PM Review

  It was 1949. The new born country was in the process of coming out of British influences in every aspect and facing a great crisis of duality of cultural & intellectual blending and existential crisis. On the high moment, Mehboob Khan’s Andaz [1949] shed lights on the exact spot through a rom-com narrative. The Indian upbringing with European liberalism of Meena played by Nargis had reflected in a balanced way in the movie.   The trio mega stars of that time [Nargis Dutt, Dilip Kumar & Raj Kapoor] in the same movie made it a big attraction that time I suppose. The narrative also reminds me of Adhiyaman's Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam [2002] starred by another trio Madhuri Dixit, Shahrukh Khan & Salman Khan with a different rendition.   The high value of women's loyalty and morality over love, lust & marriage are significantly exercised as it has been in Mother India [1957].   Andaz [1949] Mehboob Khan Hindi, India

  K. Asif’s Mughal e-Azam [1960] is one of the wonders in world cinema, as Tajmal is in the world architectural beauty. South Asian cinema cannot get rid of its influence especially Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period films are greatly influenced by its parts of narrative style especially queen Jodha’s waiting to meet with her son prince Salim after many years later. The same dramatic style and facial expressions I noticed in Bhansali’s Devdas when Devdas meets with his mother.   By its art direction especially set design have overly influenced Bhansali’s films especially the shish mahal set of “Payer Kiya to Darna Kiya” with “Deewani Mastani” in Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani [2015] are common in their styles, moods and textures. Even the tradition of Indian melodramatic subplots of two counter female characters confronting with each other in a dance and music sequences are an establishment in Bhansali’s movie such as Anarkali & Bahar’s musical confrontation of “Teri Mehfil Me...

  After watching Do Bigha Zamin [1953] I was wondering which one would be next. I was swiping between Parineeta  (1953) & Devdas  (1955). But decided to watch Madhumati  (1958), firstly Ritwik Ghatak’s collaboration with the story development and screenplay writing. I was enthusiastic to experience the great creation of Ritwik and Bimal’s artistic ventures as both originated and migrated from East Bengal, present Bangladesh. Secondly, I decided to watch Devdas [1955] along with other versions made in India and Bangladesh.   The first thing that enchanted me is its subtle and uplifting framings and scenes in the mountainous and forest areas with the background score of Lata Mangeskar's melodious "Aaja Re Pardes & Mukesh's   eophonious  "Suhana Safar Aur Yeh Mausam". I was as mesmerised as Anand had been. I have found quite similarities with the moods and a loose storyline of Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay ’s Aranyak [1939], one of my most fav...