I’d planned to watch (and review) something quite different this week, but when Beth announced Shashi Fest, I couldn’t resist the temptation to participate. That resolve was strengthened when I realised that in a year and a half of blogging about cinema, I’ve never once reviewed a Shashi Kapoor starrer. For shame! This, therefore: a farcical and fun film that never lets itself slip into seriousness. It features some of Hindi comedy’s greatest stalwarts, has superb music, and—of course—stars Shashi Kapoor, showing how good he is at comedy.
Pyaar Kiye Jaa starts in a way of which Bimal Roy would probably have approved: the first few minutes of the film say a lot about the people in it, their relationships, their goals and dreams, their finances (or lack of) and whatnot. Malti (Kalpana) and her sister Nirmala (Rajasree) study in Bombay and are headed back to Ramnagar, where their father Ramlal (Om Prakash) is the local big wig, with a vast tea estate—Ramlal Estate—a large house, and many minions.
Before heading back to Ramnagar, Malti has one last date with her boyfriend Shyam (Kishore Kumar), and they spend it singing and dancing by the seashore.
Shyam is the son of a very rich man too. His father’s the wealthy Devraj (Chaman Puri), and Shyam acts as assistant to his father in their construction company. Shyam’s bosom buddy Ashok (Shashi Kapoor) is the son of a lowly schoolteacher (Shivraj). While the father teaches Hindi in a small school in Bombay, Ashok’s gone off to work as an assistant manager at—guess where?—Ramlal Estate.
Ashok may be far away from his father, but he’s mindful of his obligations to his dad. So Shyam is deputed to hand over Rs 200 to Ashok’s father, with Ashok promising he’ll return the money to Shyam at a later date.
Also part of the picture is Atma (Mehmood), Ramlal’s only son. Atma’s greatest wish in life is to make films. He’s set up a one-man film production house called Wah! Wah! Production, in the fond hope that when audiences will eventually watch his films, they’ll be going “Wah! Wah!” all the way to the box office. As of now, Atma is the be-all of Wah! Wah! Production: producer, director, song writer, music director, etc. The only other role that’s been assigned is to Ramlal: Atma has decided his father’s going to be the financier.
Now the fun begins. Ashok, lumbering along in his battered old car, bangs into Nirmala and Malti in their car. A quarrel erupts, and since the two girls have been away in Bombay and so Ashok doesn’t have a clue about who they are, he tries to throw his weight about by telling them that he’s a big shot: Assistant Manager at the Ramlal Estate, no less.
The result, of course, is that Malti and Nirmala run off home, corner Ramlal and tell him to fire this no-good Assistant Manager ASAP. Ramlal is reluctant (that’s one thing I like about this film: it doesn’t fall into the usual clichés of wealthy autocrats who oppress the downtrodden), but he’s so henpecked, he agrees. It’s curtains for Ashok.
Ashok, though, isn’t the sort to cower and go dutifully away to seek work elsewhere. He refuses to leave. Ramlal, he says, must give him back his job. He even pitches a large tent on the land in front of Ramlal’s house, begins a far from silent satyagraha, and simply refuses to budge. He even gets a few volunteers to come and help him sing a song abusing Ramlal and his high-handed ways.
This is all very embarrassing for Ramlal. Malti and Nirmala are annoyed, but Atma is very impressed—especially by Ashok’s impassioned tirade against Ramlal. Atma’s found himself another employee. Ashok will be dialogue writer and story writer. Atma goes off to visit Ashok in the tent, expresses his appreciation, and hires Ashok with an advance of Rs 101. Yay for Wah! Wah! Production!
Atma, in fact, is having a run of good luck. One day, wandering around the countryside, he blunders into a very pretty village belle called Meena Priyadarshani (Mumtaz, looking rosebud pretty). Meena Priyadarshani is so pretty, Atma decides she must be his heroine, so he signs her up there and then, with an advance of Rs 101, and the promise that he’ll turn her into a film star—provided she drops the boring ‘Priyadarshani’ suffix. Miss Meena will be a celebrity someday.
