Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972 film)

Last updated

Mere Jeevan Saathi
Mere Jeevan Saathi 1972 poster.jpg
Directed by Ravikant Nagaich
Written byPrem Manik [1]
Produced byVinod Shah
Starring Rajesh Khanna
Tanuja
CinematographyRavikant Nagaich
Edited byBimal Roy
Music by R. D. Burman
Release date
  • 29 September 1972 (1972-09-29)
Running time
142 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi

Mere Jeevan Saathi (My Life Partner) is a 1972 Indian film produced by Harish and Vinod Shah. It is directed by Ravikant Nagaich, and it stars Rajesh Khanna, Tanuja, Sujit Kumar, Bindu, Helen, [2] Utpal Dutt, Nazir Hussain and Rajindranath. The movie was made at the height of Rajesh Khanna's popularity and craze. It was the second movie of Rajesh Khanna with Tanuja after the blockbuster Haathi Mere Saathi (1971). Although the movie was an average grosser upon its release and received ambivalent reviews from viewers and critics but the soundtrack and songs became very popular and are evergreen. "O Mere Dil Ke Chain" and "Chala Jata Hoon" are still very famous Kishore Kumar melodies from this film.

Contents

Plot

Prakash (Rajesh Khanna) is a son of a rich father Seth Govindram (K. N. Singh) who wants to become an artist. His father challenges him to earn a one-time meal from his profession. He accepts the challenge and leaves his father's house. He tries to sell his artistic paintings but fails. Princess Kamini (Helen) a playgirl introduces him to the glamour world and he changes his painting style to modern demands. At heart, he remains an altruistic person. Jyoti (Tanuja) an eye doctor arrives in Bombay from London. Prakash though a gifted painter now a playboy falls in love with her. They become lovers. His past creates problems for him. Kamini turns up at Prakash's house drunk and whilst she was flirting with him, Jyoti arrives and finds them together, she storms off. Prakash insults Kamini and asks her to leave. Dejected Jyoti spurns his attempts to reconcile initially, but when he feigns a suicide attempt by supposedly taking poison and being told the reality of Kamini she reconciles. He proposes to marry her. Jyoti's father (Nazir Hussain) visits Prakash with a bribe and is disgusted with his paintings of the female form and rejects him. However, after seeing Prakash's altruism, he apologizes and they start planning the wedding.

Prakash has a car accident and Kamini finds him and takes him back to her palace. He becomes her prisoner. Jyoti receives a telegram informing her of Prakash's death. Jyoti and her father mourn his death. The bandages on Prakash's face are removed and he discovers that he is blind. She whips and hits him during captivity and vows to behead him. Jyoti is wooed by Captain Vinod (Sujit Kumar), who buys her gifts and says the same lines as Prakash had said. All these remind her of Prakash. To win his heart Kamini takes Prakash to horse riding from where he escapes. He hides behind a rock, and in "hunting" him, Kamini falls off the mountain and dies. He makes his way to the road and is eventually picked up by Captain Vinod, who takes Prakash to his father's house, where he learns that his father died a month ago and now has a new occupant. Captain Vinod takes Prakash to his family home where he and his family nurtures him and allows him to recuperate. Captain Vinod goes to the hospital and asks Jyoti to visit his family home, where he has a friend in need of eye care. Before she can see Prakash, she leaves in a taxi after Vinod's parents pressure her to become their future daughter-in-law. She arrives home and discovers her father has a heart attack and overhears her father saying of his desire for his daughter to marry. She agrees to marry Captain Vinod and the engagement party ensues. Prakash attends the celebration, where he is requested to sing. Jyoti sees him performing and starts crying in the distance.

Later, Vinod rings Jyoti and informs him that he is sending his friend to her eye hospital. Prakash and Jyoti reconcile, and Prakash undergoes eye surgery operated by her. While recuperating, Captain Vinod overhears them in the garden and Prakash stating that he wants to love her not as an invalid, but as a normal man. Both men become tormented, Vinod that he has lost the game of love, and Prakash that he doesn't want to ruin Vinod's happiness, for all that he has done for him. Despite Prakash vowing to leave, Vinod beats up Prakash, and Jyoti arrives and witnesses it. A fight ensues, and just as Vinod is about to kill Prakash, his father (Utpal Dutt) shoots him in the leg. Prakash and Jyoti marry.

