Jaded stars (Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki)

Consider Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki over with the death of Asha Parekh. Figuratively I mean. For, even though the film ends after a mind numbing session of bad songs, loud performances and unexciting fisticuffs, there is hardly any more meat in the drama save the strong histrionics by Nutan. I think it is amazing that this Raj Khosla (melo)drama won a Filmfare best film award in 1978. How on earth?
Here's the plot in a jiffy (the film was adapted from the Marathi novel, Ashi Tujhi Preet). Vijay Anand, playing the 'young' Thakur Rajnath Singh Chouhan, saves Tulsi (Asha Parekh), the helpless courtesan while she is escaping from a batch of goons and the owner of the kothi. He gives her shelter in his outhouse haveli and soon the two fall in love, much to the ire of the Thakur's mother. She wants her son to marry someone of the same status and not a woman of questionable character. Mother and son fight over this before mother has a cardiac arrest. Just when you thought that this Thakur is determined enough to let his love rule over the need to honour his family name, Tulsi plays the spoilsport. Though she is carrying her lover's baby, she sacrifices her own happiness and forces the Thakur to marry the girl chosen for him by his mother. After much deliberation, the Thakur relents and thus enters Sanjukta (Nutan) in his life. Sanjukta will not have a mere prostitute steal her man from her and gives the mistress a piece of her mind.

Hurt and humiliated, Tulsi ends her life, convincing her lover that he should now devote himself to Sanjukta. The wife suffers from guilt for instigating Tulsi's death. She realises that Tulsi was seriously a generous woman (which other mistress would give up her happiness so easily?) and promises to rear the dead woman's son honourably. She sends Ajay, Tulsi's son, to a good boarding school and occasionally goes to meet him. Amidst all this the Thakur meets his end in an equestrian accident. Sanjukta's son, Pratap (Deb Mukherjee) grows up to be a spoilt brat. Sanjukta decides to hand over everything to Ajay (Vinod Khanna), the rightful owner (as he is the Thakur's eldest son) of the Chouhan property.

The rest of the film deals with Ajay and Pratap's ego battles, their lacklustre love stories and the road to the halcyon end where all misunderstandings regarding Ajay's ilegitimate birth is sorted out.
I do not recall any of the songs save the title track (by Lata Mangeshkar) because the songs are not worth remembering. But that's how I feel. Laxmikant Pyarelal have never been my favourite.

Anand almost looks like this in the film, albeit a little younger

Now for the ghastly cast (barring Asha Parekh and Nutan). Vijay Anand as the brave and dashing Thakur? Not pleasing at all. He is pot-bellied, old and carries a ludicrous hairstyle. I almost cringed at the sight of Anand romancing Parekh. Or should I say laugh. Better of as a director, I think Khosla armtwisted Anand into this role, for some strange reason, I'm sure. In the scenes where he is dangerously close to Parekh, and later Nutan, you can sense his discomfiture. Gross miscasting, in terms of looks and personality. On acting, Anand cannot go wrong. He knew his expressions and voice modulations too well, I guess.

Next in line for the brickbats is Deb Mukherjee. Grey in character, Mukherjee's expressions are thoroughly disinterested. He is fat, old and highly improper to play a rich young man, too full of himself. When he hits a village belle with plump tomatoes, from atop a tree, I almost feel the branch will give in under his weight. He has a stupid swagger and not the right physique to model those funky shirts and bell bottom pants. His hair is sparse and hairstyle belongs to old uncles. In a particular song, he is supposed to look extremely roused by the exoticism of an intoxicated village girl. I can't begin to describe the look. It's as if he is going to launch into a fierce fight with a sworn enemy!!!

Mukherjee's scenes with Khanna are still better. At least they have some steam. But, fact is, I somehow miss Prem Chopra here. The role of a jealous brother so suits him. And, Chopra was smart and good looking, too.

Since I'm not an overtly Vinod Khanna fan, I'm not in a position to analyse his part. One thing I can say for sure though. I'm not fond of such loud personas. But perhaps that was Khanna's charm. He wore his heart and booming voice on his sleeves. My only problem is with one aspect of Ajay's character. A man who is forever grateful to his Biji for giving him a good upbringing, should be more composed. The way he moves around the factory and the haveli, the way he romantically pursues Naini, the way he monitors Pratap's shortcomings, appear a little overconfident and out of place. I would expect him to be softer in his approach. But that's just my view.

The supporting cast is bad. Period. So are the two women in Pratap and Ajay's life. While Naini is Neena Mehta, the village girl is Geeta Behl. Both are very ordinary. They lack the charm that is needed for the roles.

The two women portraying the lead protagonists stand out amidst all the drab characters. Asha Parekh is past her prime in 1978 but she still acts like a dream. Her dance to Shobha Gurtu's Sayyan Rooth Gaye still has the old magic and her expressions are awesome. Her character is well-etched and tight. She is the sacrificing mistress who wants her lover to have a happily married life. She knows that the society would slight and stigmatise her lover for being associated to her. She also wants Sanjukta to get her due rights as a wife and prodes the Thakur to fulfil his responsibilities. This is a rare film where the mistress is glorified as an honourable and dignified woman. Just as in Hindu households the basil plant can never be taken inside the house, Tulsi is never accepted inside the Thakur's home and life. Social taboos and the strictures imposed by the Thakur's old mother keep Tulsi away from the Thakur. But in his heart the Thakur loves her and in this truth Tulsi revels. It is the magnanimity of Tulsi that forms the backbone of this film.

If Tulsi is large-hearted, Sanjukta shines through her benevolence. Her pangs of guilt povokes her to take care of Ajay and being a Rajput she never shies away from her promise to give him his dues. It is through Sanjukta's actions that we see how this woman starts honouring her husband's mistress. I love Nutan's crisp dialogues. She is smart and sharp like a whip and has no qualms in belittling her own son when she feels that he is getting two big for his shoes. She is old but she still looks fresh. She is graceful and dignified and almost rescues the ship from sinking. Though you can almost doze off during some scenes, Nutan's entry will jerk you into your senses. Yes, her performance is catchy and entertaining (deserving of her Best Actress Filmfare trophy). A rare gem, alongwith Parekh, amidst a battery of corroded pebbles...