They make swift progress—or not. Meena’s father, who’s the manager of Ramlal Estate, isn’t too happy about Meena’s acting career (such as it is), but becomes reconciled to it when he realises that it could be lucrative. Meena, despite all that prettiness, is woefully inept as an actress and poor Atma goes nuts trying to teach her the basics. What’s worse, Ramlal is not showing any signs of coughing up any money for the film.
In the midst of all this, Ashok (still camping out in front of Ramlal’s house) one day ‘rescues’ Nirmala’s radio when it topples over into a canal. [“What fell in?!” “Transistor!” “Whose sister?”]. In the process both Ashok and Nirmala fall into the canal, and end up confessing their love for each other. It’s roses all the way now, until Nirmala comes back to earth with a thud when she realises that Ramlal will never agree to her marrying a no-account like Ashok. She confides in Ashok, and he tells her not to worry. Everything will turn out all right.
Ashok’s method of sorting things out is to acquire a rich father. He does this by telephoning Shyam (remember? His best friend, and Malti’s boyfriend, though that connection isn’t known to Ashok). Ashok begs Shyam to come immediately, bringing with him makeup that’ll help pass him off as an old man. And, Shyam must bring his father’s fancy Chevrolet: it’ll impress the hell out of Ramlal, thinks Ashok. Shyam takes a bit of persuasion, but eventually agrees. When he arrives, Ashok intercepts him before he enters the estate grounds, and tells Shyam his plan. Ashok will pass Shyam off as his rich father, and helped along by that beautiful Chevrolet, they’ll be able to win over Ramlal and get his consent to Ashok’s marriage to Nirmala.
So a bearded, bespectacled Shyam, calling himself Ganga Prasad, introduces himself to Ramlal. He spins a yarn about Ashok having left home after a tiff and come away to Ramnagar to work. Ramlal’s mouth begins watering when ‘Ganga Prasad’ talks about the many factories and ship he owns, about his 14-storeyed building in Bombay, etc. Finally, Ramlal summons up the courage to propose a marriage alliance. The upshot is that Ashok gets engaged to Nirmala, and both of them are ecstatic. Ramlal has also insisted that ‘Ganga Prasad’ and Ashok spend a couple of days in the guesthouse on the Ramlal Estate. It’ll be a good holiday for them.
The betrothed couple spend their time in joyful anticipation of their upcoming wedding. They’re chaperoned by Malti and ‘Ganga Prasad’ (who swiftly reveals his true identity to Malti), so there’s much happiness all around. Malti and Shyam are happy to be together, Ashok and Nirmala are happy to be engaged, Ramlal is happy to be soon becoming a relative-by-marriage of a man as rich as Ganga Prasad…
…and fate is waiting in the wings, giggling diabolically and holding a heavy club. Shyam’s father Devraj happens to notice an advertisement for the sale of some vineyards in Ramnagar, and decides to go there to close the deal. The man selling the vineyards recommends Ramlal as a reference. When Devraj goes to meet Ramlal, he finds that Ramlal is none other than his old childhood friend, with whom he shares so many fond memories. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, thinks Devraj, if his only son would be married to Ramlal’s daughter Malti?
Will Shyam and Ashok be able to hoodwink the combined forces of Devraj and Ramlal? Will they sink deeper into their own web of deceit? And what of Atma and Meena? What of Wah! Wah! Production?
What I liked about this film:
The fact that it’s such a refreshingly light-hearted film. It never takes itself seriously, and you get the impression that almost everybody in the cast is enjoying themselves hugely. Delightful! The dialogues (by Rajinder Krishan, who also wrote the lyrics) are especially good.
The music, by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Two of my favourite songs from this film are O meri maina tu maan le mera kehna and Kisne pukaara mujhe main aa gayi; there are plenty of others too which are lovely: the title song and Phool ban jaaoonga shart yeh hai magar among them.
