money for luxury-money for pomp and show-one after the other he goes down all these steps till he reaches the abysmal depths where one money for money's sake only.

   Having lost his all-his character his health happiness he clings to money for it's own sake till the day comes when he relises the folly of t-all that money is not the be all and end of life-that it cannot be the end but just means to an end and that end being the happiness af all around you-the socirty wherein you exist the country wherein you live and that you must earn your happiness by making others happy.

(From the official press booklet)