Wildly attractive (Junglee)

If such gorgeous people inhabit the wild, I wish I lived in a wild, wild world. If their eyes are so passionate, their body language so smart and their voice so sexy, I wish God made many more of these junglees. But alas, that is not to be. For, there is just one of them, who I love to love. He is Shammi Kapoor, I say with a loud yahoo...

In his first coloured film directed by Subodh Mukherjee, Shammi Kapoor plays Chandra Shekhar, a rich man hopelessly in love with Rajkumari, the sprightly girl responsible for his transformation from a stiff and gruff man to a more understanding and compassionate person. But 1961's Junglee is famous not just for this irrepressible Kapoor. It also happens to be the debut wagon of Saira Banu, who at 17 went on to rule many hearts.

She plays Rajkumari, a sweet, affectionate and spontaneous young girl who takes up the cudgels to change a beast to a beautiful man. She is beautiful. Yes very, with warm eyes. Something that instruments a change in the otherwise strict martinet called Shekhar. He is struck by her infectious charm and her attractive visage and cannot control his passion for long. I love the sequences where Shekhar and Raj are stuck in a cottage due to increment weather. Shekhar has to face the truth of his being fiercely attracted to this lovely woman. The change in his perception that love is a magical feeling after all, is wonderfully depicted. He is initially scared of being so close to Rajkumari but then he gets comfortable with the proximity he shares with her, reveling in his new-found affection for her. And, the youthful flutterings of romance brings with it a tingling sensation. Kapoor's hazel eyes mirror this excitement to perfection...

Shekhar returns home from abroad after many years. But, his meeting with his domineering mother (Lalita Pawar) is weirdly formal and cold. Pawar is proud to see her strict reflection in her son and is happy that she has been able to drill in the family principles in him...principles that curbs laughter and mirth. There is no jollity in this huge mansion and the sound of laughter is a strict no-no. The only person who is normal in these abnormal surroundings is Maya (Shashikala), Shekhar's happy-go-lucky sister. She is in love with Jeevan (Anup Kumar) and has married him secretly. She loathes the grim ambience of her house and is scared of her dogmatic mother. But, she has no qualms in falling in love with Jeevan, who is way below her social status. For, it is with him (though he is a spineless and stupid person in my opinion) that she can lead a normal life. And, that halcyon normalcy is evident in Nain tumharey mazedaar o janabe ali. Mukesh and Asha Bhonsle's lively track is pleasing...

When Pawar gets an inkling about Maya's indiscretion, she orders Shekhar to take his sister to Kashmir. There Maya discovers that she is pregnant and rushes to end her life. Just in time to save Maya, Rajkumari promises to her new friend that she will teach Shekhar a lesson or two. In other words, change him for the better. Here I have to say that Banu looks quite convincing as the young sadhu fooling Shekhar to go to Sheshnag to pay his respects to God so that his sister gets well soon. But, fate decides otherwise and Shekhar and Rajkumari are stuck in a cottage and have to rely on the elements before they can get back to Kashmir. It is during this time that the two fall in love and we have two great songs, Chahein koi mujhey junglee kahein and Din sara guzara torey angnaa. The song that represents the charismatic Kapoor is but obviously full of explosive energy and enthusiasm. A quintessential Shammi Kapoor song, (the actor himself shouted the yahoo in the song) it reflects the insurmountable joy he feels aftre falling in love. Shot in beautiful snowclad Sheshnag, this song is a forever. Signature Shammi Kapoor and of course, Mohd Rafi.

Din saraa is a bouncy romantic number picturised on the breathtakingly handsome Kapoor and the lovely Saira Banu. Beautiful melody and a lovely locale make the song a delight. Happy tunes for happy times...

Shekhar's mother has arranged for him to marry the rajkumari of Ramgarh. But, there's a catch. The Ramgarh royal family is playing a cunning game to fool Pawar and her lot. Though they are completely bankrupt, they put up a charade so that Shekhar and his mother is fooled into believing that they are real royals. There is a huge misunderstanding when Shekhar, already in love with Banu, try to convince the Ramgarh cons that he is mad. He defies decorum to shake his leg with Miss Suku (Helen) in Ai aiya karoon main kya suku suku. The villains are baffled but we love it!

More confusions ensue when Rajkumari and her father, who also happened to deliver Mala and Jeevan's baby, visits Pawar in Mumbai. She mistakes her as the princess of Ramgarh and is mighty impressed with her beauty. But, soon the veil of deception is lifted and Rajkumari has to bear the brunt of Pawar's caustic tongue. Shekhar also is too confounded to clarify his case before his stinging mother. The lovers fight and there's a cloud of dejection in Shekhar and Rajkumari's life. But, thanks to their sorrow that we get to hear the surreal melody of Ehsaan tera hoga mujh par. I have to say that this is the best song of the film (awesome composition by music directors Shankar Jaikishan). If Mohd Rafi is the heart of this song, Shammi Kapoor's expressions is the soul. Looking immaculately vulnerable yet understanding, he is the sensitive lover cajoling his sweetheart to understand and forgive him. What poetic words: "Chahein banado, chahein mita do, mar bhi gaye to dengey duayein...udh udh kahegi khakh sanam, yeh dardein mohabbat seheney doon..mujhey tumsey mohabbat ho gayi hain mujhey, palkon ki chaon mein reheney do..." Hats off to Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri!!

Shammi Kapoor looks a bit foolish as the strict Shekhar. Strictness is not for him, I guess. He aught to be fun always. But, then, he is adorable as the changed lover. Dapper and smart, I cannot imagine anyone portraying Shekhar so well. I feel, he is the most romantic in Junglee. Never ever did I get to see him reading poetry and expressing his passion so explicitly. His eyes are perfectly intense and his looks are absolutely droolworthy. He is the sole reason why I can watch Junglee a zillion times.

Saira Banu, I'm afraid, has never been my favourite. I always thought she squealed all the time. In Junglee, she doesn't do that too much, but sometimes her squeaky voice might put you off. Though she looks like a porcelain doll, her expressions are hardly superlative. In fact, in many of the songs, Kapoor's expression make up for Banu's lack of them. For instance, in Lata Mangeshkar's rendition of Ehsaan hoga tera, I feel Kapoor portrays the afflicted lover much better than Banu. In Kashmir ki kali hoon mein, Kapoor's goof-ups and funny antics are more enjoyable that Banu's stiff dance. She is more like an ice-maiden in the exuberant track, Ja ja ja mere bachpan. Looking fresh and pretty but lacking the punch. Picture perfect face, but in want of the spark, A good debut nevertheless...

Pawar is again extraordinary as Shekhar's strict and staunch mother. I love the scene where Shekhar hugs her in the later stages of the film. Though she melts momentarily and hugs her son back, within a flash she is back to her hard self with a terse rebuke to her son. Awesome portraiture of a flawed mother. The film's end might appear a bit rushed. True that Shekhar makes Pawar see light by calling the Ramgarh trio's bluff but how come she readily agrees to marry her son to Rajkumari, a girl much below her royal rankings? Food for debate, right? Anyway, this is good Hindi film with a great cast, awesome songs and my favourite Shammi Kapoor. I'm willing to forgive any mistake on the maker's part for that. Anything for the sake of one gorgeous junglee...