Najma (film)

Najma is a 1943 Indian film directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Ashok Kumar and Veena. The films music is by Rafiq Ghaznavi with lyrics by Anjum Pilibhiti. Najma was the first film under Mehboob Khans Mehboob Productions banner. Khan paid Kumar Rs.lakh for his role in the film, a record at the time. Due to its financial success upon release, the film became a blueprint for Muslim socials that followed.

Najma emphasises the importance of education and the necessity for modern development within the Muslim community, but also portrays the value of family honor and upholding traditions like arranged marriage. The films upper class Lahknawi protagonists live in an economically privileged world and follow the traditional tehzeeb etiquette of Lucknow. The film mainly deals with family relationships and the effects of tehzeeb on them. Many of these elements became the prototype for later Muslim social films which usually focused on malefemale relationships in upperclass Muslim communities.

Source: Wikipedia