Pudhcha Paool (1986)

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Cinema is a form of entertainment but it can be used as an effective instrument to deliver a social message. Unsurprisingly, films based on social themes have been attempted time and again and have retained their popularity. As a sub-theme, films depicting women related issues like empowerment & self-identity, professional equality, social customs and traditional oppression, domestic violence etc have been presented with success.

V Shantaram had tackled the issue of dowry in the aptly titled Dahej (1950). The demands of the in-laws never seem to cease and the poor daughter in law has to face the brunt. Pudhcha Paool (meaning The Next Step) covers a similar theme. The film is directed by the reliable Raj Dutt and is successful in delivering its message.

The Plot

At the centre of Pudhcha Paool is a middle class family called Patgaonkar. Anna (Yeshwant Dutt) is the head of the family. His wife is Mai (Ashalata Wabgaonkar), a school teacher. They have a son Shrinivas alias Shinu (Sagar) who works in a private firm and is hoping to be a purchase officer soon. Shinu’s [second] wife is Chitra (Manasi Magikar), a housewife. This is a seemingly normal family but it is not so. (It is revealed that Shinu had a first wife called Rekha, who committed suicide because of the way she was treated by her in laws).

Chitra’s younger sister is getting married. The invitation has arrived and she is excited to attend the wedding. But Mai and Sagar don’t think so. They make her write a letter requesting her father Babasaheb (Nilu Phule) to arrange Rs 7,000 to purchase a refrigerator. The implication is that Chitra and Shinu will attend the wedding only if the money is committed by Babasaheb. Chitra begs to go for the wedding but Mai makes her stand clear.

Anna is supportive of his daughter-in-law but is a bit helpless. Meanwhile Chitra’s parents are eagerly waiting for her arrival. They are fully aware of the nature of Chitra’s in-laws. Her mother (Suhasini Deshpande) is worried that Chitra won’t be able to attend the celebrations.

Mai has put a lot of restrictions on Chitra. She cannot step out of the house without permission. Chitra is fond of music but she cannot join a music class. She is not allowed to mingle with the neighbours who are sympathetic towards Chitra. There is a young man next door Ramu (Prashant Damle) who lends books to Chitra. Ramu is also interested in music and plays the violin. Mai does not like their interaction and tells the same to Chitra. In general, Chitra is like a trapped bird with no potential of being freed.

Mai is eagerly waiting for Babasaheb’s response on the money demand. She asks Chitra to feign illness so that everybody will think that she had the “flu” and did not travel for the wedding. Chitra is crestfallen and Anna tries to cheer her up. She dreams of the celebrations and sings a song… Kaa ga saajani bheeje paapani. But her dreams are shattered when Mai tears the wedding invitation. No money, no wedding.

Some reasons are provided as to why Mai is so money minded. Apparently, Anna owned a general store as well as a dairy. It is hinted he had to lose both because of his own mismanagement and lack of capability(!). Mai’s sisters have built their own bungalows. She wants Anna to sell a plot of land he owns. The money can be put to better use but Anna repeatedly refuses to sell the plot.

After the wedding, Babasaheb comes to meet Chitra and take her with him for a few days. Mai swings into action. First she tells him in a sugar coated manner as to why Chitra was unable to come for the wedding. He hands over the gifts brought for all four of them. But Mai has had enough. She asks him outright about the money. Given his economic condition, he is unable to commit anything which makes her flare up. She asks him to gather the gifts and leave immediately. He can show his face only when the money has been arranged.

An insulted and dejected Babasaheb leaves and settles down under a tree. He hears a poignant song from the nearby temple…Jo to aapapala yethe kuni naa aadhar, manachiya ghavawari manachi funkar. Later, Ramu informs Anna about the whole situation. Anna treats Chitra like his daughter. He is furious at Mai’s behaviour and lectures her as well as Shinu. They are shaken by his behaviour.

The next few days pass normally. Strangely, Mai and Shinu are in a subdued mood. Anna informs Chitra he is going to Kashmir on a trip. He wants to record her song so he does not miss her company. She is reluctant but Anna and Ramu push her. She sings the song…Ekaach yaa janami janu with Ramu accompanying her on the violin.

Chitra is scared that something will happen when Anna is not around to support her. There is probably a storm coming after all the calm. But he convinces her it is a matter of a few days. Hopefully she will be able to go to her parents’ house soon. And Anna leaves for Kashmir.

Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned and Chitra’s fears are proved right. Mai keeps Chitra locked in the house when she and Shinu are out. The neighbours are suspicious and rally to help Chitra. Ramu calls out Chitra. She tells him that she is fed up of living in the house. It is like the worst nightmare and she has to flee from here. Ramu understands the situation. He attempts to break the lock as the ladies try to divert Mai’s attention and delay her arrival in the house. But the sharp Mai enters the house and finds Chitra packing her bag with the intention to leave. Chitra begs her to let her go.

But its too late. Mai tells Shinu about Chitra’s plan. He locks her in the toilet. Next day it is found that Chitra has committed suicide by hanging. Since the door was locked from inside, no suspicion can fall upon Mai or Shinu. The police cannot do anything.

The news reach Babasaheb. Anna comes to know about the happening only after he returns from his trip. But what can he do?

Mai is already looking for a new wife for Shinu. The match arrives in the form of a man called Nana Akurlikar (Irshad Hashmi). His daughter Kamal (Archana Patkar) is eligible for marriage.

They own a lot of property in the Konkan area, which is all in Kamal’s name. That’s music to Mai’s ears. She cooks up a story on how Chitra died (stating she was insane and this was not disclosed before marriage). She further tells him that he might hear some contradictory things from Anna because Anna has also become mentally unstable. Nana is fine to go ahead with the marriage. Shinu meets Kamal and all is agreed.

Prior to the marriage, Anna and Ramu go to meet Kamal’s father Nana but they fail to make him understand the reality. Nana is all happy for his daughter. Shinu and Kamal get married. Anna is unable to come to terms. He keeps getting reminded of Chitra whenever Kamal approaches him.

What lies in store for Kamal? Will she meet the same fate as Rekha and Chitra? The film takes an interesting turn to bring out its core theme and reach its conclusion.

The Music

There are only 3 songs, all penned by Sudhir Moghe. Sudhir Phadke is the composer.

Sudhir Phadke sings the devotional cum philosophical Jo to aapapala yethe kuni naa aadhar. The wedding song Kaa ga saajani bheeje paapani is sung by Asha Bhosle. But the song that stays with you is Ekaach yaa janami janu beautifully rendered by Asha Bhosle. She won the Maharashtra State Best Playback Singer award. This is a song of positivity and hope to forget all that has happened and rise again. Of special mention is a long violin piece which leaves its distinct mark on the listener.

Trivia…It is interesting to note that Sudhir Phadke and Asha Bhosle had first worked together in a film called Pudhcha Paool in 1950. They worked again in a film with the same title 3 decades later. This was almost their last collaboration before Sudhir Phadke stopped composing.

My Thoughts

The film won the Best Film and Best Director award at the Maharashtra State Film Awards. It touches upon a sensitive subject but presents it without getting preachy. The film sticks to its core story and avoids unnecessary diversions. The comedy (or rather sarcastic) touches don’t seem boring. The songs are well placed.

The performances by the established actors like Yeshwant Dutt, Ashalata Wabgaonkar and Nilu Phule are impressive. Famous villain Nilu Phule plays the positive role convincingly. Ashalata shines in her role. It is interesting to note that Prashant Damle, Manasi Magikar, Archana Patkar and Sagar made their debuts with this film. While the first 3 are well known names, not much information is available about Sagar.

Sangeet (1992)

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Today’s post is dedicated to Madhuri Dixit (MD) who celebrates her birthday on 15 May. I will be covering a film which is not spoken of much. Sangeet is a rare film as it features MD in a double role. She plays the roles of the mother and daughter.

The film was made by Gulshan Kumar under his T-Series banner. It was directed by the reputed K Viswanath, who also directed Sur Sangam (1985) among others. Both films have the common theme of music and dance that binds its main characters. The film was different from the normal Hindi film of those times and MD put in a memorable performance.

The Plot

MD plays Nirmala, a middle aged lady. Nirmala is a singer cum dancer and a lover of arts. She has the habit of meeting artists, inviting them home and appreciating their talent. She is married to Yash (Shafi Inamdar), a businessman who runs an ad agency. Yash likes to exploit his wife’s singing talent for entertaining his business clients and inducing them to make a good deal with his agency.

In one instance, he makes Nirmala go back and dress “appropriately”, so that the client will be impressed and agree on a big deal. Nirmala accepts this meekly. It is evident there is no romance in their marriage.

Nirmala has a back story. Before marriage, she was in love with a boy called Upendra Joshi (Nitish Bharadwaj) who was her neighbour. Apparently, Nirmala’s family background was questionable whereas Upendra came from a reputed family. His father (played by Achyut Potdar) gives him the ultimatum to either choose Nirmala or his family. Nirmala hears this and advises him to choose his family for the sake of his future. They have a tearful parting.