Pyaar Kiye Jaa also has the distinction of containing what is, for me, the most amusing scene in classic Hindi cinema. Atma explains part of the story for his film to his father. It’s a horror film, liberally embellished with howling dogs and croaking frogs and a spectre walking through the night; Mehmood’s telling of the tale (with complete sound effects!) and Om Prakash’s reactions to each element of the tale, are priceless.
What I didn’t like:
This is a minor niggle, but anyway. Rajasree. She’s all right, but I do think Shashi Kapoor deserved a more attractive, peppy heroine. Actually, I think I’d have liked Mumtaz to have acted as Nirmala. She’d have been perfect.
Dustedoff 
You know, I remember being struck by the exact same thought as you about the heroines – Mumtaz was the cutest of the lot and should have been with Shashi! :-)
My favorite part of the film was the song Kehne ki nahin baat. Its so crazy and fun – I can watch it over and over again and usually do! For the rest, I wish the major parts were cast against type – Kishore and Mahmood’s roles should have gone to actors who were not “comedians”. I keep imagining Sunil Dutt in the Kishore part. He was not only great in comedy, it would also have required less suspension of disbelief to accept him and Shashi as contemporaries!
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Wow Mumtaz looks super gorgeous in the O meri naina song you posted, i’ve never really been on the Shashi train but i’ll be hopping on this one plus Mehmood’s scene is highly Hilarious. I’ve always loved the Simplicity and quirkiness of Om Prakash
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bollyviewer: That’s a great idea, to cast Sunil Dutt in the Kishore role! I do wish they’d done that – every time I watch Pyaar Kiye Jaa, I think Shashi Kapoor and Kishore look too disparate in age (though they’re very comical together). Sunil Dutt would’ve been perfect: he was so good at comedy too (Padosan, anybody?)
I recall reading somewhere that Shashi Kapoor – not in Pyaar Kiye Jaa, but otherwise – hadn’t been too sold on the idea of acting opposite Mumtaz, since she was a mere starlet. It happened only in the 70’s, with Chor Machaaye Shor, that he agreed to act with her. Don’t know if that’s true or not, but I certainly think she’d have been more appropriate as Nirmala than Rajasree was!
bollywoodeewana: This film’s highly recommended! It’s loads of fun, and Mumtaz is just toooo cute. Watch, watch.
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O, this is one of my fav comedy films in Hindi.
I preferred the fact, that Kishore and Mehmood played the parts, they did. Otherwise, Shashi, though good, wouldn’thave been able to shoulder the comedy so well.
I had completely forgotten, who was paired with Shashi in the film. But of all of the female leads Mumtaz stands above. Her natural vivacity and energy ‘infects’ you through the screen.
Thsi film was remade in Marathi in mid 80s as Dhum Dhadaka by Mahesh Kothare. It helped revive the then ailing Marathi cinema and brought in a wave of comedy.
Mahesh Kothare worked as a child artiste in Hindi films before. I think he also played the young Manoj Kumar in Upkar.
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This movie is still a absolute blast and an all around entertainer, let me be biased and say its great all around performance by one and all, so much so my kids who did not know Hindi when they came from Norway watched this movie umpteen times, and undersigned have lost touch how many times this movie has run in my home, I have worn out 2 VHS tapes, 1 VCD and now a DVD .)
Now if I am not mistaken we had a Southie version of this first and did we have Rajasree in that version also ?, my gut feelin’ is whe ever gave the right for the Hindi remake had a pre condition that they take Rajasree in also ???? Just a wild guess, but for me she did her part well despite a lil heavy accent… par woh sab dheek hai, variety ho gayi.
I will rate this and Pati Patni in almost the same high quality entertainment bracket along with Half Ticket, Jaal Saaz of Kshoreda, except the latter 2 were B/W.
In Pati Patnti like I mentioned earlier if yu have the fab trio Omji, Johnny Bhai and bhai jaan Mehmood along with Mumtaz as his opposite, yer gonna have a tummy ache laughing with joy. Not to forget the super Leela Misra, grand lady of Indian Cinema, who plays a most maadern mom of Mumtaz, married to Omji.
