Adventure gone wrong (Azaad)

Sometimes I wonder whether films that became blockbusters during their times would do as well if released today? Not if the treatment is as shoddy and half-hearted as I discovered in SMS Naidu's Azaad. His romantic adventure flick, I read, was the highest grossing entertainer in 1955. A watch after I am yet to decipher whether the records are indeed indicative of how good a film is. For, apart from a few mushy moments between the lead pair, some melodious songs by C Ramchanda, a gorgeous Meena Kumari and a dishy Dilip Kumar, this film lacks the punch of say maybe, Kohinoor or even Aan. Patchy in parts and disjointed throughout, the film suffers from bad editing and a tediously stretched comic subplot starring Om Prakash and Raj Mehra. Wish the director concentrated more on the love angle than attempting to make his caper a well-rounded adventure film...

Charandas (Badri Prasad) and his wife (Acha Sachdev was so young) have brought up Shobha with utmost love and care. And yes, she has grown up to be one beauty (Meena Kumari). Sunder (Pran), a local philanderer eyes her for himself but is facing problems in acquiring her. Charandas and his wife regrets the loss of their son Kumar (he was abducted as a child) and feels that today if Kumar would have been there, they would have got Shobha married to them. Shobha is a vivacious girl who spends her time horse-riding, singing and dancing. Isn't it sweet to see her sing with gaiety before her adoring mother? She dances sweetly to Na bole na bole (sung so cutely by Lata Mangeshkar), only showing how affectionately she has been brought up. But such an halcyon ambiance will only be short-lived.

One day, Sunder employs a local goon named Chander and his men to kidnap Shobha in the dead of the night. The spunky girl that she is, Shobha feigns unconsciousness when the goons make her smell some dangerous herbs, so that she can keep a tab on where the villains are taking her. On the way, these goons are attacked by another set of bandits and the latter rescue Shobha from Chander's men. It happens that this rescue party is headed by an old man who takes Shobha to his mansion, promising that he will not hurt her. Shobha is by now a bit fretful and wants to go back to her guardians. When she keeps asking the old man why he is helping her and who he is, he turns up before her as a dashing young man who calls himself Azaad. Shobha is initially a bit taken aback as Azaad is notorious as the famous bandit but is also extremely affected by how good this man looks (yes, Dilip Kumar does look really smart sporting those cowboy boots and jackets). Azaad immediately starts flirting with her and minces no words in declaring that he is really attracted to her. One day, says Azaad, he will marry her. Shobha, deep down, likes the sound of it. So the two nourish intense feelings for each other.

While Shobha is enjoying her stay at Azaad's mansion, Charandas and the police run from pillar to post to learn of her wherabouts. Too many things happen in due course. There are plenty of song and dance in Azaad's house, notably the wonderfully bouncy track called Aplam chaplam sung by Usha and Lata Mangeshkar. Then there's Ja ri ja o kari badariya and Dekho ji bahaar ayi, both picturised on the cherubic Meena Kumari. She looks so pretty in this film that your heart will just go out to her. Her eyes are captivating and her body language is coy and innocent. She looks perfect with Dilip Kumar, who himself is valour and charisma personified. Anyways, so when it is decided that it is time for Shobha to return to her abode, the two new lovers profess love for each other singing Kitna haseen hain mausam. I believe the best parts of the film are these romantic escapades between the lead duo. They just enthrall with their chirpy love and sweet banter. 
Unable to track Azaad's whereabouts, the police are flustered when Shobha returns to say that Azaad, who is infamous for being a dangerous dacoit, is actually a very good man. The inspector and his crony, 441, use the help of Abdul Rahim Khan (one of Azaad's clever disguises) to nab Azaad. But ultimately, after a hell lot of misunderstandings and nonsensical running around, it is decided that Azaad is indeed a good man. But the film does not end there. Kumar, the missing link, has to be discovered, and the rest of the story shows who is Kumar after all. But the way it is decided is extremely hasty and rushed. I find this portion too forced and difficult to understand. I say again that the director should have concentrated more on developing the love angle between Shobha and Azaad. It would have been a better venture that way.

I learn that Dilip Kumar won the Best Actor Filmfare award for this film. I can't seem to find a justification for that. Apart from some scenes where he is really good (for instance, the scene where he surfaces as the old man heading the dacoits and comes to rescue Shobha, Dilip Kumar's disguise is so good that you would not be able to make it out that it is the hero), Dilip Kumar's performance is just about okay. He doesn't seem to take his role very seriously. The director fails to show why he suffers from a bad name and why on earth does he go on to save Shobha. But yes, he does display valour and courage when it is needed. However, I'd much rather prefer him in Kohinoor and Aan.

The comedy in Azaad is forced and could have been truncated. It only eats into the narrative, which is anyhow very disjointed and abrupt. Extremely poor editing this film has. I'm yet to comprehend why after Janki (Shammi) complains about Sunder, she is foolish enough to marry him. Also the transition from one scene to another is so jumpy that you keep thinking incessantly what just happened. The only reprieve is when the songs start. They are really moodlifters. Not only are they sweet ballads, that most of them have been picturised on the lovely Meena Kumari is an advantage. You get to be mesmerised by her beauty and enjoy her easy charm. She is a darling in the film. Tremendously young and perky, she makes up for the flaws in the script. She is perhaps the only reason you you might want to sit down and complete this erroneous adventure film...