Alaap (1977)

For a film that's primarily focussing on the clash of principles between an indignant father and a self-respecting son, Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Alaap takes a winding route in building up the story. It's evenAbhimaan and Jurmana. In this film a good story is somewhere let down by the circuitous execution.

more strange because Mukherjee is at the helm of affairs here. But there is so much redundancy in the beginning before the actual plot unfolds, that you wonder whether this is the same director who knit solid tales like
Advocate Triloki Prasad is a widowed man who prides himself on the position he holds in society. He's rich, venerated and hence, doesn't mince words belittling the interest in music that his younger son, Alok, has. It's a very straight-jacketed thought process. If you have studied in college and earned degree, you give up all artistic pursuits and get down to brass tacks. A knack or a yen for the arts isn't really appreciated in Triloki Prasad's universe. He forces Alok to take serious interest in work, which entails going with Ashok, his elder brother, to the court and pick up the ropes in the industry of law.

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Jurmana (1979)

Very few directors could spin an engrossing tale like Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Especially with incidents  that on hindsight appear inconsequential. Like in Jurmana (1979), a juvenile challenge between two friends changes the course of lives for so many near them. It reveals character flaws, misunderstandings and ultimately you have to wait up and see what happens in the end. This is the mark of a great story teller, which Mukherjee undoubtedly was.

He also created the most unique characters for Amitabh Bachchan. I feel Bachchan got to toy with a veritable array of personas only in Mukherjee's films. Even in Jurmana, the actor gets to portray a challenging role. He puts his heart and soul into Inder and makes him easy to hate first and eventually fit for pardon. Grey to the hilt, Inder turns out way too interesting to neglect.
Inder Saxena (Amitabh Bachchan) is a rich businessman, disillusioned with women courtesy a cruel

act by the woman who he was once supposed to marry. Treating women like commodities, when Inder first notices Rama (Rakhee) in the quiet lanes of Pratapgarh, he only wants to bed her. Despite being warned by his childhood buddy Prashant (Vinod Mehra) that she is made of sterner stuff, he tries every trick up his sleeve to melt her heart. What Inder does not realise is that the girl actually falls in love with him never suspecting his lecherously odious intention.

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Bemisal (1982)

I was trekking to Gurgaon the other day from Noida, where I live. For the uninitiated, let me tell you,

that's like crossing two states!
The distance is a crawl, and a sapping one at that. Daily commuters from Noida to Gurgaon will relate to the grief I go through during such occasion arises. But, thank heavens for FM radio, which makes the journey a wee bit pleasant.
The moment I got into the car Lata Mangeshkar's Aeri pawan dhunde kise tera mann transformed me into a reverie. It's such a beautiful song. After enjoying the rendition, I quickly googled the song, traced the film and after reading the gist was piqued to watch it. All I can say is that I did not live to regret the decision.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Bemisal (1982) is an engaging drama of human relations bordering on greed and benevolence. But what I loved most was the character sketched for Amitabh Bachchan. While from afar he appears an affable, happy-go-lucky doctor, his personality is far more intriguing and charismatic than the others in the film. And it is laced with a deep sense of magnanimity influenced by the benevolence he was gifted with when times were far from favourable. His regard for those who helped him out never diminishes and his sense of duty is unparalleled. The crests and troughs of his journey is worth graphing. Dr Sudhir Roy's actions make the film so believable. Despite the tardy subplot of Ruby Dutt.
Dr Sudhir Roy, a child specialist, and Dr Prashant Chaturvedi (Vinod Mehra), a gynecologist, have been brought up by an advocate. Sudhir never ignores the fact that the rich advocate saved him from a deplorable life by adopting him and giving him a steady upbringing and education. For that he remains forever indebted. Hence, when it comes to abdicating the woman who he is attracted to for the sake of his foster brother, he doesn't waste a moment before making the sacrifice. Even though he can gauge that Kavita (Rakhee) might be more keen to marry him, he owns up his murky past to dissuade her. But more importantly he implores her to marry Prashant because that would make him happy.

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The livewire (Khoobsurat)

What a jolly, buoyant film Khoobsurat is! And, it definitely bears the stamp of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, its director. It's frothy, fun and engaging from the word go. You don't have to think too much. Sit down with your family, or alone, and have a happy watch. There's nothing in this 1980 Filmfare award winner that can disappoint you. Although, one song seems to stretch it a bit but on the whole this is another sheer entertainer from Mukherjee.

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Mehmood mania (Biwi aur Makan)

I wish they made more like these. And gave Mehmood top billing in them. That would ensure total fun. Like in Biwi aur Makan, a comic caper on the problem of finding accommodation in big Bombay. They protagonists have to twist every rule in the book to find a shelter and that too with funny after effects. This 1966 film by Hrishikesh Mukherjee may not have a stellar cast (I did not even recognise so many faces) but it has a name that catapults this mediocre script into one of utter fun and laughs. And that name is Mehmood.