Cheers
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I love love love this film and am so delighted you featured it! I too have only a handful of complaints – mostly the gross makeup on the women – and otherwise find it joyful and fun. Like Bollyviewer, I can’t not watch Kehne Ki Nahiin Bat over and over again!
Ash, when I posted about this film (http://bethlovesbollywood.blogspot.com/2008/05/things-that-are-not-utterly-fab-about.html and http://bethlovesbollywood.blogspot.com/2008/05/greatest-song-in-world.html), someone told me it was a remake of a Tamil film called Kadalikka Neramillai, and that in fact my favorite song in it was almost a direct copy! It used to be on youtube but I think has been taken down, but I do remember that the location is exactly the same!
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I love O meri maina tu maan le mera kehna . Everytime I watch this song on tv, I feel like dancing myself! This is loads of fun and Mumtaaz looks so gorgeous. I love that scene where Mehmood narrates the story of his film to Om Prakash and also where he tries teaching Mumtaz the basics of acting.
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I love the fact that the song Kehne ki nahin baat even has a proper bass in the backing orchestra: looks truly authentic!
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Oh, no.
I just sent off a list to Induna and replaced this with Bees Saal Baad.
I love comedies and have just been able to buy the DVD of Dekh Kabira Roya (recommended by you too :-) ).
Well another time. The songs are great.
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harvey: Oh, I like Kishore too – but here I agree with bollyviewer that he was perhaps just a bit too old. Anyway, that is a minor irritant: he’s so funny that I can overlook that!
ash: I don’t think Rajasree’s accent was as heavy as that of some other actresses who weren’t Hindi-speaking but worked in Hindi films. I think she just lacked the zip and the pep I’d have expected from a leading lady – as I said, Mumtaz would’ve been much better! Also, of course, as Beth mentions, the makeup was awful (there’s one scene where Nirmala’s wearing an orange outfit, with red nail polish and bright pink lipstick – Aaarggghh!). However… this film is just so much fun, I can sort of ignore Rajasree, bad makeup and all!
I haven’t seen Pati Patni yet. :-( Now I’m trying to figure out how to get hold of it – will see if it’s available for hire). By the way, have you seen Dekh Kabira Roya? That’s another delightful comedy – very funny and total farce!
Beth: I’ve just finished reading your review. Superwow. :-) I love this film so much, it was one of the first VCDs I bought when VCDs began to replace VHS tapes, and I don’t recall how many times I’ve seen the VCD… it’s just so much fun. That said, yes: the makeup’s awful, isn’t it? Pancake, and terrible colour coordination (well, no coordination: orange dress + deep pink lip stick + red nail polish). But hey, I’ll forgive that for a film like this.
I did a bit of searching for Kadalikka Neramillai, but the only thing I’ve unearthed so far is this… the credits art is the same, and it begins in almost the same way – except that they aren’t singing on the beach. Even the actress’s dancing is pretty much like Kalpana’s. This I gotta see, provided I can get a copy with subtitles.
sunheriyaadein: O meri maina is one of the songs I’ve loaded on my cellphone – I listen to it so frequently that I can sing along pretty easily now! :-)
bawa: Authentic, and unusual!
pacifist: I got a mail from induna, about the Dekh Kabira Roya DVD being now available. I’m trying to think which other films I want to order from them. After the Rail ka Dibba fiasco, I’m a little wary of ordering something I don’t know at least a bit about. I hope you like Dekh Kabira Roya – like Pyaar Kiye Jaa, it’s a hoot!
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Oh yeah DO you bet, seen Dekh Kabira, 25 times, am on my dvd now, after burning out VCD and before that VHS. All around g8 movie, nice storyline, direction, songs….. and when it is Anoop Kumar, I have to get the phillum, no matter how small role he played, in fact all the brothers Dadmoni, Kishoreda and Anoop. Anoop’s appearance in the first frame of a movie was just enough for front bencher’s like us to go ga ga .)
