Category Archives: My Reviews

Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar (1973)

My Reviews

There have been many movies depicting a suspicious husband or wife leading to serious or hilarious consequences depending on the tone of the movie. Based on a Gujarathi play “Chakdhol,” Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar is a funny take on how a suspicious wife compels her husband to make up an imaginary story to save himself and the chain of events that follow. The movie is directed by Rajendra Bhatia.

The Plot

The film begins with a party scene. Sunil Mehta (Kiran Kumar) and his wife Geeta (Radha Saluja) arrive. Sunil meets Helen who behaves like an old acquaintance. This is enough to sow the seeds of suspicion in Geeta’s mind. Next day, Sunil leaves for office. He doesn’t come back in the evening. A worried Geeta goes to sleep waiting for his return. She dreams he is spending time with Helen totally ignoring Geeta’s presence. Time for a dream song Khilta hua shabab hai…

Geeta wakes up from her dream to find Sunil is still not home. Her sister Pinky (Arpana Choudhary) stays with her. Unable to sleep, she visits Pinky’s room and goes downstairs to wait on the sofa. Its almost morning. The Mehtas have an oversmart and unscruplous servant Ramji (I.S. Johar) whose habit is to keep making social commentary on current issues. Whenever he receives an order, his response is Main wohi toh karne wala tha. He has had enough of the Mehta family and is leaving them soon for a new employer.

Geeta asks Ramji if he has seen Sunil home yesterday night. He tells her no. He informs her indirectly that he is leaving them for a new employer and his new mistress may come and meet her for feedback on his conduct. An already suspicious Geeta misinterprets that Sunil is leaving her for a new mistress. Pinky comes down. Its her birthday and Geeta wishes her. She tells her about Sunil and the new mistress. Pinky calls Ramji and thankfully clarifies the matter. Pinky has a supposed to be fiance Captain Ranjit (Narendranath). For some reason, Sunil disapproves of Ranjit and leaves no chance to insult him.

Meanwhile Sunil comes home. Geeta cross questions him on his absence. Knowing her nature, Sunil knows she will not believe the truth. The simple truth is he was returning home when he saw a fun fair/exhibition. He visits the fair and takes a giant wheel ride. Unfortunately the machine develops a technical glitch and he has to spend the whole night suspended in the air. But there is a catch. Also stuck with him for company is a young woman (Manju Asrani). (He refers to her as “giant wheel lady.”) If Geeta comes to know about this, she will raise hell all over.

To get away from the situation, Sunil invents a not so convincing story. He tell Geeta that he met an old friend called Champak Bhumiya and spent the night at his house chatting about old times. Geeta further questions him and he has to invent a fake address – Boti Mansion, Damar Galli in Betegaon. Geeta is not convinced but allows him to go to their room. She books a telegram for Champak Bhumiya, requesting him to meet her as soon as he receives the telegram as her happiness is dependent on him. She also packs her bags in anticipation that Sunil is lying, the telegram will come back as the address was fake and she will go to her mom’s house. Sunil vents his feelings through a song Mujhe meri biwi se bachao.

Sunil comes down and asks Ramji for breakfast. The bell rings and unexpectedly, the “giant wheel lady” comes to meet Sunil. Apparently he has her sunglasses and she wants them back. But Sunil has gifted them to Pinky as a birthday gift. He asks the woman to meet him later.

The bell rings again. This time the visitor is Sunil’s old friend Amit Desai (Asrani). He has recently got married in Paris. His wife has come back to India. He was supposed to arrive 2 days later but managed to come earlier. However he doesn’t want to go to his home immediately. He wants to enjoy his last days of freedom before meeting his wife. A weird story which Sunil accepts and invites him to stay at his house.

Sunil informs Amit of the last night’s events and his fake story. He spots the telegram message and knows the cat will be out of the bag soon. Amit ponders and offers a solution. He will come to visit Geeta, posing as “Champak Bhumiya” and Sunil’s story will be validated. Luckily, Geeta has never met Amit. Sunil agrees. The only problem is Ramji who had opened the door for Amit. Through some bribing, Ramji becomes a part of the plan.

Thus, Amit arrives at the house again and meets Geeta. She is at first flustered to meet the man with the strange name and address. He tells her about his friendship with Sunil and how they spent the night chatting. And about his wife and 2 imaginary kids – Luv and Kush. Geeta is convinced and apologizes to Sunil about her actions.

Things are sorted. Its time to celebrate Pinky’s birthday through a song Happy birthday to Pinky. Amit helps to settle matters between Captain Ranjit and Sunil amicably. There is another song featuring Mehmood – Raat hai baat hai.

But there is a twist coming up. It appears in the form of a woman Motiya (Padma Khanna) who claims she is Champak Bhumiya’s wife. She confronts Geeta for sending the telegram and summoning her husband. Motiya leaves in a huff leaving Geeta feeling sorry for the situation she has created. Geeta tells Amit about his wife’s visit. Amit is confused and realizes there is indeed a real Champak Bhumiya and the address is real too. And that’s the reason the telegram did not return.