It is revealed that Nirmala is expecting Upendra’s child. Her mother and uncle (mamaji – Anjan Srivastav) don’t want to do anything with the child but her maid Shanta (Aruna Irani) steps in. She requests them not to abort the child as it may not be safe for Nirmala’s life. It is agreed that Shanta will take the child with her. Nirmala will be informed that the child did not survive.

Years pass. Nirmala’s daughter grows up to be a young woman called Sangeeta (Madhuri Dixit). Unfortunately, she is blind. Shanta has brought her up like her own child and Sangeeta doesn’t know the truth. Due to economic compulsions, Sangeeta earns money by dancing and singing on stage. But the performances are attended by shady people, who lust for Sangeeta’s young figure. Shanta is aware of this but she has no alternative. She is helpless but wishes that Sangeeta lead a respectable life.

Enter the saviour called Seturam Sargamwala (Jackie Shroff). Seturam is a Rajasthani folk singer who has come to the city to make a living. He goes to see Sangeeta’s performance and is saddened to see the reaction of the public to her dance moves. After the performance, a few men rush to the stage and trouble Sangeeta. An angry Seturam comes to her rescue and sings a song lecturing the audience about treating women with respect etc.

Next day he goes to Sangeeta’s house. He is impressed by the simple girl and her beauty. It is then he realizes that she is blind. Shanta tells him about their plight and dependency on Sangeeta for earning money. She adds that if they refuse to agree to the theatre manager’s terms, he will ask them to vacate their house. Seturam hears all this and offers a solution.

He tells them that an artist has to help another artist. Why don’t they come and stay with him? After arriving in the city, Seturam had occupied an under construction building and made it his residence. He suggests Shanta to come and live in the same building. She agrees and Shanta and Sangeeta shift to the new premises.

Coincidentally, Nirmala’s husband had been planning to purchase the same building and she had come to see the site. That is where she had first met Seturam. Seturam tells her that he is a musician. She is impressed by his sincerity and innocence. Instead of being angry at the illegal occupation, she invites him home to perform at a party that evening (it’s her marriage anniversary). Seturam puts in an impressive performance. Nirmala is happy to have made his acquaintance.

One of the party guests is music director Dhrupad Prasad (Satish Shah). He adds some comedy touches with the help of mamaji. Dhrupad is engaged in lifting tunes and passing them as his own. He tries the same with Seturam, who threatens him with dire consequences.

It is not long before Seturam and Sangeeta get attracted towards each other. Seturam introduces Sangeeta to Nirmala. Nirmala proposes that Seturam and Sangeeta form a pair and start performing. She is ready to train Sangeeta. Things are fine until one day Sangeeta falls down from the building (while dancing) and needs to be operated upon. Nirmala and Shanta come face to face after many years. Shanta reveals the truth to Nirmala.

Nirmala takes care of Sangeeta until she recovers. Sangeeta is still unaware of her connection with Nirmala. Nirmala wants Seturam and Sangeeta to get married at the earliest before they begin their foreign tour as performers. But there is bound to be a twist. In a weird development, Seturam and Nirmala are planning to commit suicide (separately!), so their eyes can be donated to Sangeeta.

Will this plan succeed? Will Sangeeta know the truth about her mother? Will she marry Seturam and settle down blissfully?

The Music

Anand Milind have composed the music. The songs are sung by Anuradha Paudwal, Suresh Wadkar, Jolly Mukherjee and Pankaj Udhas. Some songs had become popular like the Anuradha Paudwal solos Aap chahe toh humko meeta dijiye and Main tumhari hoon. Jolly Mukherjee sings the folk based number Sun O hasina..main awara ik banjara whereas Suresh Wadkar sings the moving Naari ko jahan pooja jaata us desh ka rehne wala hoon. Other duets include Ho Rama haye re, Saat suron ke taar ban gaye, Jo geet nahin janma and Chali aiyyo Radhe Rani. Some songs are based on classical ragas. Being a K Viswanath film, I was reminded of Sur Sangam and its rich classical based songs by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Unfortunately, Sangeet’s songs sound weaker in comparison and fail to leave a mark.

My Thoughts

Sangeet is not a bad film but it could have been better. Some parts are not explained clearly leaving the viewer disconnected. Why does the young Nirmala ask Upendra to leave her when she knows she is expecting his child? How is her marriage arranged with Yash and how does their relationship deteriorate? Also, when Nirmala sees Sangeeta, doesn’t she notice the obvious resemblance and feel curious about it? Nirmala’s reactions are too mild and boring(!). The film is slow and there is an absence of drama or it seems toned down in the crucial scenes. Things just keep happening smoothly. The eye donation sub plot seems stretched.