True the make up akka war paint of Nirmala and her dresses were arghh…….. after all the cosmetic industry till today is thriving bcos of Bolly and Tolly and Lolly .)
It wud be nice to hear more from yu or Beth on Kadalikka Neramilla comparison, pls do post when yu get to see it.
I will send a word here if I see Pati Patni on sale here, last I heard was it was only VCD. This one def deserves a proper DVD.
Sunheriyaadein, if yu have not seen Pati Patni, then pls do so bcos here yu will have a riot of a time watching Pashupati Pachisiya aka Mehmood teaching Mumtaz classical music, he is a fake teacher ofcors, recommended by none other than Padampath aka Johnny Bhai, who in turn is Dhanprasad aka Omji’s right hand man Munim.
The comedy timing of these 3 greats is out standing.
I am quite shocked Imdb readers give a rating of lousy 4.7 for this musical comedy entertainer, part of the praablem cud be not many have watched it, as only 5 have left the feedback, I wud rate 9.5 on 10 scale !
Cheers
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@ Dustedoff: “…I recall reading somewhere that Shashi Kapoor – not in Pyaar Kiye Jaa, but otherwise – hadn’t been too sold on the idea of acting opposite Mumtaz, since she was a mere starlet. It happened only in the 70’s, with Chor Machaaye Shor, that he agreed to act with her….”
Dustedoff–Shashi didn’t AGREE, he BEGGED according to Mumu. She’d become the hottest thing since “Do Raaste” which was a super duper hit in 1969, and her subsequent super hit pairing with Rajesh Khanna right up to her marriage. Here’s what she said on this issue:
“INTERVIEWER: Is it true that some heroes were hesitant to work with you at one point?
MUMTAZ: Yes, ours were strange times. Since I had that label of a stunt film heroine, many heroes treated me like an outcaste. I’d signed Sachcha Jhootha. (Producer) Vinod Doshi wanted to sign Shashi Kapoor. I was really desperate to work with an A-grade hero like him. But he said no and opted out of the film. I was so hurt that I told Shashi at R. K. Studio, “I’ll make sure that you’ll work with me some day.”
And I gave it back to him. When we were doing Chor Machaye Shor, Shashi got some eight offers to work opposite me. But I’d made up my mind to quit. He tried to charm me, saying, “Mumu darling, do some projects with me before you go.” I sweetly reminded him of the past. But I hold no grudges. I’m a firm believer in karma.”
Love her :-)
http://www.angelfire.com/celeb/mumtaz/doingitmyway.html
Oh and “Pyaar Kiye Jaa” sounds delightful.
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ash: I found Kadalikka Neramillai as a DVD on seventymm (the VCD/DVD rental company I susbscribe to). The catalogue entry doesn’t say if it’s got English subtitles, but since it’s a DVD, I’m hoping it does. Will upload a post if I’m able to watch (and understand it – though if Pyaar Kiye Jaa was as faithful a copy as it appears to be, I guess that’s not going to be difficult). I searched for Pati Patni too, but haven’t found even a VCD of it, yet. Will persevere!
Suhan: Thank you for that! Though it doesn’t reflect too well on Shashi, I have to admit that learning that about Mumtaz did my feminist, Mumtaz-loving soul lots of good! I read the entire interview, and it was very interesting – and she seems like such a lovely person, too. I must review some more films of hers…
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Oh keep ma fingers crossed DO
that yu get to see Kadalikka Neramilla and share yr thoughts on this, am sure that just in case yu do not have the Subs, yu will still be able to gauge how the film is in comparison to the Hindi version.
If I recall right, the original version did very well in South India.
Oh btw getting back to front bench days, me and ma buddy never missed Mummu movies, most of which were with the iron man Dara Singh, I can still watch those movies, and have quite a few in my collection, and collecting as we go along .), but yeah success does get into your head and then unfort yu forget your grassroots re Shashi episode with Mummu. Kinda sad really.