So we have the entry of the final character, a colorful Champak Bhumiya (Paintal) leading to more confusion. Things get complicated when the “giant wheel lady” visits again. She is none other than Amit Desai’s newly wedded wife and is upset to find him in Sunil’s house. Things get sorted when the truth comes out. All’s well that ends well.

The Music

Shankar Jaikishan and Hasrat Jaipuri share the honours. Mujhe meri biwi se bachao by Kishore Kumar is the stand out song.

My Thoughts

The movie manages to keep the viewer engaged and there are hardly any boring scenes. The situational comedy is good. Most of the cast are lesser known actors but do their job well. Asrani and I.S. Johar add flavour to their roles. There are guest appearances from Helen, Jayshree T and Mehmood in the songs. The songs could have been trimmed but well, that is the compulsion of a Hindi Movie.

Dost Maza Mast (1989)

My Reviews

Dost Maza Mast (meaning My Nice Friend) is a Marathi children’s movie. Its a story of a boy and his nice friend, an elephant. The movie is directed by Gajanan Sarpotdar. It is dedicated to India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru whose birthday falls on 14 November and is celebrated as Children’s Day.

The Plot

The movie opens with a song. An old man Khan Chacha (Jairam Kulkarni) lives in the jungle. He sings a song describing the green forest. He meets the forest range officer Sudhakar Deshmukh (Ravindra Mankani) who stays with his wife (Kshama Raj)in the officer’s quarters. His son Chintu (Ruchir) stays in the hostel. Sudhakar is bringing Chintu home for the summer holidays.

Khan Chacha loves the forest like his family. He admonishes some forest officers on animals being killed in the forest. But they don’t take him serious. He also informs Sudhakar about a truck carrying smuggled sandalwood. Sudhakar is a competent officer, he ensures the truck is caught.

Enter the villain, local politician cum businessman Vyankappa Sheth, talking in a not so convincing Belgavi accent. He is involved in the smuggling of sandalwood, animal skins and the like. Vyankappa is furious. His three trucks have been caught by Sudhakar and he needs to plan something to make things (smuggling) easier. He knows Sudhakar cannot be bribed.

Meanwhile Chintu is enjoying his holidays. He has befriended Khan Chacha who gives him information about the jungle and the animals. He takes him to the elephant camp. Chintu befriends a young elephant Charan and soon both become separable. Chintu informs his parents of his new friend but doesn’t reveal who he is.

Vyankappa wants to continue with the smuggling and makes a plan to outwit Sudhakar and his team. He kidnaps Khan Chacha. He tells Sudhakar to allow his trucks to pass smoothly else Khan Chacha’s life will be in danger. Sudhakar values Khan Chacha’s life. He is forced to watch helplessly as the trucks laden with smuggled goods leave the jungle without any obstacle.

Later he waits for Khan Chacha to return. When he doesn’t, Sudhakar goes to Khan Chacha’s house to find him stabbed with a knife and a bag of money lying next to him.

As frequently shown in movies, Sudhakar touches the body carelessly and removes the blood stained knife. The shrewd Vyankappa makes a timely entry with the police. Sudhakar is arrested on the spot and charged with Khan Chacha’s murder. The court sentences Sudhakar to life imprisonment.

Sudhakar lands in jail. Life changes for Chintu and his mother. He goes to stay with his uncle. His aunt and her son don’t treat him very kindly. He longs for his father and best friend Charan.

Will Chintu’s father be released and the real murderer caught? Will he meet Charan again? Will life be normal again?

The Music

The 4 songs are O.K, sung by Anuradha Paudwal and Suresh Wadkar. Sudhir Moghe is the lyricist and music by Suhaschandra Kulkarni.

My Thoughts

The movie is shot in the Mudumalai wildlife reserve in Tamil Nadu. You get to see many animals especially elephants. It is refreshing to see a Marathi movie shot outdoors, on location. The story is straight forward with the focus being on the boy and his elephant friend. The bond between them is brought out effectively. And both perform nicely. Jairam Kulkarni, Ravindra Mankani and Kshama Raj are good but the other supporting actors don’t seem seasoned. But this is a minor defect for an overall satisfactory children’s film.

Woh Main Nahin (1974)

My Reviews

Woh Main Nahi is a Hindi movie adapted from Marathi writer Acharya Atre’s play To Mee Navhech (That’s Not Me). The play was inspired from a true story where the protagonist marries several woman for money and later abandons them. He was ultimately caught and presented in court for judgement. Woh Main Nahin is directed by Mohan Segal.

The Plot

The movie opens with Anju/Anjali (Rekha) driving her car recklessly and having thoughts of suicide. She can’t stay with her father and young stepmother anymore. Her stepmother has made her life hell and arranged her marriage with one Ranjit Mukherjee. Anju doesn’t agree with this forced match making and fights with her mother and decides to leave the house forever. Her father Seth Dwarkadas (Manher Desai) tries to stop her but she doesn’t relent and leaves in her car. She reaches the jungle. The car crashes and she manages to get out safely. But the jungle is not a safe place.