Cast

Reception

Jerry Pinto says of the film that "Helen's cinematic seniority to the hero, Rajesh Khanna, added an edge to her pursuit of him." [3] David J. Weiner described Mere Jeevan Saathi as "a bizarre, unclassifiable Indian film with music, fantasy, special effects, violence, and flamboyant mise-en-scene." [4] The 2013 review by The Hindu newspaper said: "You could watch the movie for some superb music as only R.D. Burman could have conjured and delivered, film after film, especially if it involved the irrepressible Rajesh Khanna." A religious number, "Apno Ko Kab Hey Ram" and the playful "Chala Jata Hoon Kisi Ki Dhun Mein" strike different notes to prove the versatility of Kishore Kumar, who is at his liveliest in "O Mere Dil Ke Chain" and "Diwana Kar Ke Chodoge" with Lata Mangeshkar. It commands plenty of nostalgic appeals even in present times. [5]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by R. D. Burman and lyrics were by Majrooh Sultanpuri. The soundtrack by R. D. Burman continues to be popular even today.The songs "O Mere Dil Ke Chain", "Deewana Leke Aaya Hai" and "Chala Jaata Hoon", all sung by Kishore Kumar are still very popular. It's said that R. D. Burman was haunted by the tune of "Chala Jaata Hoon" in his dreams. Rajesh Khanna initially did not approve "O Mere Dil Ke Chain", but when director Ravikant Nagaich told to R. D. Burman, he went with the harmonium in Rajesh Khanna's room and came back after 15 minutes saying Khanna had approved the tune.

SongSinger
"Deewana Karke Chhodoge Lagta Hai Yun Humko" Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar
"Chala Jaata Hoon" Kishore Kumar
"O Mere Dil Ke Chain" Kishore Kumar
"Deewana Leke Aaya Hai" Kishore Kumar
"Aao Kanhaai Mere Dhaam" Kishore Kumar
"Kitne Sapne Kitne Armaan" Kishore Kumar
"Aao Na, Gale Laga Lo Na" Asha Bhosle
"Mere Jeevan Saathi" R. D. Burman

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kishore Kumar</span> Indian singer and actor (1929–1987)

Kishore Kumar was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern Indian music. Kumar was one of the most popular singers in the Indian subcontinent, notable for his yodelling and ability to sing songs in different voices. He used to sing in different genres but some of his rare compositions, considered classics, were lost in time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalyanji–Anandji</span> Indian music composer duo

KalyanjiAnandji were an Indian composer duo: Kalyanji Virji Shah and his brother Anandji Virji Shah. The duo are known for their work on Hindi film soundtracks, with many evergreen songs being composed by them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanuja</span> Indian film actress

Tanuja Mukherjee, known mononymously as Tanuja is an Indian actress who predominantly works in the Hindi film industry. Part of the Mukherjee-Samarth family, she is the daughter of actress Shobhna Samarth and producer Kumarsen Samarth, younger sister of actress Nutan and was married to filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, with whom she has two daughters, actresses Kajol and Tanisha. A recipient of two Filmfare Awards, Tanuja is best known for her roles in the Hindi films like Memdidi (1961), Chand Aur Suraj (1965), Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966), Jewel Thief (1967), Nai Roshni (1967), Jeene Ki Raah (1969), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), Anubhav (1971), Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972), Do Chor (1972) as well as in Bengali films like Deya Neya (1963), Antony Firingee (1967), Teen Bhubaner Pare (1969), Pratham Kadam Phool (1970), Rajkumari (1970). Her pairings with actors Uttam Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar were popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bindu (actress)</span> Indian actress (born 1941)

Bindu Nanubhai Desai, better known mononymously as Bindu, is a former Indian actress who was popular in the 1970s. She has acted in over 160 movies in a career that spanned four decades, receiving seven Filmfare Award nominations. She is most remembered for her role as Shabnam in Kati Patang (1970) and for her films opposite Prem Chopra.