The acting performances are good and all are well known actors. I felt MD is more convincing as the older character of Nirmala. Her body language, expressions and dialogue delivery suit the character perfectly. Her effort is noticeable. It is sad that she got few opportunities to perform such roles. The focus always remained on her glamorous persona and dancing. But yes, Sangeet is an interesting chapter in her long career.

Poonam Ki Raat (1965)

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Last year I had written about Mahal (1949). In a true sense it was a haunting classic movie that set the tone for similar movies in Hindi cinema. A faraway mansion, a wandering woman (soul?) singing a lovely song, with the hero following & trying to make sense of it became a template for many such movies. Some of them like Bees Saal Baad (1962), Woh Kaun Thi (1964) and Gumnaam (1965) became hits and have stayed in the minds of the audience.

In 1965, Kishore Sahu made Poonam Ki Raat under his banner perhaps inspired by this genre. He is credited with the story, screenplay, dialogues, and also plays an important role in the movie. The intention was good but unfortunately the film falls short of expectations. It is remembered today for the evergreen song Saathi re..tujh bin jiya udaas re.

The Plot

The film begins with a death scene. We see a young woman (named Rani) falling down the stairs. It is not clear if she got pushed or lost her balance. At the top of the stairs is Lala Baijnath (Sapru). At the bottom is his sister (Leela Mishra). She is shocked to see the body and looks at her brother questioningly. There is no dialogue and the credits appear.

After the credits, we are treated to a college outing scene. A group of students have arrived at an archeological site. Lunch preparations are in full swing accompanied by singing and dancing. A girl Rekha (Bela Bose) sings a romantic song Ta deem tana deem addressed to Prakash Gupta (Manoj Kumar). His friend Chandan (Shiv Kumar) watches in amusement as Prakash has no interest in Rekha.

The celebration is broken by the arrival of a jeep. Meet Sumer Singh (Rajendranath). He has a message for Chandan. Chandan’s father Lala Baijnath has taken ill and Sumer has come to take him home to the estate. (Sumer Singh is the son of the estate’s munim and close to the family). Chandan takes the professor’s permission and leaves with Prakash for company. He invites the professor to bring the students to visit his house as its on the way to Mumbai (where their college is situated). On the way, Prakash takes over the driving as Sumer Singh rests (or sleeps!).

It is a long drive. They stop near a paan shop for cigarettes. Prakash hears some men talking when they see Chandan. Lala Baijnath’s mansion (kothi) is supposed to be haunted. A woman called Rani had died there some 10-12 years back, since then her soul is said to be wandering around the mansion. This is apparently a reference to the woman who had fallen down the stairs. There is a rumour that Lala Baijnath was responsible for her death.

The trio reach the mansion. Chandan’s mother (Sarita) tells him that his father has become bedridden. And many of the family members are hoping for his death to get a share of his immense wealth. We are slowly introduced to the family.

First is Prakash’s sister Jyoti (Kumud Chhugani in her debut film). A chirpy girl, she meets Chandan and gets introduced to Prakash. She mistakes him to be a driver and treats him condescendingly before Chandan clears the matter.

Apparently, the servants of the house are not very reliable and not available when needed. Jyoti brings two glasses of milk for her brother and Prakash. Jyoti and Prakash have a playful conversation. After she leaves, he finds that the glass of milk has shifted its position. Is it possible? There was no one else in the room. He tastes the milk and drinks it fully.

He lies down smoking when he hears a woman singing Saathi re…tujh bin jiya udaas re. It is an intense song full of longing. He tries to find the source of the singing and comes across a locked door. He pushes the door open by force. The singing stops abruptly. But all that he finds is a black cat glaring at him through the darkness. The cat scampers away. He lies down again confused and is disturbed by some fluttering birds and the sound of a train passing. The train track is next to the mansion. The train’s high decibel whistle adds to the spookiness of the occasion.

Next day he has an argument with Chandan and Jyoti when he tells them about the weird happenings during the night. Later, Chandan takes him to meet his elder brother Naren and his wife. They overhear the couple speaking about Chandan’s father. Naren is in dire need of money but it is difficult to get a dime out of his miser of a father. His wife openly wishes to get rid of his father and solve the problem forever.

