Songs that melt (Sunny)

The last time I was watching Raj Khosla's Sunny, I was in Class 8. And, I had my final examinations starting the day after! But, the movie-buff that I was, I just couldn't resist the temptation. It was a pleasant afternoon and RD Burman's score, Sharmila Tagore's pretty face, Waheeda Rehman's histrionics and the beginning of a good emotional drama was too much. However, the experience was cut short by my father, who woke up from his afternoon siesta and hollered out to me to switch off the television and sit down with my books. I did so right away. And yes, I kept sulking right away, too. Hmmm, the life of a student...
Now things are different. I can watch films anytime of the day. Well, maybe not just anytime, because there are still scores of chores to do. But what's the harm in thinking so! At least, I do not have to shun the films for some examinations!

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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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A feast for the eyes (An Evening in Paris)

It's not just one evening. Shakti Samanta's superhit 1967 romance features the goodies of Paris and other exotic locales in Europe throughout the entire length of the film. Pretty women, flashy cars, stylish clothes and scenic landscape, all this more make the musical drama quite an eyeful. And then there's Sharmila Tagore, all delicate, gorgeous and sexy in her awesome attires, and the prince of entertainment, Shammi Kapoor. Wooing the lady in his inimitable style, this man knew how to win hearts. Here of course, he does it with a completely new Parisian flourish.

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I will always love you... RIP Shammi Kapoor

Why should we mourn the demise of Shamsher Raj Kapoor, or very lovingly our Shammi Kapoor? Is he really dead? Gone? Never to be seen, heard or felt again? Is it true that his thundering 'yahoo' will cease to reverberate? NO.

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Diary of an actor (Nayak)

In a tantalising move, Satyajit Ray keeps the visage of his protagonist undisclosed till the time his friend questions whether a successful actor is enough to pull off a bad film. The moment Jyoti remarks, "What else does the film have except you?", the camera quickly focuses on Arindam Mukherji's face and with a confident expression, he says, "What else does it need?"

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Back to nature (Aranyer Din Ratri)

Can city souls really be at peace in the vicinity of raw nature? I suppose, even though we are tired of the hum drum of chaotic city life, we somehow have grown so accustomed to the din that too many hours spent in the quietude could tire us out totally. A few weeks back, when my husband and I were spending time in the backwaters of Kumarakom, accompanied only by the lush surroundings and the buzz of insects, there slowly came a moment when both of us wanted to get back to civilisation. The restlessness ultimately forced us to truncate our backwater leisure and rush to the posh surroundings of Taj Kovalam where luxuries abound and most importantly, I got to watch television!!
Yes, we city-breds can be strange. Full of paradoxes and such great subjects of study in behavioural complexities. So tired of the city, yet so very fond of it altogether.

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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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Bitter sweet (Namkeen)

Someone please tell me where can I lay hands on the unabridged version of Gulzar's bittersweet Namkeen. I'll be eternally grateful...
Here is a story that engages you at the very onset. A burly truck driver moves into a hilly town. He is recruited for the construction of a bridge downtown. He is alone and needs accommodation. The owner of the eatery where he has his meals takes him to a run down house in a remote side of the town. He is disgusted with the shoddy arrangements there but cannot help but put up there. Reason, he slowly gets too accustomed with the members of the family who own the place. Thus starts a unique tale of love, sacrifice and human relations...

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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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Warped woman (Chhoti Bahu)

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's male characters hardly have meat. There, I've said it. And, in doing so, must have incurred the ire of faithful followers of this classic Bengali author. But, that is what I feel and that is what is never going to change.

However, this was the first time that I was troubled by the flaws in his lead female protagonist. In his story titled Bindur Chheley, he makes his Bindu too grey to be liked. Hence, KB Tilak's Radha, the main character in his Chhoti Bahu inspired from Bindur Chheley, also turned out to be extremely disrespectful in her personality.

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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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Politically charged (Aandhi)

I'm not comfortable with political mumbo-jumbo. The intricacies of Chandersen and Arti's strategies do not excite me. Neither does the implications of Agarwal's nexus with Lallulal. Hence, I'll steer clear of the political games depicted in Gulzar's Aandhi. 
But, Aandhi is not just a political treatise, though it is said to loosely based on the lives of Indira Gandhi and Tarkeshwari Sinha. It is a significant film, considering that Indian government banned its release in 1975 since Mrs G thought the director had no right making a film that would reveal snatches from her life. It was only in 1977 that the film was set free to be aired on national television, garnering huge critical acclaim and commercial success.

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For all seasons (Mausam)

I've seen Gulzar's Mausam once. But, it left a lasting impression on me. The sensitive and poignant saga on the complexity of human relations is one tale that proves that Sharmila Tagore matured into one superlative performer in the 70s. It reinstates the already famous truth about Sanjeev Kumar's versatility. And, it also strengthens my belief in Gulzar's brand of cinema. Call it poetry in motion or a kaleidoscope of complex human feelings, Gulzar's creations are simply masterpieces, lyrical and emotional.

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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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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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Spooky spin (Yeh Raat Phir Na Aaygi)

When you have to share screen space with Prithviraj Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Nana Palsikar and Mumtaz, you better be good in your job. But sadly, Biswajit's Suraj is so not up to the mark. The tale's spooky, the drama's spinechilling, the score's fantastic and the suspense is thrilling. But, Suraj looks lost (well, sometimes he is expected to!) all the time. He carries the same expressions throughout Yeh Raat Phir Na Aaygi, a brilliant 1966 thriller directed by Brij. When he is flummoxed to see the apparition, when he is flirting

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Paradise lost (Kashmir ki Kali)

Kashmir beckons! The land of undulating valleys, salubrious climes, azure canopies and multi-hued flora gets a sheer magical persona in Kashmir Ki Kali, Shakti Samanta's 1964 saga of love in earth's paradise. Whatever, happened to the place...
The landscape's beauty is heigthened by the charming lead...Pristine Sharmila Tagore makes a promising debut in this musical romance. No one bothers about her act though. Champa's (Tagore) deep dimples are enough to take your breath away. She is truely a Kashmir ki kali (a flower in Kashmir).

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