Hindi Movie - Kati Patang (Rajesh Khanna, Asha Parekh) - Released in 1971

In the space of a few years, the late Rajesh Khanna became a superstar, enjoying a level of adulation that is difficult to achieve for anybody after him (even the level of success of Amitabh Bachchan soon after him did not reach the amount of crazed fandom that Rajesh Khanna achieved), giving a consecutive series of 15 hit films, something that nobody has managed to do since. This stardom lasted a few years, but made Rajesh Khanna a name that would forever be remembered. One of the movies released during this duration was 'Kati Patang', which also became a huge hit. The movie was produced and directed by Shakti Samanta, and was the second in a series of 9 films they made together. The movie earned a number of Filmfare nominations, but the only award won by the movie was for Asha Parekh as the Best Actress, and the movie did seem to have a focus on Asha Parekh as the person on whom the movie revolved around. The music of the film, by RD Burman was very well liked and appreciated, and Kishore Kumar sang most of the songs for the movie (Kishore was the usual singer for Rajesh Khanna). The movie was actually based on a novel by the name of "I Married a Dead Man," by William Irish (real name of the author being Cornell Woolrich, with William Irish being the name under which the novel was published) and was made into English and French language movies as well.

The movie was an emotional movie, based on the struggle of a woman who took a decision in her life that impacted her again, in an amazing coincidence. Like many people of the current age, the heroine of the movie Madhavi (Asha Parekh) took a decision that you would consider right. She was an orphan and when her uncle arranged her marriage to somebody whom she did not know, she ran away from there to her lover rather than get married to somebody she did not know. Unfortunately, she found that she had been deceived, since her lover Kailash (Prem Chopra) was only playing with her, and she found him with another woman Shabnam (Bindu). Hurt and betrayed, she returned home to find that her uncle had died. With this distressing situation, she ran away and ran into her friend Poonam who was with her small child. Poonam had married her husband against the wishes of his family and they had never met her. However, she was now returning to his family after the death of her husband, and yet, in another tragedy, Poonam dies although her child and Madhavi both survive, with Madhavi now having to take care of the child.
Madhavi decides to travel to Poonam's inlaws, and since they have never seen Poonam, Madhavi takes on the guise of Poonam, living as their widowed daughter-in-law. And then she runs into the person who has suffered an emotional turmoil, Kamal (Rajesh Khanna). Kamal's would be wife ran away before the marriage, something that affected him terribly emotionally. Madhavi is very distressed to hear about this, since she was the one who had caused such pain to Kamal. However, when Kamal starts to get closer to her, she resists since she does not want her truth to come out. And then the complication happens, with Kailash and Shabnam re-entering the scene and twisting things around so that she is liable to get blamed. How does she handle this and who supports her ? Watch the movie.

Music from the movie: Video from Youtube, Lyrics, MP3 on Amazon: Na Koi Umang Hai (link) Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai (link) Mera Naam Hai Shabnam (link) Yeh Shaam Mastani (link) Pyar Deewana Hota Hai (link) Jis Gali Mein Tera Ghar (link)

Namak Haram - A fascinating movie starring Amitabh and Rajesh Khanna (1973)

Namak Haram released in the year 1973, a good two years after the path-breaking hit Anand. It had the same hit-making team of Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Director), Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna (main heroes). Namak Haram addresses a burning issue of the day that of rising impoverishment of cotton mill workers of Bombay. Its tonality is more entrenched in the day-to-day concerns of industrial workers who toiled from dawn to dusk but earned only peanuts.

Somnath or Somu (Rajesh Khanna) lives in a shanty house with his widowed mom and unmarried sister, Sarla. His best pal is Calcutta-based business tycoon Damodar Maharaj’s only son and heir apparent Vikram or Vicky (Amitabh Bachchan). Theirs is an unlikely friendship for the two have very little in common. Vicky has to take over the reins of the company when his father suffers a heart attack and ends up having a confrontation with a senior employee and union leader of the factory, Bipinlal Pandey. This results in a strike. Vicky’s father, the ever astute businessman intervenes and asks his son to apologise to Bipilal to return things to normalcy. Vicky does so unwillingly and the strike is resolved.