After that they meet Lala Baijnath. The old man seems to be in pain and is being looked after by a nurse. He talks about many topics in one go. He admonishes the nurse Thelma for touching the keys to the safe where he holds a lot of money and jewellery. He then hears someone climbing down the stairs. Apparently the stairs are faulty and he requests Chandan to get them repaired to avoid another accident (again, this is a reference to the woman Rani falling down the stairs).

The doctor (Kishore Sahu) in charge of Lala Baijnath arrives. The nurse requests him to grant leave for a week. He says she can leave only when her replacement is arranged. For some reason, the doctor has a sinister look as if he knows about something and is trying to hide it from the others.

Another important character comes in with Lalaji’s breakfast. She is Nandini who is a step daughter of Lala Baijnath. She has a stiff and lifeless manner.

And finally, there is Lala Baijnath’s sister (played by Leela Mishra) who stays with her son Ramesh in the same house. She claims to have a right in the property and will not rest until she gets it.

For this, she is close to a family friend come lawyer (Bharadwaj). The lawyer has a daughter Mukta (Parveen Chowdhury). He is hoping to get Mukta married to either Chandan or Ramesh once its clear who is entitled to a share of the property.

Its been only a day and Jyoti and Prakash sing a romantic duet (Tum kahan le chale ho). Matters get complicated when Nandini too falls for him. The love triangle is depicted through the song Sapno mein mere koi aaye jaaye sung by the 3 characters. As Prakash settles down for the night, he hears the haunting song again.

The next day, he asks Chandan about Rani. Chandan tells him that Rani was daughter of a tawaif from Lucknow. Rani used to stay with them. Prakash tells him what he had heard about Rani’s death. Chandan denies that his father had any hand in her death. Prakash requests him to show her room. They go upstairs and do a bit of exploring in the room. The room seems to be quite clean as if someone is using it regularly. Jyoti, who is downstairs sees the window opening and assumes there is a ghost in Rani’s room. Prakash convinces her that it was Chandan who had opened the window.

It’s the night of the full moon (poonam ki raat). Nandini sees a ghostly figure and screams. The doctor is convinced that something is bound to happen. The nurse Thelma asks the doctor to spare her for that night. (She wants to go for a dance with her boyfriend Peter (Prem Chopra in a small role). But the doctor tells her it’s poonam ki raat and to stay with her patient throughout the night. In spite of this, Thelma goes to meet Peter and later disappears.

On the same night, tragedy strikes. Someone tries to attack Lala Baijnath and he is found lying on the floor. Thankfully he is alive but paralysed and unable to speak. He is unable to tell what happened during the night leaving the family puzzled.

The story continues. Chandan and Prakash’s college friends arrive. There is another song by Rekha who realizes there are 2 more girls vying for Prakash’s attention! She sings Bhole piya jaane tumne kya kiya. If the attention of the girls was not enough for Prakash, he is troubled by the singing at night and unable to find a solution. Is it Rani’s soul who is singing? He sings a sad song in frustration “Dil tadpe tadpaaye.”

Things become twisted when Thelma’s body is discovered in the garden well. The police are unable to solve the murder. And the next poonam ki raat arrives. Will something happen again? Will Lala Baijnath be killed? Who is really behind all this?

The Music

The lyrics are written by Shailendra and music by Salil Chowdhury. Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar, Mukesh and Mohammed Rafi have sung the songs. Unfortunately, only one song Saathi re stays with you. The lyrics, music and singing blend effortlessly to bring out the expected impact. If you hear carefully, you will find the tune of Baag Mein Kali Khili (another Salil Chowdhury song) used in the second stanza.

My Thoughts

The plot of the movie is not bad but the execution is not convincing. There are suspenseful moments that jolt you in between. The best thing is perhaps the haunting song which comes in bits and pieces and the full version towards the end.

There could be a long list of flaws. The poonam ki raat phenomenon is interesting but the revelation at the end does not answer all questions. There is a serious patient in the house but everyone seems to be casual about it. People carry on their activities like arranging parties, sing romantic songs, dancing and going for hunting. This dilutes the seriousness of the plot when you are expecting it to be compact and suspenseful. Then there is the unnecessary love triangle which hardly contributes to the plot. The Prakash character was supposed to give company to Chandan. But no reason is provided on why he extends his stay in the mansion. All he does is sing songs during the day or listen to the haunting song during the night! And its only him who can hear the haunting song which is ridiculous. There are lesser known faces in the cast including Nandini, Chandan, Ramesh, Naren etc whose acting skills seem limited. Better casting would have definitely helped to keep the proceedings tight.