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A tidy little gem (Abhimaan)

Let's not even deliberate on the resemblances that Hrishikesh Mukherjee's 1973 classic Abhimaan shares with the life of real-life couple Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. For, some might say the movie is almost similar to how Amitabh tries to uproot Jaya in terms of popularity, some might declare that all that is bunkum. So, let's just avoid the oft-discussed.
Instead, let's immediately delve into the beauty of this marvellous emotional drama where love, ego and understanding forms the crux. Abhimaan is not just a film, it an experience that needs to be felt. When the good times roll, we need to regale in the mirth. When the storm of ego and pride clouds the halcyon state of affairs in Subir and Uma's life, we need to take a leaf out of it and realise what goes wrong and how it needs to be avoided. While the two lovers suffer, we pray that everything turns out just fine and that music ultimately irons out all the differences that has crept in voluntarily as well as involuntarily.

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Guru Dutt's last (Sanjh aur Savera)

Considering that this 1964 drama was Guru Dutt's last film outing before he succumbed to the dangerous cocktail of sleeping pills and alcohol, I'm ready to overlook any minor glitch that happens in the film. True, Sanjh aur Savera does have some unnecessary plot twists and some of the sadness could be done away with, but on the whole this Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic is quite an engaging tale on the games that God plays with us. The sequences are masterminded by the Almighty and it only is true that we are mere dices in His hands. And what better way to show that than the events that happen in Gauri's life. After all, she does not want to be unhappy, but can she force suffering away from her life. No, she does not have the choice to do so.

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True lies (Jhoothi)

Rekha's on a rampage in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Jhoothi.  Not that in her other films she is any bit dull or drab, but in this comic caper, she is just so boisterously marvellous that you cannot help but glue your sight, smell and every other sense on her. Playing the tomboy Kalpana, she dons the role of a pathological liar. But the difference between her and a wicked weasel is that she lies for a purpose--always a good one. Her lies helps long lost friends meet, helps her sister evade an unwanted alliance and charts an escape route for herself from a sticky situation. Most importantly, this habit of hers helps an innocent from being sentenced to death.

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Two misleading letters (Devar)

The cast is as perfect as Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anupama. The story is believable, the songs are in place, the performances commendable. Then why is it that Mohan Sehgal's Devar left me with a niggling feeling in my heart. The movie starts off so well and as the script is penned, it should have thrown up plenty of firecrackling histrionics. But somewhere down the line, even the talented actors lose steam, or find the going rather tedious. Adapted from Tarashankar Bandopadhyay's short story, Naa, Devar  is a tale that could have been one of the best dramas of 1966. Could have been for sure...

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Behind the scenes (Guddi)

There are several scenes in Guddi that I love. For, there are several scenes in this 1971 film that you aught to love. Deftly balancing a sweet romance with a poignant take on the true life in the inner precincts of film studios in Bombay (yes, I prefer calling the place so), Hrishikesh Mukherjee spins a tale that is so didactic. Interesting anecdotes populate every moment and lovely performances make this film a roller-coaster ride. At one point you feel that it is after all a coming-of-age sage of a young girl heavily infatuated with her matinee idol, at another point it is the stark depiction of the strange world of films.

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Powerful Pawar (Memdidi)

Memdidi, directed by the master of simple yet sweet tales, is a unique enterprise. It has no conventional leads, it stars Keysi Mehra whose name provides absolutely nothing on search pages and it is pulled off by people who have made a name for themselves playing character roles. But here, they become the heroes, they make you laugh, cry and sing along with them, they warm your hearts with their goodness and they tell you that blood ties are not necessary to forge long time bonds. Sometimes people who are not even remotely related turn out to be so close to one another that they can go to great lengths to keep each other happy...

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Soulful sonatas (Maya)

This is one film that will stay on with you because of the wonderful music. The story has been heard before, the characters seen and the denouement expected. But these songs are so powerful even today that whenever they play they bring bliss to my senses. I'm talking of Salil Chowdhury's fantastic score in  Maya, the 1961 romance directed by D.D. Kashyap. The film has a likable plot and famous faces. But more than anything, the songs just stand out from the crowd of events and situations, pulling you into a soulful reverie that lingers on for eternity...

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Watch just for the fun (Naram Garam)

Sometimes I wonder whether Utpal Dutt got pigeonholed into playing the same kind of character when he signed a Hrishikesh Mukherjee film. Look at his roles in Golmaal, Naram Garam and Kissi Se Na Kehna. You'll find that his persona borders on the same lines. He is loud and prone to committing verbal faux pas at the drop of a hat, is always suspecting people for tiny little things, is acting in the most hilarious manner and is being painfully funny without even realising it. He is lovable, silly yet so endearing. And he even looks the same. So what can be the rationale behind watching these films over and over again, when you get to see the same old Utpal Dutt in all the three films.