However Vicky is unable to forget his humiliation and confides about this to his best friend, Somu. The two friends conspire to teach Bipinlal a lesson. As part of the plan, Somu accompanies Vicky to Calcutta, gets a job as a labourer in the mill and gets about befriending his fellow workers. He is able to get some monetary relief for injured workers and is soon elected as the union leader, displacing Bipinlal. The success of their plan sees the friends rejoicing. However Damodar is not too keen about this friendship as he sees Somu as a potential threat, who with his middle-class values can influence Vicky in the long run. Damodar starts a chain of events to create a wedge between the two friends that get out of control. The emotion-packed climax sees the death of one friend and the other going to jail, his act serving as both a penance and homage.

The movie scores on many fronts. First it is the superb direction of Hrishikesh Mukherjee whose sensitive delineation of a subject so complex that makes this film such an engaging watch. Then it is R.D.Burman’s soul stirring music. And finally it is the wonderful chemistry of the lead actors, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna, and their wonderful portrayal of the two characters Vicky and Somu that will leave the viewer spell bound. Rajesh Khanna deserves a special mention because he plays the part just right and is able to show the metamorphosis of Somu-from lackey of spoilt friend to a man willing to stake his life for his principles-that will raise a lump in your throat.

Videos of songs

Diya Jalte Hain




Nadiya Se Dariya




Main Shayar Badnaam




Lyrics from the movie Namak Haram:

Diye Jalte hain

Diye jalte hain, phool khilte hain, diye jalte hain, phool khilte hain
badi mushkil se, magar, duniya mein dost, milte hain, diye jalte hain

Jab jis waqt kisi ka, pyar juda hota hai, kuchh na poochho, yaron dil ka, haal bura hota hai,
Jab jis waqt kisi ka pyar juda hota hai, kuchh na poonchho yaron dil ka haal bura hota hai,
dil pe yadon ke jaise, teer chalte hain, ahanha
Diye jalte hain, phool khilte hain, diye jalte hain

Is rang roop pe dekho, hargiz naaz na karna, jaan bhi mange, yaar to dede na, naraz na karna,
rang ud jate hain, dhoop dhalte hain, hmhmhm
Diye jalte hain, phool khilte hain, diye jalte hain

Daulat aur jawani, ek din kho jaati hain, sach kahta hoon, saari duniya, dushman ho jaati hai,
umr bhar dost lekin saath chalte hain hmmhm
Diye jalte hain, phool khilte hain, badi mushkil se, magar, duniya mein dost milte hain
Diye jalte hain.

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Main Shayar Badnaam

Main Shayar Badnam, Main Shayar Badnam Ho O Main Chala, Main Chala,
Mehfil Se Nakam, Ho O Main Chala, Main Chala, Main Shayar Badnam

Mere Ghar Se Tumko, Kuchh Saman Milega, Diwane Shayar Ka, Ek Diwan Milega,
Aur Ek Cheeze Milegi, Tuta Khali Jam, Ho O Main Chala Main Chala
Main Shayar Badnam

Sholo Pe Chalna Tha, Kanton Pe Sona Tha, Aur Abhi Jee Bhar Ke Kismat Pe Rona Tha,
Jane Aise Kitne, Bakki Chhod Ke Kaam, Ho O Main Chala, Main Chala
Main Shayar Badnam

Rasta Rok Rahi Hai, Thodi Jaan Hai Baki, Jane Tute Dil Mein, Kya Arman Hai Baki,
Jane Bhi De Ae Dil, Sabko Mera Salam, Ho O Main Chala, Main Chala
Main Shayar Badnam, Ho O Main Chala, Main Chala
Mehfil Se Nakam, Ho O Main Chala, Main Chala

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Nadiya se Dariya

Nadiya se dariya, dariya se sagar,
Sagar se gahera jam (2)
Ho ho ho jam me doob gayi yaro mere jeevan ki har shaam.
Nadiya se dariyaa

Jo na piye wo kya jane, pite hain kyun hum diwane yaar aaha,
Jabse humne pina sikha, jeena sikha marna sikha yaar aaha,
Ho hum jab yun nashemain dagmagane lag gaye,
Ho ho ho dil ki becheni ko aaya thoda sa aaram.
Nadiya se dariyaa

Mera kya main gum ka maara, nashe me aalam hai sara yaar aaha,
Kisi ko dolat ka nasha kahin muhobat ka nasha yaar aaha,
Ho kahe kar ai sharabi sab pukare ab mujhe,
Ho ho ho aur koyi tha, ye to nahi tha pahele mera naam.
Nadiya se dariyaa