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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Despite all the goodness (Sharmilee)

I've been struggling to find time to put up a new post. Well, that's just half the truth, if I may be allowed to say so. Actually, I've been neck deep in work, but that does not mean I've not been watching films. But over 15 days I've mostly watched those films which I've already written about. My husband is revealing his new-found love for the classics and both of us have been enjoying them for the past few days. So, that does not leave me with much to write about. I just sit there with him regaling in the old films I'm so fond of, while he discovers why these classics are actually worth celebrating.
Secondly, the never-watched films that I've managed to see, didn't quite make an impression on me. Some were tepid, some were bad. So, I've been in knots as to what to write about for my next post. Now I've decided to delve on Sharmilee, Samir Ganguly's 1971 romance that I loved only in parts. The film is so good till the intermission. But after that, it degenerates into a nonsensical potboiler replete with inane twists, fights and crude drama. And I bet a more subtle approach would have done so well here. At least made me sing praises for it right here, right now...

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Evergreen charmer (Paying Guest)

Dev Anand was not just about romance and good looks. He was much much more. He was about freewheeling fun, about harmless naughtiness, about rollicking laughter, about teasing flirtations and about a gorgeous, gorgeous smile. Paying Guest is a film where you see all these facets of this evergreen charmer. Even though you have the lovely Nutan to feast your eyes on, it's Dev Anand who grips you with his uninhibited panache in this 1956 romance. Right from the very beginning.

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Drooling over this cabbie (Taxi Driver)

There is something about the Dev Anand of the 50s. He is raw and roguish, yet so very sweet and tempting. He has this distinct sex appeal that is unpolished, hence wild and terribly attractive. He was yet to get that quintessential swagger of the 60s, the sweep of his mane and his jaunty persona. But in his earlier films, he somehow appeared more passionate and involved in those innovative roles. He bravely took on the parts of pickpockets, thieves and smugglers and he pulled them off with a kind of unconscious flamboyance that made it so heartwarming. His body language was more natural and he did not feel gawky at wearing his heart on his sleeves. Films such as Baarish and Taxi Driver project him is a unique grey light. He was not scared to don the mantle of the shirker and the cynical and his clean approach towards these roles made him such a joy to watch. He displayed no inhibitions and mingled freely with the narrative to make his characters charming as well as flawless.

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All for a sari (Phagun)

Even if you are watching Rajinder Singh Bedi's Phagun with a sensitive eye, it is impossible to evade the very inane premise that takes the story forward. An expensive sari soiled during the season of colours! Yes, nothing but that. That single pink sari is the cause of much heartburn and costs Gopal and Shanta their happiness and years of togetherness. Surely, this much-promised saga of complex human emotions could have had a more solid pretext!

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Six sweet hours (Solva Saal)

I'm extremely fond of Dev Anand in this avatar. In Raj Khosla's Solva Saal he is a naughty, smart, charming and gorgeous man who devastates with his smile, which thankfully comes across quite often. The best part is that he is witty, fast and makes light of almost every situation. So, you get to see his fascinating smile all the more. He flirts with elan, is in command of every situation and romances so cutely. In 1958 he was yet to become heavily dependant on his signature mannerisms. So, what we get is a free, casual and rollicking character in Prannath Kashyap. Yes, even the name has an element of fun in it.

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Anand in a different garb (Kalapani)

Dev Anand and dashing go hand in hand. His very name conjures up an image of a freewheeling youngster whistling away in the woods, singing some peppy romantic numbers and wooing the woman in his own charismatic style. He flashes that characteristic smile at every instant to destabilise you, he walks with that swagger reminding you that there will only be one and only one Dev Anand. So, when you see this happy-go-lucky charmer almost transform his intrinsic personality to get into the skin of Karan Mehra in Raj Khosla's Kalapani, it is a surprise for sure.

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Mysteriously forgettable (Baat Ek Raat Ki)

Sometimes the last 30 minutes of a film turns out so good that I'm ready to forgive the otherwise tedious rest. Especially when the twists are pretty sudden and one clever ploy by the director bolsters the climax up. The mundane script makes a somersault into the fast lane and you sit tight for the proceedings. Shankar Mukherjee's nondescript thriller Baat Ek Raat Ki is a film that falls in this group. It starts off with the promise of a tantalising mystery, slows down with some redundancy, is tedious because of the time invested in developing the love angle and then suddenly, like a bolt from the blue becomes fast and action packed again towards the end...

