Swami (1977)

As teenagers, we were brought up on a steady dose of classic Bengali literature. While Rabindranath

Tagore was a constant, my mother insisted we tick off a reading list comprising Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, Bibhutibhushan Banerjee and Manik Bandopadhyay. During the interim between my graduation and masters, I voraciously read titles by all these literary greats. While each one bore a fascinating style, I found Sarat Chandra's works very easy to relate to. And understand. He was an everyman's writer portraying the plight of women in the society of the then Bengal. Interesting stories that you we heard about from our grandmas found place in his works as well. Woman were a pivotal point in his stories and often the plot revolved around the female protagonist. The ideals, conflicts and emotional quotient was so easy to relate to.

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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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Deepak who? (Aabroo)

Seriously, was CL Rawal joking or something? He tags Deepak Kumar, the hero of his Aabroo, as the star discovery of that year. Deepak Kumar who? Never heard of him, never seen him in any film. And after watching this 1968 drama, I know why filmmakers never took a chance by casting him. He is excruciatingly bad as a performer. He has a wispy voice, a comical look on his face, his voice modulations are pathetic and every time he utters romantic nothings, I crack up! Actually come to think of it, he is almost like Mr Bean trying to do some serious Hindi film. Or rather Rowan Atkinson trying to sing, dance, act and cry in a true-Bollywood style. And yes, he is appallingly bad in all aspects!!

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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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When the past haunts (Humjoli)

I am not too fond of Jeetendra. Rather, I cannot brook Jeetendra. I think that he being called "The Jumping Jack" is no exaggeration. I think his acting is flawed, he is not much of a looker and his style sense is horrendous. So what brought me to watch Humjoli, a film that where Jeetendra plays the male lead? Well, if I am to be honest, I watched it not for the jumping jack (and how true this film proved him to be!), but for the histrionics of Leena Chandravarkar, whose films I'm yet to explore in totality, for Pran, who plays a repenting villain and for Mehmood, a guy who pulls all the stops when it comes to ribtickling comedy.

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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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A special bond (Chhota Bhai)

When I was in school, there used to be a film aired on television almost regularly. Those were the times when cable TV had just been initiated in India and we, the takers lapped up everything no matter what it was. So, understandably, I was hooked on to these films (whether good or non-sense) at every opportunity. This particular film, of course, was quite interesting. It was a spicy family saga that revolved around a woman and her unique bond with her very young brother-in-law.

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Drama that drowned (Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi)

This has often been the case with me. While browsing for a certain film in free movie watching sites, when I chance upon an obscure film that looks pretty interesting I cannot control the temptation. These maybe films that have not been spoken about much. They necessarily may not have the best lead actors or the most memorable songs. But something about the story is so tantalising that it makes me forget my initial search and I sit down to watch this new discovery at that very instant. And, like it always happens I'm quite amused at how predictable the story line is, how most of these films are family sagas and how almost every one of them stand due to the merit of a superb supporting cast.

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Black sheep (Aap ki Parchhaiyan)

Running a family calls for a wee bit of diplomacy, they say. And, how true that is. For, when a man gets married, his equation with his parents and siblings undergoes a sea change. He now has a partner, who he is responsible for. The onus is on him to initiate her into the ways of his house, make her comfortable and help her become one with the family. This girl has left her beloved parents and her home and has expectations from her new relatives. She is a bit apprehensive about the new abode and is trying her best to ease into this home. She is looking upto her husband for love and understanding and her in laws for care and support.

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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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How green was this valley (Hariyali aur Rasta)

Of 1962's Hariyali aur Rasta, 1964's Apne Huye Paraye and 1965's Himalay ki God Mein, I am most fond of the first film. All of them star the trio of Manoj Kumar, Mala Sinha and Shashikala. All of them pair Kumar and Sinha with Shashikala playing the third woman out to disturb the happy romance between the couple. And, all these films have a roughly similar plot with a tweak here and a twist there. Manoj Kumar falls for Mala Sinha but has to marry Shashikala (either because he is betrothed to her or because she is cunning enough to trap him). But the man can never forget his past love.

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Wildly attractive (Junglee)

If such gorgeous people inhabit the wild, I wish I lived in a wild, wild world. If their eyes are so passionate, their body language so smart and their voice so sexy, I wish God made many more of these junglees. But alas, that is not to be. For, there is just one of them, who I love to love. He is Shammi Kapoor, I say with a loud yahoo...

In his first coloured film directed by Subodh Mukherjee, Shammi Kapoor plays Chandra Shekhar, a rich man hopelessly in love with Rajkumari, the sprightly girl responsible for his transformation from a stiff and gruff man to a more understanding and compassionate person. But 1961's Junglee is famous not just for this irrepressible Kapoor. It also happens to be the debut wagon of Saira Banu, who at 17 went on to rule many hearts.

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Drab drama (Aarti)

Now I've seen all three. Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam, Main Chup Rahungi and Aarti. Meena Kumari won a Filmfare best actress nomination for each of these films in 1962. She went on to win the black lady for Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam. Rightly so. For, while Main Chup Rahungi is a tad melodramatic in its execution (Kumari was very good), Phani Majumdar's Aarti is quite boring. And Kumari here is certainly not in her best acting shoes.

She plays Aarti, an idealistic doctor out to serve society. Her ideals clash with that of Prakash (Ashok Kumar), a talented brain surgeon who wants to be rich and famous. Incidentally he wants to marry Aarti, and expresses his intentions before her father.

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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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Fun fable (Teen Bahuraniyan)

Teen Bahuraniyan projects Prithviraj Kapoor in a very different light. As the patriarch of a joint family, he is both stern as well as indulgent. Playing the woolly grandpa Dinanath, this actor is a revelation of sorts. His obesity doesn't hinder his delightful performance in this comic fable about a family and its tryst with false pride.
Kapoor here is old.

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