Baghi Sipahi (1958 film)

Baghi Sipahi is a 1958 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Bhagwan Das Varma and starring Madhubala,  Chandrashekhar and Ranjan. It is loosely based on the 1951 American film Quo Vadis, which in turn was adapted from the 1896 book with the same title by Henryk Sienkiewicz. The film was distributed and produced by V.P. Productions, an affiliate of Varma Films. Baghi Sipahi was released on 1 January 1958.

Baghi Sipahi’s narrative centers around the Roman Empire’s clash with Christianity and the harassment of Christians in its empire. Prominent among the persecuted Christians was the character played by Baghi Sipahi’s lead actress Madhubala, who in the early 1950s had been called “the biggest star in the world” by David Cort of Theatre Arts Magazine. Baghi Sipahi was the third collaboration between its filmmakers and Madhubala. Previously Madhubala and the filmmakers had collaborated in Neki Aur Badi (1949), for which Varma Films was the distributor, and Badal (1951), for which Varma Films was both the producer and the distributor. Baghi Sipahi was, however, the first time that Bhagwan Das Varma, one of the founders of Varma Films, had directed Madhubala.

Plot
Baghi Sipahi is set in Rome in Nero's time, and has a theme based on Christians and their persecution by the Roman Empire.

The film tells the story of a Roman military commander, who, after returning from the war, falls in love with Ranjana, a devout Christian. Ranjana is technically a hostage of the Roman Emperor. However, as a reward for his services, the commander is able to persuade the Emperor to give Ranjana to him. Although Ranjana resents this arrangement, she eventually falls in love with the commander.

As the film progresses, the Emperor's massacres of the Christians become progressively more despicable. When the kingdom catches fire, the Emperor blames the Christians at the suggestion of his wife. This in turn leads to more atrocities toward the Christians, instigating the commander to become a rebel soldier to protect Ranjana and the Christian community.

Much of the movie proceeds with the cruel spectacles that ensue with the increasingly irrational behavior of the Emperor. Ultimately, the commander succeeds in overturning the situation, leading to the demise of the Emperor with the assistance of a palace slave, who was once in unreciprocated love with the Emperor.

Cast

 * Madhubala as Ranjana
 * Chandrashekhar as the military commander
 * Ranjan as the Emperor
 * Nishi as the Emperor's wife
 * Om Prakash
 * Purnima as a palace slave
 * Gope
 * Sapru

Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Baghi Sipahi was composed by Shankar–Jaikishan.

Reception
Quo Vadis, the 1951 American film on which Baghi Sipahi is based was a box-office hit. Baghi Sipahi was released seven years after the release of its American counterpart and was not successful at the box office.

A review by Thought disliked the fact that Madhubala was present in almost the whole film, but found her to be "vivacious" in her role. The sets and other actors were only formally praised. However, according to Thought, the lavish war scenes were great in visuals.