Deedar

The King of Tragedy at his very best.Ashok Kumar,Nargis and Nimmi are also brilliant but this is the film that really belongs to Dilip Kumar.The movie is rather slobbery with a improbable story.It is hard to imagine that so gentle hearted a man like Shamu can so cruelly discard Champa ,who has reared him,upon gaining his sight again.The script like in most Dilip films is flawless made sublime by this great orator.The music is yesteryear but Rafi's voice is simply divine and melody in itself.Extremely beautiful and touching lyrics.'Dekh liya mein nain kismat ka tamasha' duet,evergreen classic tune.Flaws in the story are blown away by the climax at the end.Oedipus syndrome evident but the poetry that is Shamu is most Indian than Greek.My mind still wonders even after seeing this film countless times!

Deedaar (sight) starts with the childhood love of Shyamu (Dilip Kumar) and Maala (Nargis). Maala is the daughter of a rich man whereas Shyamu is a poor boy whose widow mother works as a gardener for Maala's father. Maala's father does not take notice of the companionship and camaraderie of Shyamu and Maala and allows both the children to enjoy their time together until one day Maala gets injured during horse-riding. He then forces Shyamu's mother to relocate and the loving kids are separated. Maala grows up into a beautiful lady who still have memories of her childhood buddy Shyamu who used to sing very well.

On the other hand, Shyamu's misfortune appears to have no bounds when not only he loses his mother but also his vision. Thereafter a blind and orphan Shyamu is looked after by another destitute person and his little niece Champa. Gradually Champa (Nimmi) develops a love in her heart for Shyamu. Shyamu who grows up with Champa only knows her feelings but his heart still beats for his lost love Maala only. Since Champa and her uncle are also quite poor, Shyamu supports them by earning some amount through his singing ability and thus enables them (and himself too) to make both ends meet.

The twist in this love story of erstwhile kids and now adults, comes when a reputed doctor hears Shyamu's singing and feels sorry for his blindness. He is Dr. Kishore (Ashok Kumar) who being benevolent by nature and admiring Shyamu's singing ability very much decides to help this poor person in getting his sight back. He takes Shyamu to his place and starts preparations for the operation of his eyes. Now befriended to him, Shyamu tells him about his lost childhood love also. Dr. Kishore also tells him about his love for a girl whom he wants to marry. Needless to say that that girl is Maala only, the lost love of Shyamu.

Dr. Kishore is able to bring the sight of Shyamu back and asks him to stay with him till his marriage with Maala. However Shyamu has already recognized Maala who is in constant touch with Dr. Kishore and due to him, now with Shyamu also. Though Maala has not recognized him as her lost childhood buddy but Shyamu is extremely excited that after getting his eyes, he will get his lost love also. He does not know that Maala only is the fiancée of Dr. Kishore. On the other hand, Dr. Kishore also does not know that his fiancée only is the lost love of Shyamu. After Shyamu's eyesight is back, the reality dawns on both these men like a lightning. A storm arrives in their lives paving the path for the final twist in the story which is not only tragic but something of a 'believe it or not' kind.

I am not revealing the final twist (the climax) in the story here because it's for the readers to find it themselves by watching this movie which is soaked in love and emotion. It's unbelievably shocking and forces a sensitive person to ponder as to what can be the depth of love. Perhaps the depth of true love is unfathomable. And it's very difficult to understand the thought-train and consequential actions of a true lover.

In its later half, the movie presents the dilemma of a true lover who is burdened by the obligation of a person who is his rival for the lady's love. Well, when the feelings of gratitude and love clash with each other, which one should overpower ? Personally I feel that a true lover can never be selfish and gratitude is a great virtue, a sublime trait getting rare and rare with the changing times. However the readers are free to frame their own opinion in this regard.

The movie is quite entertaining despite its profound tone and scarcity of relief moments. The milieu is simple but the story flows very well and the curiosity factor remains active till the ending sequence.

The movie contains three love triangles. One is the main track of Shyamu, Dr. Kishore and Maala. The second love triangle can be considered as that of Shyamu, Maala and Champa. But the narrator has presented a third love triangle also which is of Shyamu, Champa and Chaudhary (Yaqoob). Chaudhary remains associated with Shyamu in his earning activity and loves Champa who is an inseparable part of blind Shyamu's life but his love for her has not been given much weightage in the story.

Director Nitin Bose has handled the story very well. Plus the admirable performances have eased the director's job. Dilip Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Nargis, Nimmi and Yaqoob have done complete justice to their respective characters. Child artists Master Parikshit (playing young Shyamu) and Baby Tabassum (playing young Maala) have also done very well.

The movie has a great music appeal. The team of Naushad, the composer and Shakeel Badayuni, the lyricist, has prepared gems like Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Dena, Meri Kahaani Bhoolne Waale, Chaman Mein Reh Ke Veeraana Mera Dil Hota Jaata Hai, Naseeb Dar Pe Tere Aazmaane Aaya Hoon etc. and Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshaad Begum have sung them beautifully.

I recommend this black and white movie to those who like old-fashioned sentimental dramas and love triangles. If you are fond of watching golden oldies containing melodious songs, then this black and white movie is just for you.

Deedar (1951) : Brief Review -

A classic romantic tragedy that wins you only when love loses. Dilip Kumar's eye-pleasing act will make you his "blind" fan forever. Okay, how iconic can the leading cast get? Deedar has one of the best from the golden era of Bollywood. Dilip Kumar, Nargis, Ashok Kumar, and Nimmi. Watching them together lead the show is a different experience altogether. Believe me, it's much more than a pleasure to see such legendary actors coming together than to watch them separately in different movies. Deedar is a classic romantic tragedy that believes in the defeat of love because the happy ending was too mainstream and wasn't adding any meaning to the real "cinema." It does look a bit aggressive and overdramatic, but I guess that was the need of the hour. The film is about two childhood sweethearts, Shaymu and Mala, who part ways due to financial inequalities. Shaymu loses his sight and is adopted by a poor family in the village. Now grown up, he is treated by a kind-hearted doctor, who happens to be Mala's future husband. Mala and Shyamu meet again when Shyamu's sight is restored, but will Mala be able to recognize him and accept his love? I remember watching Mehboob Khan's cult romance, "Anmol Ghadi" (1946), which showed a new path to Indian cinema with a tragic ending in a romantic drama genre. Deedar is on the same lines, but it is more aggressive, and only one party makes the sacrifice, but pain is equally divided, unknowingly. Dilip Kumar has delivered one of the greatest performances of his career. Salute the legend. Ashok Kumar is terrific, and Nimmi is excellent. Nargis is good, but somehow underwhelming compared to the other three. Naushad's music and Shakeel Badayuni's lyrics will hit your heart in the center. Nitin Bose, dear, what have you made? I can't imagine how people would have weeped in cinemas during the climax back in time. I love those sad faces and tears in eyes more than happy faces leaving the auditorium.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Rendered blind as a child Shamu can only remember the girl who was his childhood companion. As an adult when he sees her, thanks to the doctor(played by Ashok Kumar)he is overwhelmed. But Mala(Nargis) quite naturally has no recollection of him. She is now waiting to marry Ashok Kumar, who is ready to sacrifice his love for Dilip. The emotions are brilliantly portraid by all three. The film remains memorable for Dilip's performance as a blind man. The movie was mentioned in Vikram Seth's Suitable Boy.