She encounters many animals and a human being. The human being is a forest conservator Vijay (Navin Nischol). He saves her from a lion attack and takes her to his makeshift home. She fights with him not knowing his identity. She feels he is after her money and tries to run away. She even shoots him by mistake. She encounters some goons and Vijay saves her once again.

There is a tribal celebration in the forest and Anju dances with Vijay and they fall in love. Anju returns home and introduces Vijay to her father as her prospective life partner. The parents are shocked. Vijay mentions he is an orphan and has only one friend Ranjit Mukherjee (Rakesh Pandey) whom he meets very occasionally. The parents realize Ranjit is the same man whose match has been arranged with Anju.

Vijay and Ranjit meet and realize Anju is the same girl they are seeking to marry. Vijay tries to convince Anju that Ranjit is a rich man and she will be happy with him. But Anju doesn’t relent. Ranjit convinces Anju’s father Dwarkadas that his money is Vijay’s money and they should proceed with the marriage. All is well and Vijay and Anju are about to get married. But Inspector Kapoor (Kamaldeep) suddenly arrives to stop the ceremony.

The police are accompanied by a woman (Sultana), her child and her father Shaikh Mansoor (Krishan Dhawan). The woman Sultana identifies Vijay as Salimuddin, her husband and father of her son. Vijay refutes all charges with the dialogue “Woh – main nahin” implying she is referring to a different person and that’s not him. The police find a bag containing some wigs and fake ID cards in Vijay’s hotel room. Vijay is arrested. Ranjit steps in to rescue him and the case reaches the court.

The prosecution lawyer Iftekhar tells the apparent story of Vijay alias Salimuddin and many other aliases. Vijay stays in the forest but travels to different cities under the pretext of meeting women, marrying them and fleeing some days or months later with their money and valuables. This began with Shaikh Mansoor’s family in Hyderabad. Vijay impressed the family by acting as a poor, god fearing and hardworking man. Shaikh offers him a job in his tin factory. After getting close to the family, he married Shaikh’s daughter Sultana; they had a son. One day he mortgages the factory and runs away with the money abandoning his wife and son.

The court has assigned a lawyer to Vijay but he decides to fight his case alone. He shrewdly cross examines Shaikh Mansoor and brings out some disturbing facts which make him a non-reliable prosecution witness. Again he refutes the charges stating “Woh main nahin.” But this is only the beginning. There are other women, of different religions with similar stories. Sunanda Datar (Padmini Kapila) alleges he is Diwakar Ganesh Datar. She has met him through the Happy Marriage Bureau run by Gangutai Ghotale (Nadira). Diwakar had made a story of how he is a secret officer and has 3 brothers Daji Shastri, Ashok Paranjape and Johnny Walker. Diwakar marries Sunanda. She is pregnant and he refuses to accept it as his own child. He tells her his younger brother Captain Ashok, a naval officer is getting married and needs her jewellery.

He disappears with the jewellery for a couple of months. Sunanda comes to meet Pamela (Asha Sachdev) who is now Ashok’s wife. Pamela is a cabaret dancer who had met Ashok in her hotel and they had got married. Ultimately, Ashok and Diwakar arrive (separately) to meet and convince their wives. They both cook up a story and leave. The police also arrive. Finally Pamela realizes she has been duped of her savings by Ashok. And Ashok and Diwakar go missing.

The final witness is Chandarani Chitrao. Vijay had arrived at their village posing as Radheyshyam Maharaj. Apparently he has fled with her daughter Venu’s (Nazneen’s) jewellery and murdered her. But there is no proof available.

Thus the case ends. And the court is ready to deliver the judgement. Will Vijay be pronounced guilty? Is he a cheat and fraud in reality? Is there any alternative? What happens to Anju and their marriage?

The Music

Sonik Omi are the music directors. They had composed hit music for Mohan Segal’s earlier movie Saawan Bhado (1970) which also starred Navin Nischol and Rekha. However, the music of Woh Main Nahin is fairly forgettable.

My Thoughts

To Mee Navhech was a classic play. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about Woh Main Nahin. Navin Nischol displays his abilities through the multiple roles and is convincing. The rest of the cast don’t have much to do. There are some seasoned supporting actors who appear to be under utilized. The problem is with the beginning and ending. The first half and hour is dedicated to the Vijay-Anju romance but it fails to click. The jungle scenes are stretched and the romance forced. They could have shown that the couple is already in love with a flashback explaining how they met etc. The original story is altered for the movie audience but doesn’t work as desired. The court scenes which form the crux of the story are less engaging. And the ending is twisted and falls apart.

Overall, the movie is a wasted effort. There was a Tamil movie Naan Avanillai starring Gemini Ganesan adapted from the same play and released in the same year. It would be worth watching if it is closer to the inspiration or a celebration of cinematic liberties.