Pyar Ka Mandir

Many films in the Hindi film industry have been made about and centred around happy families who lose their happiness. So many that there could be a genre of its own called "The 'happy-family-destroyed' drama". Pyar Ka Mandir is a relatively good movie in this category because the values in this family are very strong, and unsurprisingly, the children are those who ruin this happiness. It's a very wide disease in our world: when parents are no longer needed, the children reveal their true characters. But not Mithun Chakraborty's Vijay, who has such unconditional love for his siblings and his beloved mother that he sacrifices his own happiness for his family and gets jailed. When he comes back, he finds out that his house, "The Temple of Love", no longer exists. When he meets his now wealthy brothers, he is shocked at their rejection and does not manage to meet his mom, who is absent. Then his story of struggle begins and takes more shape.

The film, though generally well narrated, suffers from a very overdone, unrealistic and melodramatic portrayal and very often the development of the story is marred by several unnecessary subplots and many ridiculous jokes with Kader Khan's role of an idiotic and forgetful doctor. Nevertheless, Laxmikant-Pyarelal compose a lovely soundtrack and Kader Khan's dialogue is not bad though a bit over-the-top in places. Mithun gives a sincere performance. His transformation from a happy-go-lucky guy to a struggling ex-prisoner is believable. Nirupa Ray is outstanding as the initially strict and then deceived mother. Madhavi is beautiful though a little too angry as the headstrong and unconditionally loving Radha. Other cast members are okay but don't make as much an impact so I won't mention them. There are two consecutive scenes which particularly moved me: the one when Vijay finally meets his mother and finds her under indescribable circumstances, and the following scene when Vijay confronts his ungrateful brothers. Pyar Ka Mandir is not a fantastic film, but it's definitely moving and well-intentioned.

Mithun Chakraborty is regarded as one of the most successful hero of Bollywood in eighties.It is mainly due to his success in some memorable family drama of that decade like Ghar Ek Mandir, Swarg se Sundar, Aisa pyar Kaha, Parivaar etc.Pyar ka Mandir is another good inclusion in that list.Story is simple.A family with three brothers and a sister lived happily along with their widow mother in a house called temple of love or Pyaar ka Mandir.Mithun sacrifices his life for the higher education of his elder and younger brother, marriage of her younger sister. To save that temple of love Mithun even took imprisonment for 7 years.But when he returned from jail, he found his temple of love is devastated.His brothers become rich and so selfish and power hunger that they force their mother to work as a labour.Now again struggle of Mithun started to rebuild their temple of love. Story and Screenplay are okay.Direction is good.Combination of Mithun and K.Bapaiah work well on that time.This is also not an exception.Performence wise Nirupa Roy as a mother gives satisfactory performance in her two dimensional role, one as a happy mother and another as a suffering mother.Madhavi as Mithun's love interest is just okay.Raj Kiran , Sachin and Soma Anand as Mithun's brothers and sisters justify the scripts.Villain gang under the leadership of Shakti Kapoor give descent job.Kader Khan as forgetful Doctor give you popcorn breaks.But again Mithun Chakraborty steals the show.In the scene where he found his mother as a labour, he proves he is an ocean of emotion.His meeting with his ungrateful brothers in consecutive scenes make you speech less.Music by Laxmikant Pyarelal is Praiseworthy.Aye Duniya Tujhko Salam is one of the best combination of Mithun and Kishore.Log Jahan Par Rahata Hain in both normal and sad version put an impact.Overall Pyaar Ka Mandir, a clear solo hit from Mithun Chakraborty.