Bollywood in Black and White

I was rummaging around YouTube looking for a Bollywood film - of which they have quite a few with English subtitles - and stumbled on this having no idea what it was. Turns out that it is one of the most highly regarded films in Bollywood history. It sure has the credentials. The leading man is Dilip Kumar who along with Raj Kapoor and Ashok Kumar were considered the Three Kings of Bollywood during the 1950s. Dev Anand was to come on at the end of the 50's and create a new style of Bollywood star - suave, svelte, funny and action oriented. These three were basically dramatic actors who on occasion had to mouth to songs and move about. They are generally deadly serious in their films. The lead actress is Vyjayantimala (don't ask me how to pronounce it) who was a huge star in the 50's into the 1960's. She is a fabulous and trained dancer - fastest feet in the East. To see her pull out the stops in her dancing is amazing. She also won five Best Actress Awards. Last and perhaps least is the comic relief in the form of Johnny Walker. He performed that role in nearly 200 films and is much loved. He is an acquired taste though which I have yet to acquire. He is named after the brand alcohol because of his many turns playing drunk. Ah, not to forget Pran who was a great sleazy villain in so many films - when he opens his mouth you expect an oily serpent to come out spewing venom.


The director is Bimal Roy - considered the greatest Bengali director after Satyajit Roy. He primarily directed serious social parallel films but dipped into the commercial Bollywood at times. His 1955 film Devdas starring Dilip and Vyjayantimala was a failure at the box office but is generally listed as one of Bollywood's greatest flms. If they had taken out the eleven songs and Johnny Walker this would have been a terrific parallel film as well - moody, slow paced, emotional - but it is good that they didn't as it was a huge hit. You have to stick with this one because very little happens for much of its 160 minute running time. It is atmospheric, ghostly, beautifully shot but paced like a husband who doesn't want to go home to his wife. But it grew on me and by the powerful ending I was sucked in.


It is a strangely structured film. The "flashback" takes up nearly the entirely movie. Devendra (Dilip) and a friend are driving home in a rain storm when they find their way blocked by boulders. They find refuge in a large house that is dilapidated and has no one living there except an old servant who lets them in. Devendra seems to find things vaguely familiar and then comes across a painting which he claims he must have painted of the former owner. My brush strokes. And like that he recalls his past life - one of many I assume. In his past life - which oddly must have been at most a lifetime ago - he is Anand and has come to the mountainous forest of the north to start a new job as a supervisor. As he wanders the woods he keeps hearing a woman singing.


This is a village lass named Madhumati, who lives in the forest with her father. They meet, fall in love, plan to get married and of course tragedy ensues. Walker plays his servant and Pran is the owner of the business. Infused with music from Salil Chowdhury that is lovely though traditional in nature. There are a few large dance numbers in which all the village maidens join in. Early on I almost bailed out - I wasn't really in the mood for such a slow moving film but am glad I stuck with it. Fate and Reincarnation. Track us down.