Kal Aaj Aur Kal
 
    
Director: Randhir Kapoor
Year:  1971
Music: Jaikishan/Shankar
Duration: 156 minutes
Rating: 6.5
Aka - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

This is a real family affair, the Bollywood way. The producing studio is R.K. Films, established by Raj Kapoor in 1948 when he directed his first film, Aag. Here be brings three generations of Kapoor's together as well as a soon to be Kapoor. And they play three generations of a family named Kapoor. The grandfather is played by Prithviraj Kapoor the patriarch of the real Kapoor family with his three sons - Raj, Shammi and Shashi. He was a legend in his own right as an actor appearing in films back to the silent era and was in India's first Talkie in 1931. He also established in 1944 the Prithvi Theater Troupe which was a famous traveling group of over 100 actors that presented plays all over India. By the time of this film he has lost his looks with his face ready to explode in apoplexy most of the time but in photos of him as a young man he is quite dashing.




In the film his son is played by Raj Kapoor who is of course probably the most respected and revered actor/director of his generation. Middle aged now and a few pounds heavier than in his classic films of years before. He was also coming off his film Mera Naam Joker that he had sunk much of his money into and though today it is considered a classic, it bombed terribly at the box office. And his son Randhir Kapoor plays his son in the film in his acting debut. Not only that but he gets to direct it as well in his directorial debut. That is how family counts in Bollywood. I thought his acting was off  - over played in his temper tantrums and looking like a simpy spoiled child in his romantic scenes.  Near the beginning I nearly shut it off he annoyed me so much but after a while I had already invested too much time to give up. Randhir I should say went on to a fine career - I expect he gets better - and had many hits.




And playing the object of his affection is Babita, an already established actress. The love scenes were clearly for keeps in the film as Randhir was to marry her by the end of the year. And though that brought her career basically to an end - she did produce Karishma and Kareena Kapoor - two huge actresses in the past thirty years. Karishma was very popular from the 1990s till she married and Kareena was a huge star from 2000 and is still acting today though she married Saif Ali Khan - a popular actor - son of Sharmila Tagore - a huge actress in the 1960s and 70s'. They both have two children so we can expect another  generation of Kapoor's in the future! This is the Bollywood way.




There is also a bit of a sad ending around the film. Prithviraj was to die the next year and the film almost foretells that in a mournful farewell. Also soon to die was Jaikishan of the great composing team of Shankar–Jaikishan. He was only 41 years old but they had written some of the greatest Bollywood music ever. So many great songs. They had met back in the 1940s while both were working at the Prithvi Theater. Their first big break was in Raj Kapoor's film Barsaat in 1949. After Jaikshan passed, Shanker continued to compose music and it was always published under the names of both of them.




I wish the film was a little better. It is at times heavy-handed and overly dramatic in a pretty corny way, but saves itself with a real good ending that packs a punch. And now that I think of it, the film has no comedy relief so that is a plus.  Ram (Raj) is a widower living alone in an enormous house decorated brightly and brashly in reds and greens. His living room could be used as a hanger for a fleet of planes. It takes about a ten minute walk to get to the front gate. I always love the way these wealthy Indian homes are designed like Technicolor dreams. Often tacky as hell but cool at the same time. He is very lonely - seems to rarely actually work - and so throws huge parties for friends to fill his void. He wishes that his son Rajesh (Randhir) who lives in London and his father Diwan (Prithviraj) who prefers the village life would come stay with him. Watch what you wish for should be the motto of this film. Or living alone isn't really so bad.






The son shows up - after hitting on Monica (Babita) on the plane - and soon so does Grand-dad. And the two of them immediately clash on everything from religion to food to girls to marriage to clothes - to traditions. Generational. Granddad is right about the clothes. Rajesh's red suits and red pants and pink jackets are fashion nightmares. Rajesh is right about religion though as he defends an Untouchable boy that Grand-dad is furious at for interrupting a religious ceremony. Ram is caught in the middle of these daily flare-ups and has no idea what to do. Monica is a modern girl - Monica's in Indian films always are - thinks Granddad is the gardener and dresses in the most mod of clothes - and Rajesh is basically a selfish spoiled brat who needs a good kick in the pants. Ram comes up with a plan - brilliant - he moves into a hotel and hires five white prostitutes to hang with him. Just hang but in various stages of dress (which is why they have to be white). Seeing Raj Kapoor surrounded by women purring around him is almost worth watching the film for. He figures once Dad and Son see this they will work it all out. And they almost do. But there is still 40 minutes left in the film. What could go wrong? Oh ya. Everything.