<i>Haathi Mere Saathi</i> (1971 film) 1971 Indian film

Haathi Mere Saathi is a 1971 Indian Hindi-language drama film, directed by M. A. Thirumugam, with screenplay written by Salim–Javed and dialogues by Inder Raj Anand. The movie has a Disneyesque appeal with an Indian twist. Haathi Mere Saathi was the biggest hit of 1971 going by box office collections, and was also critically acclaimed. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja. The film at that point in time was the biggest hit ever made by a South Indian producer in Hindi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinod Mehra</span> Indian film actor

Vinod Mehra was an Indian actor in Hindi films. He started out as a child actor in the mid 1950s before starting his film career as an adult in 1971. He acted in over 100 films from the 1970s through to his death at the age of 45 in 1990. He was also the producer and director of the film Gurudev which was released 3 years after his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iftekhar</span> Indian actor

Iftekhar Ahmed Sharif, often mononymously credited as Iftekhar or Iftikhar, was an Indian actor who mainly worked in Hindi cinema. He is known for his film roles as a police officer.

<i>Mehbooba</i> (1976 film) 1976 film by Shakti Samanta

Mehbooba is a 1976 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film based on the reincarnation theme, produced by Mushir-Riaz and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini and Prem Chopra in pivotal roles. The music is composed by Rahul Dev Burman. The film is noted for an impressive performance by the lead pair and for its haunting melodies such as "Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon" sung separately by both Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, "Chalo Ri" and the duet "Parbat Ke Peeche". The movie is based on Gulshan Nanda's novel Sisakate Saaz. Nanda has also written the screenplay. Upon release, the movie was a silver jubilee hit in many territories though it did not do too well in Mumbai. The film has gained cult status over the years.

<i>Kaala Sona</i> 1975 Hindi film

Kaala Sona is a 1975 Hindi-language curry Western film produced by Harish Shah and Vinod Shah and directed by Ravikant Nagaich. The film stars Feroz Khan, Parveen Babi, Prem Chopra, Farida Jalal, Danny Denzongpa, Helen, Durga Khote, Keshto Mukherjee, and Bhagwan. The film's music is by R. D. Burman and the lyrics are by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

<i>Anurodh</i> 1977 Indian film

Anurodh is a 1977 Hindi musical drama film, based on the 1963 Bengali film Deya Neya, produced by Girija Samanta and directed by Shakti Samanta.

<i>Shabnam</i> (1949 film) 1949 Indian film

Shabnam is a 1949 Hindi movie produced by Filmistan and directed by B. Mitra. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Kamini Kaushal, Jeevan and Shyama. The film's music is by S. D. Burman. When Indian film actor Manoj Kumar saw this movie at the age of 12-13, he was so impressed with Dilip Kumar's name that he decided to change his film name to Manoj Kumar if he ever became a film actor.

<i>Alag Alag</i> 1985 film

Alag Alag is a 1985 Hindi film starring Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim in the lead roles, produced by Rajesh Khanna and directed by one of his favourite directors Shakti Samanta. The film is best remembered for the way it was shot in Kashmir, and its different storyline. It was inspired by the 1982 Pakistani movie Meherbani / Meharbani, which was produced by Parvez Malik in 1982. In 1992, Ram Awatar Agnihotri wrote that it was in this film that Munim showed the "first sparks" of the dedicated actress she would become.

Sujit Kumar was an Indian actor and producer. He appeared in over 150 Hindi films in the 1960s through the 1990s, and in at least 20 Bhojpuri films. Sujit played the major lead actor in many films in Bhojpuri cinema whereas in Hindi films he played pivotal roles either as a villain or as a character actor. One of his most memorable screen appearances was of a friend playing the mouth organ while driving a jeep as Rajesh Khanna courted Sharmila Tagore in the 1969 film Aradhana. Beginning in the late 1980s through the 2000s, Sujit primarily worked as a film producer.

The 30th Filmfare Awards were held on 25 September 1983.

The 27th Filmfare Awards were held in 1980.

The 26th Filmfare Awards were held in 1979.

References

  1. "Mere Jeevan Saathi". IMDb .
  2. Gulzar; Nihalani, Govind; Chatterjee, Saibal (2003). Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema. Popular Prakashan. p. 582. ISBN   978-81-7991-066-5 . Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  3. Pinto, Jerry (1 March 2006). Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb. Penguin Books India. p. 171. ISBN   978-0-14-303124-6 . Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  4. Weiner, David J (1 April 1991). Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever, 1992. Thomson Gale. ISBN   978-0-8103-9404-9 . Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  5. Lokapally, Vijay (9 May 2013). "Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972)". The Hindu.