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Quaint quadrangle (Benazir)

The high point of Bimal Roy's Benazir is Husn ki beharein liye. Not only is this a brilliant ghazal from S D Burman, rendered with haunting precision by Lata Mangeshkar, Shakeel Badayuni's lyrics also point out the poignancy of Benazir's state. Here is a woman, seen as a fallen one by society, torn between her love for a young man and her gratitude for the favours she has been receiving from his elder brother. As much as Benazir would love to declare her affection for Anwar, she is forced to stay mum because she is bound by her promises to the Nawab. And of course, her innocent love would be regarded as crafty lust by the world.

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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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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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Two tales of love (Aradhana)

The question is, which of the two love stories do I like most in Aradhana? Is it Vandana and Arun's beautiful tale truncated by a cruel stroke of fate? Or, is it Suraj and Renu's cute saga that effects only smiles?
After an umpteenth watch of this wonderful Shakti Samanta romantic drama, I have an answer ready. I love both. While Vandana and Arun's tale scores because of the very tragic yet memorable angle to it, Suraj and Renu's pairing succeeds because it is surprisingly spontaneous.

I'm not getting into the emotional and teary aspect of this famous 1969 film. For, what is to be said about Vandana's sacrifice that has not been mentioned before.

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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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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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Unmatched ties (Amar Prem)

My friend summed it well. Three people who share no umbilical attachment are tied by the bonds of love, trust, faith and understanding. A relation that has no name, a love that is illegitimate to society; yet, these bonds are so cordial and endearing. Heartmelting emotions and relations that cannot be put down on paper make Amar Prem a cathartic experience. I say cathartic because after watching this Shakti Samanta 1971 classic, you will be so overwhelmed by the string of emotions displayed here, so overwrought by the delicacies and intricacies of human bondings that you will find a your eyes swell on occasions more than one. A feeling of satisfaction and an empathy for the warm characters will absolutely occupy your soul...

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Love's labour lost (Pyaasa)

What dampens Vijay's optimism?
Hoping against hope that some day the world will regard his creation, this struggling poet toils on. With an empty stomach and the burden of umemployment on his sturdy shoulders, Vijay keeps penning those poems, whose beauty and poignance no one is able to comprehend save the poet himself. But, there is no stopping him. Society, reeking of materialism, keeps crushing his creativity and aspirations beneath its greed and artificiality. Just like the bee, whose buzzing life is stamped out by the passer-by and his banal existence. But, Vijay writes on. For, he believes in himself and his talent. It is this talent, he feels, that will shine forth amidst the dark dreary world of hypocricy and cruelty. It is this thirst that keeps him going...

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Love thy neighbour (Tere Ghar Ke Saamne)

Didn't know Vijay Anand had this in him!!! A breezy, fun romance that is! Without his trademark suspense, sudden twists and nailbiting action... In 1963's Tere Ghar Ke Samne, he sheds his sleuth like qualities to give film lovers a joyful musical. And, he puts in the backdrop, a baseless rivalry between two good-natured neighbours...Though the film begins on a very Romeo-Juliet note, its end is predictable, and hence, immensely satisfying...

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Touch syndrome (Sujata)

Bimal Roy's Sujata is a celebration of purity and innocence. This 1959 film focuses on the evils of casteism, but the approach is subtle and straightforward. A single family forms the microcosm of a caste-ridden society, blinded by superstition. The comment is pointed, without much pontification. Full of breathtaking imagery, this is one enduring classic.

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Thrill pill (Jewel Thief)

Chor bahut chalaak hain. But, even more clever are those who created this chor. The year was 1967. Navketan gifted filmlovers a movie whose magic is yet to be replicated. Dev Anand and his younger brother, Vijay outdid themselves. They made Jewel Thief, a rare suspense thriller that is sleek, stylish and engaging. In the same genre as Hitchcock, and maybe a little of Bond, this jewel of a film sends chills down my spine after every frame. I am yet to be done with it...

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