Director Motilal Rajvashi, a noted character actor from the 1940s till the 1960s made his directorial debut through this film.
However, he died before film's release, and despite critical acclaim, the offbeat family drama flopped at the box office.
[3] Composer Anil Biswas said that the film's post-production was overseen by singer Mukesh, a distant cousin of Motilal, as the actor lay in hospital.
The film explores theme of humanity, helping others, society, trust, importance of money and relationships.
In visualising the Motilal of my film, a suburban philosopher, a man who is silently asking himself: “Where is peace?” and is led on from corner to corner, I have borrowed of myself, of many echoes from all my yesterdays"Motilal is a clerk in Bombay, who lives with his wife (Leela Mishra), two children, Munni and Suresh, and a servant Shyam.
The family manages on a modest income, and Motilal sacrifices minor comforts like traveling in a bus (he walks in the sun instead) but always gives in to demands of his self-involved wife and kids.
Motilal is surprised by the helpful nature of villagers like Radha, and his neighbor, Thakur Saheb (Rajan's uncle).
He also helps villagers by providing a tractor for farming, when they need assistance as disease affected bulls could not plough the fields.
Motilal's son Suresh comes to meet him, repentant about not respecting his father, losing money in gambling and throwing out trusted servant Shyam.
Village elders also decide to build a permanent hospital and school, with funds provided by Motilal, whose philosophy is to help those he can.