Marrying a widow (Prem Rog)

There is something that makes Raj Kapoor films immensely enjoyable. Even if you do not like some aspects of the films--say the melodrama, the OTT quotient or the excessive stretching of the plot, his films do rev up my interest in the happening. What mostly attracts me is the believable social thread that he ties his characters with. His characters are part of a community that suffers from some social malady or the other and through his story-telling method, he strives to drive home a point about this evil custom and how the protagonist struggles and succeeds to overthrow this societal sickness. This process is presented by Raj Kapoor extremely well through his films. They start off as family dramas, but in the folds of the plot, he sheds light on some social custom that needs to be demolished. His films become social commentaries without resorting to pontification. And that is the best part about the RK films. Look at Shree 420, Awara, Jagte Raho, Ram Teri Ganga Maili and the like. If you watch them carefully, you'll know what I'm hinting at.

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Women's lib (Pati Patni)

If you discount the main leads in this S A Akbar comedy, you are in for a jolly good time. Not that the main story is bad or the cast dismal, but it is the supporting cast that comes up trumps in the entertaining Pati Patni. The lead cast is good, the story conventional, replete with the usual romance, twists and misunderstandings. But it is the utter uproariousness of the supporting plot that takes the film to another level. The best comedians are all brought under one roof but every one of them has a special part to play. The dialogues are so darn hilarious and the situations are absolutely funny. Wonder why this 1966 film is not spoken about much. I think this film deserves much more than obscurity. It needs to be celebrated as one fine comedy. Fast paced, action-packed and utterly hilarious!!

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Problem of plenty (Teen Deviyan)

I currently share the plight of Dev Anand in Amarjeet's 1965 romance Teen Deviyan. Just when one problem is dealt with, another worry is wickedly grinning from around the corner, all set to upset your peace of mind. You think that all matters of concern are laid to rest and you can at last call it a day, but then the work and worries keep piling up. The dilemmas cloud up your senses and very soon you can hardly see any light at the end of the tunnel.

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Introducing an anti-hero (Kala Bazar)

Can we call Dev Anand one of the first anti-heroes in the history of Hindi cinema? For, there are roughly three major films where he handles his grey tones with panache. I'm talking of Guide (1965), Asli Naqli (1962) and Kala Bazar (1960). In all these films Anand's character starts off negatively. But after a certain cathartic moment, he emerges from the flames that help to purify him. In Asli Naqli, his metamorphosis happens when he sees that true love actually resides in poor homes because that emotion needn't be validated by money. In Guide, a personal trauma shakes him up and he atones for his sin by helping villagers. And, in Kala Bazar, the change comes through because of his love for a beautiful girl.

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Twin bonanza (Hum Dono)

Hum Dono is an archipelago of emotions. A poignant drama revolving around the inanity of war, Amarjeet's 1961 classic is a rare treat for the senses. Whether it is the warmth of a mother-son relationship, the closeness of two sweethearts, the faith and trust between a married couple or the promise of filial love, Hum Dono's large canvas has equal opportunity for all emotions. With tender moments galore, this Dev Anand-Nanda-Sadhana masterpiece reinstates my love for social and family dramas. Oh! How I love this roller-coaster joyride...
What does war do to a man? Vijay Anand pens a touching saga to address this issue. He highlights the banality of war and the sad repercussions such political maladies have on a common man's life. A war tears a son away from his old and frail mother, it separates a man from his loving wife and it builds a huge wall between two sweethearts harbouring a dream in their expectant hearts to settle down in bliss. Even when war ends, nothing is hale and hearty.

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Edge of the seat (Gumnaam)

Eight people look like nine pins in Raja Nawathe's Gumnaam. With every murder, the plot gets tighter, with every scene the incidents more grim. But no one's complaining. This is one story that grips you from frame one. With sleek execution, a taut storyline, Gumnaam is a nailbiting murder mystery. And yes, there's Gumnaam hain koi and Hum kaaley hain to make the chills last...
Adapted from Agatha Christie's And Then There Was None, this 1965 thriller is a tingling take on murder. The director groups up eight personalities from various walks of life and starts bumping them off one after the other in situations that are scary and thrilling at the same time. So, while the foolish Dharamdas's corpse is left to be discovered amidst some old stone statues, Helen's lithe frame hangs from a tree!!!

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