Humanity in Art

To undo the damage though it is not clear how the police commissioner releases Jugga from jail, and Jugga immediately behaves in the way the hero in a C-grade movie does. The train, bearing the Muslims evacuated from Mano Majra by order of the commissioner, is due to pass through the village. On that train is Nooro, and the Sikhs have murder in their hearts. Jugga loves Nooro, Muslim or not. That train must be saved. Jugga saves it. It seems quite obvious that Mr. Singh tried to strike a compromise between a fullbodied story of character under tragic stress and a story packed with meaningful dramatic action. The result is at least a partial failure, because between these two there can be no compromise: the meaning of action reposes in character. In Mano Majra, excepting minor instances, character is lacking, and what we have is melodrama. As melodrama it absorbs one's interest.