If not for Shammi (Janwar)

The irrepressible Shammi Kapoor can be credited for often carrying an entire film on his lone shoulders. Signing this rebel star would mean that with his charm and antics he would see to it that a somewhat likeable film would attain sweet success. Janwar, Bhappi Soni's romance, is a film that falls into this category. If you were to ask me what this 1965 film has apart from Shammi's class histrionics, loads of fun cooked up by him, great songs picturised on the superstar and a nice romantic plot where Shammi rules the roost, I'd say hardly anything else. Even in the scenes where Prithviraj Kapoor hogs the limelight, he is praising Shammi Kapoor, who happens to be his younger son in the film!! That's the magic of our sweet prince, he just takes all the credit away with his characteristic flamboyance.

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Where the script lacks steam (Mere Hamdam Mere Dost)

I had seen Mere Hamdam Mere Dost a long, long time ago. So, I didn't quite remember much from this Amar Kumar film except for the title track and the scintillating club song, Humko to ho gaya hain pyar , picturised on the dazzling Mumtaz. In fact, I vividly remember the song Na jaa kahin ab na jaa, simply because of the long refrains in the voice of Mohd Rafi, the oh-so handsome Dharmendra in a embroidered kurta-shirt and white trousers and Sharmila Tagore, the picture of charm in a dark grey sari. The very instance of eye-candy and melodious magic in old Hindi films.

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Love... Set in Paradise (Arzoo)

How important is it to have a romantic ambience to make hearts flutter in love? If you take into consideration that Usha flips for Sarju (the man she found quite irksome inside a aeroplane in Delhi) while at the beautiful valley of Srinagar, you'd seriously think that the spectacular surrounding induces the tender feelings in her. With the verdant valley, the colourful flowers, the brilliantly azure sky and the breathtaking mountains to uplight her senses, it is but a matter of time when the young lovers will serenade in Kashmir. Not to forget the blissful Dal Lake and its magical power that makes every soul see stars in their eyes. Yes, I think there is something about Kashmir that is therapeutic in terms of falling in love. And I speak because I know what Kashmir and its awesomeness can do to you...

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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...

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Victims of circumstance (Anhonee)

I've always had immense faith in the pairing of Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Be it their high strung passion depicted in Awaara, their innocent love story in Shree 420, their likable romance in Aah or their adventurous affair in Chori Chori. In every single one of these cinematic delights, these two awesome actors have delivered. But, here is one film that took me absolutely by surprise. An obscure film, Anhonee is fantastic not just for its intriguing story and taut execution but also for the very different personalities that the two actors have in the film. Rajkumar Saxena is so pragmatic yet passionate, Roop is an honest and loving woman and Mohini is a crafty and impulsive revenge seeker. Three believable characters who make this 1952 film a captivating affair. After watching this griping drama, I can safely say that I've seen a good film after a long, long time...

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Earth-shatteringly good (Waqt)

I'm experiencing a hangover of fashion. A deluge of it has been sweeping my existence for the past two weeks now. So, while in the mood, I watched a film that not just has a lot of fashion and style in it, but is also a masterpiece that weaves in a lot more. Awesome story, smashing dialogues, handsome males, lovely women, great music, wickedly attractive villains, superb plot, superlative performances, swanky cars, stylish homes and yes, gorgeous clothes...

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Treading untried territory (Bombai ka Babu)

Come to think of it, there are quite a few films where Dev Anand has portrayed characters undergoing immense mental turmoil. There's Hum Dono, Asli Naqli, Guide and Kala Bazaar. But, in Bombai ka Babu, his character tilts towards the dangerous territory of incest. A full-bodied man, Babu has to suppress his passion for a beautiful woman only because he is duping her family pretending to be their long-lost son. And in doing so, he is supposed to be her brother. With a plot as fascinating as this, Bombai ka Babu is obviously a thrilling experience. You sympathise with this angst-ridden young man as he is forced into the crime world and stay riveted when he helplessly tries to clear his ground before the charming Maya.

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Learning the ways of the house (The Householder)

The Householder, in my eye, is a coming-of-age tale. A delicate love story that highlights the trials and tribulations of a newly-married couple, the various hiccups that lead to their understanding of each other, the small misunderstandings, the sweet patch-ups, everything about Prem Sagar and Indu's relationship is reflective of how a couple, unaware of each other's feelings, likes and dislikes, gradually iron out their creases and grow to love each other. I'm not getting into the spiritual aspect of Prem's evolution as a thorough house-runner and the process of Indu's becoming houseproud. It is but obvious that there will be some channel all the time whereby the concerned parties would become enlightened.

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Destination music (Manzil)

I have hardly seen Dev Anand play such a brooding character. Generally this suave and dapper young man entertains with his light frolicky persona. But his Rajkumar Mehta is different. Defiant and determined to the core, Anand, in Mandi Burman's Manzil, is most of the time inebriated and weeping over his unfaithful beloved. But, this 1960 romance's lead pair piqued my curiosity. Nutan and Dev Anand make a handsome couple and the way the film starts, you will be keen to follow this Raju as he scales the heights of success.

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