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The truth of life (Asli Naqli)

There is seldom anything wrong with the films made by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Even when he was yet to dabble with wholesome comedy, he was making films that were sweet, simple and sensitive. His characters were immensely likable, his narrative was crease-free and his stories were absolutely enthralling. It is hard not to enjoy films such as Anupama. And, the same can be said about the beautiful film called Asli Naqli, a joyful enterprise about life and love...

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Saga of sacrifice (Anuradha)

Anuradha is much ahead of its times. At least in its stark representation of the wrongs doled out to a woman who innocently believed in the enormity of love. The director had the gall to show that not everything is achieved when you marry for love. There is certainly much to life for a wife than silently suffering under the shadow of an idealistic husband. In that Hrishikesh Mukherjee is bang on target. His 1960 President's Gold medal winner deals with such oft-forgotten issues in a subtle yet strong manner.

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A lot like life (Golpo Holeo Shotti)

I consider myself extremely unlucky for not getting to meet Rabi Ghosh. Especially after learning very soon after marriage that we would have been related very closely. He would have been my uncle-in-law. The thespian from the world of Bengali theatre and films passed away at the age of 66, in the year 1997 (I was in standard 8 and nowhere near to meeting my future husband). If he would have been alive today (he'd be 79), I'm sure he would have regaled us (my father-in-law says that he was a very amiable man) with exciting stories and anecdotes about the film world, bordering on his career and experiences. That would have been quite something. Getting to know about the colourful world of cinema from Rabi Ghosh himself, the man who with his awesome performances in many Bengali films kept the audience riveted to the screen, sounds like super-duper fun.

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Chupke Chupke vs Chhadmabeshi

Game for some fun? Watch Agradoot's 1971 comic caper, Chhadmabeshi. But, don't stop at that. Move on to Chupke Chupke, Hrishikesh Mukherjee's inspired version of Chhadmabeshi. And, see the fun multiplying. A carbon copy of its Bengali predecessor, this 1975 comedy is a bomb. It explodes to hit you with action, entertainment and gags. And then, you suddenly realise how the Bengali version, though is enjoyable and has Uttam Kumar, the be-all-and-end-all of Bengali cinema, lacks punch and speed.

To the Bengali original then. Abanish Sen (Uttam Kumar), a professor of Botany, plays a practical prank on his brother-in-law, Barrister Prasanta Ghosh (Bikash Ray), who stays in Allahabad.

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Breaking free (Anupama)

Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anupama has a choking effect on me. But, I enjoy that. I shed happy tears and bask in the warmth of the lovable characters. I clap when Uma breaks the shackles of her guilt and emerges a stronger and emancipated individual. I smile when Mohan redeems himself by liberating his wronged daughter. My heart brims with joy when I witness the goodness in Anita, in Moses, in Ashok and his mother, in Arun and in Gauri. Anupama, made in 1966, strengthens my faith in good wholesome cinema that looks simple but has hidden in its layers a multitude of emotions. Most importantly, it establishes my belief in Mukherjee's films. Subtle, simple yet so strong...
Mohan marries Aruna late in life. Understandably, he is head-over-heels in love with this lovely woman.

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Dutt drama (Kissi Se Na Kehna)

I wonder whether Kissi se na kehna would have been as memorable without Utpal Dutt. For, who would have managed to look this flummoxed, befuddled and flabbergasted at the sight of a jeans-clad modern girl spewing English lines at top speed before her prospective father-in-law??? Or, as shocked and dismayed when another such girl grooves to some popular English track, right before him!! Or look as satisfied and at peace when he hears the simple Rama sing, Dhunde yashodha chahu orh? Or as satiated when he has eaten a plateful of delectable kachoris? Or, as disappointed and hurt when he learns of Rama's truth?
No one, right? Dutt's magic is totally unmatched. No one, yes, no one could have fitted the part of Kailashpati, the large-hearted, lovable father-in-law in this rollicking 1983 Hrishikesh Mukherjee romantic comedy.

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A simply good saga (Anari)

There are two things I simply love about Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anari. Mrs. D'sa's magnanimity and Arti's luminosity.
I have never witnessed Lalita Pawar playing such a caring yet stern old woman. She has a heart of gold in this 1959 classic. While she is mostly known for her plotting persona on screen, here she is a warm Christian lady who showers her love and blessings on her orphan tenant. This time when she contorts her face, it thrills you one moment and melts your heart the other. Her eyes glisten with love, not deviousness and she displays the qualities of motherhood to perfection. It's also the very talented Mukherjee's credit to zero in on Pawar to be Mrs. D'sa. You see her in a vastly different light and get smothered by her affections.

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