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Wednesday 24 March 2010

Due credit (C.I.D)


Dharam Dev Pishorimal Anand writes his heart out in Romancing with Life, his autobiography. He traces his roots to Gurdaspur and recalls his struggles as a strapping but thin 25-year-old jobhunting in busy Bombay. He dots the narrative with multihued incidents from his film career and personal life that made him DEV ANAND, the star. While doing so, he credits Vijay Anand's Baazi for making him a household name.
He says that during Baazi's premiere he even wore his berret in the same lopsided fashion as he did in the film. He writes, "The girls surrounded me and shrieked out my name in frenzy. I took off the berret and threw it high up in the air. It landed up in the hands of a pretty girl, she kissed it and ran off with her catch... This was what Baazi did to me."
A similar thrill grips me everytime I watch...not Baazi, but C.I.D. Yes, strangely the actor has not allotted much space (a few words maybe) to this gripping Raj Khosla thriller in his memoir. Surprising indeed. More so, as this film is replete with style, substance, story and fabulous performances. And also because, in terms of content and quality it beats Baazi (I found the film boring, tedious and the waif-like Kalpana Karthik unconvincing as a doctor!). I'm not even getting started on C.I.D's music...class compositions by melody wizard O.P. Nayyar. I hum them all the time...be it the rustic Booj Mera Kya Naam (picturised on comedian Mehmood's sister), the romantic Aankhon Hi Aankhon and Leke Pehla pehla Pyaar and finally, the menacing Kahin pe Nigahen. Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum and Mohd Rafi congregate to render gems.
The film's plot is pretty ordinary but the execution is top notch. You have a dashingly attractive CID inspector (suave smart Anand) investigating a murder case to nail a ganglord. The villain plays dirty and sends his sidekick to embroil Anand in a murder-in-custody controversy. In the meantime the inspector has the time to pursue his senior's daughter (expressive Shakila, if not mirror-cracking material!) with beautiful songs and crisp one-liners (Hindi cinema this is and I'm not complaining!!!). He succeeds with panache. While he is under suspicion from all quarters Shakila is the only person who trusts him. The rest of the film entails how the hero clears his name and everyone (including the audience) goes home happy. No...I haven't given it all out yet...
There is a spark in C.I.D the embers of which die hard. The nailbiting finish is unforgettable. I often discuss with fellow moviebuffs the repercussions if THIS had not happened and THAT not taken place in the narrative. I am at the edge of my seat during Kahin pe Nigahen because I know, "One wrong move and you are done for." So tight is Khosla's direction. The protege learnt his art well from his teacher Guru Dutt.
The graceful Waheeda Rehman makes her oh-so-good debut as the villain's pretty moll. Considering that this is a Guru Dutt production, something special had to be slotted for her!!! She leaves an imprint. Rehman makes Shakila look lame with her pointed expressions, her saucy dialogues and her lascivious innuendos. She is young, vivavious and her character is like an onion, you keep on peeling and still she is an enigma. Great job for a first I'd say...
When I saw this film the first time I loved it. Yesterday, I think, if my math is good enough, I saw it for the 23rd time. And, I loved it just as much. I know every dialogue, every sequence and every song by heart. But it doesn't tire me. I know how the film ends but I'm game to watch it again and again. I call that the Khosla, Anand and O.P. Nayyar syndrome. Considering that there is a paucity of good thrillers today I might as well revisit this 1956 classic to get my fill. So, Dev Saab, next time you are penning something, how about a few words more on this 1956 masterpiece...

24 comments:

  1. Well written.
    CID is my third-favourite Bollywood thriller after Mera Saya and Teesri Manzil.
    The film mostly owes its success to the trademark Raj Khosla brand of direction: tease, confuse, misguide yet entertain the viewer and just when she thinks she's zeroed in on the villain or cracked the case, Khosla saab springs a super surprise!
    I think Vijay Anand and he are the two best B-town directors in this genre.

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  2. Wonderful posts Sharmi absolutely loved them! Waiting for you to write on Casablanca:)Bogart's line, "Of all the jin joints in all the towns of the world, she walks into mine" is sublime! You have a dedicated reader in me:)
    Cheers!
    Abhi

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  3. Pardon me that's "gin joints"!

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  5. Khosla is a killer. He just grows with every film. Vijay Anand may have disappointed in Baazi, but he more than makes up for it with Teesri Manzil and Jewel Thief (you have to brush up your memory on that). And wait till you watch Gumnaam. That will set you thinking once again!! Movies, what a world they unravel!!!

