Caravan

It was very interesting to revisit a movie i had seen in my childhood. At that time,i remember loving everything about the movie.But now approximately after 50 years,i find everything in the movie(except the music)to be at best average.I guess the perspectives were different,hence the different viewpoints.

Caravan is one of Nasir Hussain's biggest and better known box office hits that boosted the careers of Asha Parekh and Jeetendra. It is also regarded as a mini-classic by certain critics.

Asha plays a rich girl who goes mad after her father kills himself by jumping from a window. A greedy baddie exploits her vulnerability by forcing her to marry him so he can get all her riches. Once it dawns on Asha what has happened, she escapes into a forest and hides from her evil husband. She encounters Jeetendra and his sidekick who both live in a caravan. And from there on follows a contrived adventure.

Asha gives a good performance as the confused girl. Jeetendra is..., well, his usual annoying self. The songs are the best particularly 'Ab Jo Mile Hain' and 'Kitna Pyara Wadha...'.

Caravan is an entertaining yarn but it's not a full classic. The story often seems contrived and the script is occasionally amateurish. But it is much better than Nasir Hussain's other movies such as Yaadon Ki Baaraat and Hum Kisise Kum Nahin. And in comparison to its remake in 2000, "Mela", Caravan is streets ahead.

Even though the film plot is so and so, this movie brings out the raw sensuality inherent in the nomad tribes (Bungara) of India. What I liked is the raw acing of Aruna Irani and Jeetendra. Songs are meaningful and indicative of the emotional attachments of the tribe with each other. The plot is so and so. The movie interest starts towards the first third of the movie. Asha Parikh's acting is so and so. Junior Mahmood as comedian is always refreshing. His light heartedness bring much needed chemistry between Jeetendra, his friend and Junior Mahmood. Story line could have been improved, but I think the songs, raw sensuality and acting is what made this movie stand out from others of the same era.

What a wonderful journey portrayed in the movie! I started watching this movie with low expectation thinking that it would be a routine masala movie. But the movie woven into journey is so beautifully narrated that you will say Its just wow. There are many simple stories in bollywood like Sholay, Jab we met, Dil hai ki manta nahi etc which was simply so entertaining because of its direction and screen play. This movie is one of these category. Simple yet superb.

An average movie, in each and every aspect of the film making. Except, melodious and unforgettable songs composed by Rahul Dev Burman helped by Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle. A crispy screenplay, editing and characterization save an ordinary plot but if that was not makers' priority, they should have considered having some comical sequences and a couple of seasoned comic actors added. That could have helped this movie being a good product. But excellent music certainly makes this average movie a cult. The other notable contribution is by Asha Parekh.