Remember the fab lyrics from WAQT, sung by Rafi Saheb, and I quote part of it-
waqt se, din aur raat, waqt se, kal aur aaj,
waqt kii, har shai Gulaam, waqt kaa, har shai pe raaj.
aadamii ko, chaahiye,
waqt se, Dar kar rahe,…………2
kaun jaane, kis gha.Dii,
waqt kaa, badale mijaaz,
waqt kaa, badale mijaaz,
unqte
Incidentally Shashi was in this movie also !
It says it all.
Yer right, no sign of Pati Patni anywhere here either, just vanished from the earth,Moser has the rights of this though. I have done a release of the VCD on the other sites a few years ago, mayb I shud re release them. the VCD supposedly is in good condition. Perhaps the viewers can catch up from there ?
Cheers
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Nice review Dustedoff. The tamil original ‘Kathalikka Neramillai’ (spelt as Kadalikka Neramillai, Kadhalikka Neramillai etc.) literally meaning ‘No time for love’ was also directed by Sridhar. Like most remakes from Tamil from then to today, the original also had younger actors compared to the Hindi remake, (remember ‘Yuva’ and ‘Ayutha Ezhuthu’??), except Rajashree who always looks like the Hero’s elder sister/aunt no matter who the hero is. Music was by the evergreen Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy duo and every song is a classic!!
I read in Sridhar’s memoirs that he had originally cast a different actress for the role of Nirmala, but did not find her body language good enough, especially with the song in the shower. So he decided to cast Rajashree in the Hindi version too.
Check out youtube for the comedy clip where Nagesh narrates the story to Balayya. You don’t need to understand the language to appreciate the genius of the 2 actors!!
Also if possible try and listen to the ‘Anubavam Puthumai’ song on youtube. This is my absolute favourite song in the movie :)
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ash: This is an embarrassing admission for me, but I’ve never seen a Mumtaz-Dara Singh film. That must be amended soon! Sigh… so many films, so little time. Oh, and by the way: Waqt is another Shashi film I really like. Such a totally formula film, so entertaining, and with such fabulous songs. Love it.
Okay, I’m also a bit confused… when you say you did a release of Pati Patni some years ago, what do you mean? A fileshare thing?
Rathi: Nandri (yes, that’s one of the very few Tamil words I know)! I’m hoping that the Kathalikka Neramillai DVD I found on seventymm has English subtitles – I’d love to see it. I checked out youtube, but couldn’t find the Nagesh-Balayya comedy clip. I did, however, find Anubavam puthumai, which was very nice – I’m beginning to realise how faithful a copy Pyaar Kiye Jaa was; Rajasree’s costume was I think reused, or at least the design was very similar, in the Hindi film too, and Shashi Kapoor’s tent was almost the same. Even the frames are the same!
BTW, a coincidence: the tune of Anubavam puthumai is based on Besame mucho, of which my favourite version is that by Dean Martin. And Dean’s photo is the one Atma has on his desk when his sisters visit him – see screen cap #5, above!
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Oyo oyo oho… as Kishoreda said…. .)now that is a honest confession .), accepted .), but understandable, usually, and I mean those front bencher days not many families wud padhariye in a theater showing Dara Singh movies. I have seen most of the shows at 10 AM, on a Saturday or a Sunday, the shows for afternoon, evening,night was ‘reserved’ for bigger names and phillums. Now this was in Nairobi.
1960-1970 was a golden period for us front benchers with Dara, Mummu, Praveen Chowdhary,Vijaya Chowdhary, Helen, Kum Kum, Nishi and along with other veterans Maruti Rao, Kamal Mehra, Bhagwandada and a whole lot of loyalists. Truly fab period, innocent period and yeah Dara Paajee really enjoyed whatever he did, it is written all over his performances. g8 artist, with 140 plus phillums, maybe more……. and still growing strong !
Yeah yeah Pati Patni was on the sharing thingy, if yu can access my email, send a word, can send yu a invitassson.