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  6. To deysaid: I am a dedicated reader of your blog as well. Sadly, black magic woman has tricked you into hitting the writer's block :)

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  7. Thank you Abhi, feels great to be appreciated. Though Casablanca is a tough nut to crack I will try doing it just for you. I will close my eyes and simply say, "Here's looking at you great film...and just write." And considering we share the same filmi passion, you can fill in where I miss out. Cheers, Sharmi.

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  8. Sure Sharmi, after reading your posts I have realised that you see films with a keener eye than mine! But surely I will fill in whenever I can:)

    Cheers!

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  9. Lovely post, great analysis. I like CID too but not as much as Jewel Thief. It's an absolute masterpiece, one of its kind in the history of Bollywood and a clear trendsetter as far as crime thrillers are concerned. I must admit that I didn't really understand the plot when I saw Jewel Thief for the first time as a young boy. But, since then , I've watched it so many times and it remains one of my favourites. Superb plot, brilliant performances, melodious songs, fetching ladies (our present day item girls should watch this movie to understand you don't need to shed your clothes to look ravishing, attitude is the key!!)...and what about the chilling background score, takes my breath away...WOW!!...Clearly inspired from Connery's Bond movies, crime thrillers don't come better than this.
    Well, I've ended up writing way too much on Jewel Thief. But, it's as if Dev Anand was born to make this movie.
    Give us a cracker of a post on the eternal masterpiece...that's something we'll really relish :-)

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  10. God, Dada you have summarised Jewel Thief so well that it leaves little room for any improvement. But I will try to pen my thoughts on this film as it is one of my favourites too. Moreover, I want to find out for myself what I feel for the film. Thanks a ton for the wonderful appreciation. Cheers :)

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  11. ooh gumnaam! that's the one I've seen, not CID. But 'gumnaam hain koi"..what a song..just gives me goosebumps! Very well-written piece, must say. But, I STILL won't read it right through till I manage to watch the movie.

    Then there's that other movie, 'Mirch Masala' I watched it as a kid and only remember the moustache and the piles of red chillies..but I remember I liked it a lot.

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  12. Well, Priyanka..come to Delhi and visit my house.. I'll make sure u see all these films!!! I've seen mirch masala too and remember every frame..Some day we'll talk about that!! Thanks for the appreciation though!! Cheers :)

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  13. Mr Dev Anand's trademark black suit made girls swoon all over so much and so that he was apparently banned from wearing them. This film celebrates an oft forgotten chapter in Dev Anand and Guru Dutt's friendship. The post doesn't have much about Baazi, and I think it could have been better.

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  14. What a fabulous film this is. It's the first Hindi film I ever remember having watched, and that scene in the hospital - Shakila sitting on the chair beside the bed, Dev Anand and K N Singh waiting for the criminal to fall for the bait... is one I recall so vividly, it's stayed with me these 30 years since when I first saw it. Definitely one of the best 'Bollywood noir' films ever.

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  15. @dustedoff: I swear..This film is kind of fantabulous!!! And, I love OP Nayyar's score...

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  16. I first saw this movie in my first year of Graduation, 2 yrs back, just as I was discovering the experience called Golden Classics of Hindi Cinema. I happened to chance upon C.I.D. DVD on a random visit to Nehru Place. the next 3 hrs were BLISS. what with a delicious looking Dev sahab, a dew-fresh Waheeda ji, a crackling score from OPN sahab and an exuberant playback from my fav Geeta-Rafi alongwith Asha and Shamshad Begum! The nailbiting finish is a trademark Raj Khosla style. Its a thorough entertainer with the only distraction being Shakeela as the heroine. why couldn't the lady be more of a natural? Still, I am not complaining. C.I.D. is one of the best thrillers I have laid my hands upon!

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  17. @Punya: Well, I guess Shakila doesn'y have much to do in the film since the ploy concentrates a lot on the hero and the villain's moll. But, in totality CID is a gorgeous film. Maybe, that's why Shakila fails to create a buzz like most of her contemporaries. I too feel she did not have much promise. But yes, in some scenes she looked pleasant. Thanks for the comment Punya :)

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  18. @Punya: Yes, Dev Anand is really delicious in this film, devoid of his sometimes irksome mannerisms. The songs are stupendously good. It's a sureshot winner from Raj Khosla :)

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  19. tnx alot....igot enof 4 writin a movie review..

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  20. @Atombomb: Hey you are most welcome. Keep reading :)

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  21. Hi Sharmi,
    I just ordered CID on the strength of your words - so it gotta be good!!(No I know it is... Waheeda: bias full throttle)
    cheers!

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  22. @Yves: I'm sure you will like it. Both Dev Anand and Waheeda are superlative :)

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  23. Hi Sharmi,
    Finally got round to seeing it! Come and let me know what you think, when you have a sec!
    Cheers,
    yves

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  24. @Yves: Oh surely. I'm sure you liked this awesome film :)

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