That Cuckoo Definitely Flew Over | Part 1 | Under Lens

Ashutosh Mukherjee’s Nurse Mitra was considered to be a taboo idea to show on screen but for a progressive filmmaker like Asit Sen, it was a story worth sharing with mass. Can a nurse providing affection to patients suffering from emotional trauma become victim of the same ailment? The very sanctity of  the relationship between a patient and nurse in a rather motherly role takes a hit when she start developing emotions for the patient. The tragedy is that the patient upon recovery detaches himself leaving behind a emotionally distressed nurse.

Frankly for people saying cinema has grown, watch films made in 50s and 60s. That was the apogee of the cinematic brilliance.

Asit Sen’s Deep Jwoley Jaye made in 1959 is remembered for music by Hemanta Mukherjee and inspiring performance by Suchitra Sen. Her performance inspired actors like Waheeda Rehman, a brilliant actor in her own right. When she played Suchitra Sen’s character in Khamoshi opposite Rajesh Khanna and excelled, she noted that her performance was nowhere near Suchitra Sen. These films are considered to be finest performances by these two actresses.

The theme of Nurse Mitra and deviants are recurring ideas in World Cinema. Remember One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest?  

Worth Noting –

1. Many literary works by Ashutosh Mukherjee were made in Bengali and Hindi Films – like Safar, Bemisaal, Kora Kagaz, Maar Kantak etc.

2. Asit Sen made successful films in Hindi and Bengali. Safar was probably his most well known film in Hindi.

3. Chivaraku Migiledi (Telugu), Thalavattam (Malayalam) and Kyun Ki (Hindi) are some of the Indian remakes of the Bengali film apart from Khamoshi.

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam | A Masterpiece | The Critique

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is perhaps one of the finest piece of cinema in this country. A story set in Calcutta of Raj based on a novel by Bimal Mitra haunted filmmakers across time reminding them that this is the sky they must aim for. Abrar Alvi’s direction proved that in the shadow of Guru Dutt there was someone else who worked as hard as him, without much recognition, without much appreciation. A star cast that can put biggest ensembles to shame with its collective acting prowess. Rehman, Meena Kumari, Waheeda Rehman, Nasir Hussain and last but not the least Guru Dutt. 

 

A simpleton Bhootnath (Guru Dutt) comes to Calcutta. Calcutta is perhaps the city of his wild imaginations. He starts working for Mohini Sindoor Factory and develops an enamoring relationship with owner’s daughter Jaba played by beautiful and dynamic Waheeda Rehman. He is also attracted by Chhoti Bahu who showers him with her sisterly love. Chhoti Bahu is a middle class woman married in a rich household to Chhote Sarkar (Rehman – brilliant as usual) who spends his time in kothas and ignores his house. She wants only love and company of her husband. She can do anything... even the unimaginable. This role was immortalized by Meena Kumari.  

 

Apart from strong performances and brilliantly written dialogues for a very fine story about feudal society and its downfall in Raj, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is aided by brilliant cinematography by V.K. Murthy and amazing songs like Na Jao Saiyan Chhudaake Baiyan and Piya Aiso Jiya Mein Samaaye Gayo Re. Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle added more to the soul of this movie. Geeta Dutt’s voice had the pain that Chhoti Bahu had in her life and Asha’s voice had the charm of a free spirited girl from Brohmo Samaj – Jaba. The contrast in the moods of the characters and the simplicity of Bhootnath who forms a relationship with each of them, a complicated oft-misunderstood one with Chhoti Bahu and a strong passionate one with Jaba, completes the canvass.

 

Abrar Alvi never got his due. The talent and popularity of Guru Dutt and quintessential feel of his cinema took away everything Abrar deserved. Still... whenever someone appreciates Guru Dutt and his cinema, a share goes to Abrar, unknowingly.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Women Who Won Hearts | Uttkrishtt 2012

Four women characters who made it to top 25 failed to make it to top ten,  incidentally represent a section of society which is frowned upon. This hypocrisy of social structure has been explored and exposed by many filmmakers. TRM salutes womenfolk for being the strength of our society.

Gulabo (Waheeda Rehman - Pyaasa) : She is a prostitute but she loves a poet. Her heart cries for him and he seeks shelter in her company. Society can disown her but she owns up many ills of society. She carries the burden of society. She faces the disgust of society. When the poet sees the hypocrisy of society, she is the one who is pure.

Mumtaz (Tabu - Chandni Bar) : The worst situation a woman can face is when people she trust blindly betrays her or when she helplessly sees he children going to dark alleys. Mumtaz witnesses both. She refuses to give up. She fights the world but in the end finds herself weak in front of circumstances. Her failures however cannot undermine her struggle. In a world of abuse and harassment, she comes out as a face of resistance. 

Nargis / Sahibjaan ( Meena Kumari - Pakeezah) : Almost identical stories of two women - mother and daughter. Mother, a courtesan, falls in love with a man and gives birth to a girl before dying. Daughter falls in love with a Forest Ranger who wants to marry her but she refuses as it can bring ordeals in life of her love. Enraged Ranger summons her to dance in his marriage where truth is revealed. Father of daughter is uncle of Forest Ranger. What an irony that she is being asked to dance in front of her family.

Umrao Jaan (Rekha - Umrao Jaan) : Umrao Jaan was sold to tawaif at an early age. As she becomes famous, a prince who watches her performances fall for her. When it seems rosy, things turn blue and she finds herself alone, tired and lost.