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I have obviously been missing out on a highly entertaining period of filmy history! Somehow as children we never saw too many films in theatres – partly because my father, who was in the IPS, got posted to one-horse towns where the cinema halls were so derelict, only rickshaw-wallahs went there. And when TV arrived… somehow most of the films they showed weren’t these ones.
Will see if I can’t find Pati Patni somewhere, even a VCD. If I can’t, I’ll certainly drop you a line. Thanks for the offer!
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Oh tensjon nahin lene ka .) kya…. am sure yu will catch up with the goldies as yu go along, I am still lagging behind but good to have a back log for a rainy day .)
Sure drop a word in case yu do not get hold of Pati Patni
Talking about outdoor theaters where whole gaon used to turn up, I have seen only one movie, thats was in Delhi many moons ago, SANJOG, 1961 ? of veterans galore like Pradeep Kumar
Anita Guha
Shubha Khote
Mehmood
Raj Mehra
Om Prakash
Sunder
Leela Mishra,
fab musical. baton of Madan Mohan Saheb. The experience seeing it outdoors with whistling
crowd was something one can never forget, wonder if they still have these outdoor screenings ?
And I am hunting for this movie, my VHS burnt holes ages ago, if yu see it pls let us know. Thx a lot.
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This one’s new to me – the only Sanjog I know of was the Amitabh Bachchan-Mala Sinha starrer (which also I haven’t seen). Will look out for this one, though, and let you know if I find it. Have you checked induna.com? They sometimes have these terribly obscure films.
When I was a kid, the police camps where we sometimes stayed would have a once-a-week outdoor film screening. All the families, especially the baba log would turn up and see them. I was too small to remember any of those, but I have vague recollections of them… The first film I recall seeing in a cinema hall was CID and I still remember the climax!
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Try this link :
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5646667735914155241
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Thank you for that, Rathi! Even though I couldn’t understand it (except what obviously tallied with the Hindi version), I thought it was very funny – both Nagesh and Balayya were a hoot. :-)
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Yeah thx a lot from me too Rathi ,re the links,
this version was as my pals also a fantastic original hit and we must get it with Subs, so look fwd to see if DO can confirm abt the Subs ? .)
Cheers
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Well look what I found! Several songs from the Tamil original, including the source of “Kehne Ki Nahin Baat”! :) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6606352829502849960#docid=-8473669637350912078
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That’s quite a find, Beth! Considering I’ve rewatched Pyaar Kiye Jaa fairly recently, I can see the obvious similarities between the two films – the set, of course, but even down to the little red feathers in the extras’ caps! My DVD rental guys have the Tamil original: I must see it sometime.
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I seem to be the exception who loved seeing Kishore Kumar and Shashi Kapoor together – a completing of wonderful trio of Ganguly – Kapoor brothers pairings according to not only suitability of roles butincidentally also seniority (Bewafa is a superb film, and Junglee we all know, as for the other two pairings). Also, the Kishore Kumar- Mehmood fun began with Pyar kiye Jaa and went on for at least two more of the latter’s productions, Padosan and Sadhu Aur Shaitan. Doubt anyone could really replace Kishore Kumar at anything, at that. As for age, Shashi Kapoor looked younger than his age for a long long time, and played younger to Amitabh who was younger in fact. His baby face charm was was unique and loved by his fans, although it meant it was difficult to pair him with most heroines when he was new. Sunil Dutt would have definitely looked older than Shashi and would not help his career, Shashi Kapoor looked younger than anyone his time until early eighties.
Sanjog is among the various films i have been trying to find (- the earlier one, have seen the Amitabh one and its tamil original) – along with Babar and some others. Thanks to internet one can now see various old beautiful films and songs. Sanjog songs are beautiful. Anita Guha has been a personal favourite, what with her Durga face (of the Durgapouja images) perfection and sweetness, although it is rare to find a film with her in a main role outside mythologicals. Her version of Woh Bhooli Daastaan and other songs in this would alone make it worth, even apart from the perfect match for her in Pradeep Kumar
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Gokhale bhau, musical hit SANJOG did come out on Friends, a VCD, in fact it was a VHSrip, then a remastered DVD also came out.
