Femme fatales (Arth)

Mahesh Bhatt's films have always been subtly hardhitting. That is, before he started experimenting with Pakistani exports (bombshells who consider little or no clothes and titillating scenes their ticket to Bollywood glory). His earlier films (read Saaransh, Daddy and Arth) deftly balance arthouse and commercial cinema. With well etched characters, convincing plots and soulful music, these films have carved a niche for themselves in the history of meaningful cinema.
Not to forget, his women characters. Bhatt always made them stand out, amidst the veritable talents in his films. Here, we come to the two women artists in Arth, his semi-autobiograhical treatise on infidelity. This 1982 film depicted human emotions like never before. With an extra-marital affair forming the core, Bhatt weaves a fine drama that is as disturbing as gripping.

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Gauri's tale of grit and gumption (Seema)

I'm absolutely convinced. If you have Nutan on the screen, you don't need anyone else. And, if that Nutan is a 19-year-old teenager, the effect is bound to be doubly fresh and scintillating. In Seema, Amiya Chakraborty's touching tale about an honest and brave girl, Nutan shows that she can perform like it's nobody's business...
I read up a bit about Nutan after seeing Seema. Here's a piece of information: this beauty had won the Miss India crown in 1952. Hardly surprising!!

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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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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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