Awara Badal

Abducted at a young age, a prince turns into a much feared masked bandit. Mann Singh rebels when the oppressive Maharaja's soldiers attempt to extract more taxes from impoverished farmers. He storms into the palace, interrupts dancers and threatens to kill Rajkumar Kiran. The Maharaja agrees to withdraw all taxes but his orders are over-ruled by the Mahamantri, who has the former as well as the Maharani forcibly confined. Mann Singh then abducts Kiran, takes him home, re-names him Badal, brings him up along with his son, Babloo, and wife, and teaches him how to excel in sword-play and to fight the tyrannical Mahamantri. Years later Badal has grown up, and is in love with Aarti. When Mahamantri's son, Darshan, sees Aarti, he wants her for his own, and when he sends his men to abduct her, Badal dons a mask and comes to her rescue much to the chagrin of Mahamantri, who sends Darshan to deal with the bandit who they call Kala Aadmi. Badal then manages to pull wool over Darshan's eyes, gets recruited in his army, finds out he is the Rajkumar, and goes to identify himself to his still-confined parents. Badal does not know that the wily Mahamantri is already aware of this meeting, and has made arrangements to ensure his death in order to pave the way for Darshan to become the next Maharaja. —rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)