Coloured version of B R's classic 'Naya Daur' to release on Jun 22

Mumbai, May 10 (UNI) After 50 years of its first theatrical release, B R Chopra's evergreen classic 'Naya Daur' (1957) will now be released all over India on June 22, in its colour version with Dolby digital sound.

''This is a tribute to my father in the fiftieth year,'' says son film-maker Ravi Chopra, adding ''There is an emotional attachment with the film. We have such splendid films in black and white and I want today's audiences to watch them too.'' The entire procedure of change in colourisation and background score of the film was done over a period of two and a half years and at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore at a studio in Goa.

Produced and directed by B R Chopra under the banner of B R Films, the film features Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala, Ajit, Chand Usmani, Johnny Walker, Jeevan, Nazir Hussain, with lilating music given by how other than the great legend O P Nayyar.

The 180-minute 1957 film was colourized using a host of processes and skilled technicians by Westwing Studios at the US.

Restoration of this film was completed in four months by Prasad EFX, Chennai with technicians working 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The only surviving composite dupe negative had to be physically restored from mis-handling, dirt and dust particles.

Mr Ravi Chopra said 'Naya Daur' symbolised the spirit of community effort which Shankar (Dilip Kumar) infuses in his fellow-villagers.

The film dwells on the emotional and economic conflicts that provide the dramatic thrills, emotional upheavals and the story's moral that it is not justified to misuse the immense potentialities of machine to create prosperity, by making it create money for the sake of a few rich and generate unhappiness and misery for thousands of poors.

Dilip Kumar who essays the memorable role of Shankar, a tongawala, unites a divided village, sets about to keep his faith in winning the race between man and machine.

UNI