Btw Anita Guha and Kishoreda, a must see is CHACHA ZINDABAD, fab pair and you can see the chemistry in the song PIYA PIYA. Made by THE G8 ol veteran Om Prakash, also had another g8 Gajanan Jagirdar.I can recall her in a major role in another musical hit Goonj Uthi Shehnai, Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh, Dekh Kabira Roya.
3 which I am hunting for is Taxi Stand from 1958, Jhoom Utha Akash 1973 and Biwi Kiraya Ki 1975.Cheers
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Interestingly (and I see Ash has also mentioned some of these films), the films in which I recall Anita Guha in major roles have all been comedies – Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh (Prem Chopra’s debut film; quite funny), Dekh Kabira Roya (one of my favourite films), and Chhoomantar, in which she stars opposite Johnny Walker.
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Thanks both – I remember Sampoorna Ramayan had Anita Guha, didn’t it? Other than that I had only seen Goonj Uthi Shehnai and while she was good the rest was ridiculous (a couple trying to meet at midnight to elope secretly refuses to tiptow and instead breaks out into a loud song and dance?!! Of course they got caught! The village wasn’t all populated by stone deaf!) and a bad copy or redoing of Baiju Bawra. I saw Dekh Kabira Roya, incidentally reading the review of PKJ above was fun and seeing the story in its skeletal form made me think they were doing a PG Wodehouse set in India.
Mumtaz was hilarous in her attempts to learn to play a film heroine – the way she is completely natural in the role and totally out of whack when learning to “act” was one of the strong comedy moments. Loved Shashi Kapoor’s dance and the way the moves of Shammi become completely hilarious when Shashi did them. Rajashri T is clearly doing her best to come across as a twin to Vyjayantimala, including copying a lot from Sangam look and moves.
Mehmood’s first (or was it second?) production was not comedy, I think, it was Bhoot Bangla, and he had a rather serious song in it too, so I suspect he knew the potential of Mumtaz and was happy to pair with her; that way the three pairs were balanced in comedy vs seriousness, rather than him looking ridiculous and the younger pair serious.
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You’re very right about Pyaar Kiye Jaa being like Wodehouse in an Indian setting! Can’t imagine why that never struck me before, considering I am a fan of PGW as well as this film. And yes, I simply loved the Mumtaz-Mehmood pairing in this: they were such a delight. So very earnest about their film!
Was Bhoot Bangla serious? I saw it years ago, as a child, but I memories of it are again of fairly nutty comedy – especially what was definitely a spoof of the entering-the-haveli-for-the-first-time in Madhumati scene, starring Mehmood and RD Burman. Thoroughly crazy. Of course, I could be mistaken.
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Yes indeed Bhoot Bungla was a musical comedy, and btw same year as Pyar Kiye Jaa we had PATI PATNI, a b/w hilarious musical comedy. MD Panchamda of course. Here we had Mumu and Mehmood paired (as Pashupati Pachisiya ) together, he is her music teacher…… and other 2 G8’s namely Om Prakash as Dhanprasad and
Johnny Walker as Padampat. A must see if you missed it. I can not recall how many times I have seen this……this song still fresh-
meri patni mujhe sataati hai jaldi nikal jaati hai ghar se
kajare badarwa re kajare badarwa marji teri hai kya
kaise dekha hai mujh yeh jiyo
allaah jaane main hoo kaun kya hai mera naam
maar daalega dard jigar koi iski dawa kijiye
Not to forget the almost forgotten Leela Misra as Mumu’s modern mum and Om Prakash’s wife :)
If we missed it I may add that the film is a remake of the Tamil comedy Kaadhalikka Neramillai (1964) which was remade into Telugu as Preminchi Choodu in 1965. Actress Rajasree starred in all the three versions of the film.[2]
Cheers
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