Hum Dono

Dev Anand enlists in the army and leaves his mother and lover behind. There he meets his lookalike, and both develop a deep bond. During war, his doppelganger dies and leaves Dev Anand with a duty both towards his family and that of his dead friend.

Love is the thread that binds the film together. Every character in the film is pining for it, in one way or the other. It's this emotion which underpins the second half of the film. Lead actor performs a top notch double role (I would argue his acting in this matches that in the 1965 classic 'Guide') with wonderful songs to boot. From 'Main Zindagi Ka Saath' to 'Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Halat Pe', the songs showcase the halcyon days of Hindi cinema.

Hum Dono (1961) is a classic and one of the most popular movies of the evergreen hero - Dev Anand. This is the golden jubilee year of its release (50 years completed). Last year, I had heard about the release of its colour version. I don't know whether it has been released or not. If released, I would love to watch it.

Written by Dev Anand's younger brother - Vijay Anand and directed by Amarjeet, Hum Dono is a movie of a lifetime. It's studded with sentiments, melody, curiosity and touching performances of the lead characters - Dev, Saadhana and Nanda. Dev Anand is in a double role with different get-ups for both the roles. Dashing, as he always was (in his youth), Dev has made this movie an unforgettable one for his fans and for those also who are not his fans.

Hum Dono (both of us) starts with the poverty of Anand (Dev Anand) which threatens to snatch the love of his life, Meeta (Saadhana) from him. He joins army, leaving his widow mother (Leela Chitnis) behind who is taken care of by Meeta now. On the war front, he happens to meet - Major Varma (Dev's double role) who is his look alike but for the difference of the mustache and the ever-present cigar in his lips. The twist in the tale comes with the return of Anand to his home but with the sad news of Major Varma's death in the war which he has to break to his wife, Ruma (Nanda). Due to similar looks, Ruma mistakes him for Major Varma, her husband and seeing her emotions, Anand is not able to gather courage for breaking the sad news to her. On the other hand, Meeta who has left her parental home to take care of his mother (now dead) misunderstands him. How Anand is able to resolve this fix and the movie reaches its happy ending, is a treat to watch.

Hum Dono starts in a highly romantic mood with the song - Abhi Na Jaao Chhod Kar Ki Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin but soon the serious tone of the movie overtakes the romance. The song - Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya and thereafter, Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalaat Pe Rona Aaya spread the sadness in the heart of Anand to the hearts of the audience. I am sure, several viewers may find themselves able to identify with the song - Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhaata Chala Gaya (just like me). But we are also able to see the importance of Zinda Dili or ability to laugh in adversity and grief through the character of Major Varma. Ultimately, if you have to live and drink the poison of life, why not do it with smiles and laughs ? After the twist in the narrative, the emotions of the aggrieved wife of Major Varma, Ruma are also felt by the audience and that's how we are able to empathize with the kind-hearted Anand who is finding himself unable to break an innocent heart, i.e., the heart of Ruma. The director has done an outstanding job. It's a movie which appeals right from the start to the finish. And that's what a classic is all about.

Jaidev's music (alongwith Saahir's lyrics) is the biggest asset of Hum Dono. All the songs are immortal, may it be Lata's most popular devotional song - Allah Tero Naam or the classic romantic duet of Rafi and Asha - Abhi Na Jaao Chhod Kar Ki Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin. But my favourites are Rafi's gems - Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhaata Chala Gaya and Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalaat Pe Rona Aaya. The latter is, in fact, a Ghazal.

Technically the movie is perfect. The black and white environment is able to exasperate the gloom of the narrative properly. There is no boredom, no undue dragging and no nonsense (coincidences of the main story can't be considered as out of sense). Cinematography is brilliant. The picturization of the song - Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhaata Chala Gaya is an example of innovative thinking.

Dev Anand has marvelled in double role and it is easily one of his finest performances. His different expressions for both the characters in the song - Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalaat Pe Rona Aaya is something unforgettable. Saadhana and Nanda have done exceedingly well. Leela Chitnis is also perfect as Anand's mother.

I suggest Dev Anand to stop making poor quality movies and instead, devote his time, energy and zeal in converting his black and white blockbusters into their coloured versions. Hum Dono is a treat to watch. A standing example of quality cinema produced by Bollywood.

How an ordinary and predictable film can be elevated by a well executed climax is proven by this film. Watch it for the classic songs (each of them in the film which is truly rare) and the last 10 minutes of the film.

Hum Dono (1961) : Brief Review -

I doubt Indian cinema can ever find a better "double role" formula than this. I can remember many old Hollywood films based on "double role," or, as some people say it, Shakespeare's "comedy of errors" formula, and many of them have been adapted very well in Indian cinema too. I can recall many popular double-role movies, and most of them would be comedies. Right from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even 00s, we have seen this formula repeated again and again on the silver screen. Since I am done watching most of these films, I think I am at liberty to say that Hum Dono is the best written film ever based on the double-role formula. A poor boy joins the army after being humiliated by his future father-in-law for money, and there he meets his lookalike Major. The tragedy strikes as the Major disappears during a cruel battle with enemies, and his lookalike boy now has a responsibility to inform his mother and wife. In the meantime, his own girlfriend, whom he had left unsettled, is living with his old mother. The mother dies, and the boy now believes that he should go to the major's house to inform them about his supposed death. There, he finds himself stuck as the mother and wife assume him as the major, and due to the wife's critical health condition, he has to stay there and pretend to be the major. I found the script highly intelligent, as it deals with multiple conflicts by tracking the core of every situation. There are moments when I silently yelled, "Ye hoti hai Hindustani aurat." We have a rich girl leaving her father's house, a married woman believing in spiritual love rather than physical love, and then we have two men fighting with lives and multiple social norms. What a freaking great mix of so many things it was. Vijay Anand has written a complete script, especially that philosophical touch in the climax. Well done, Amarjeet, Dev Anand, Sadhana, and Nanda.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

"Abhi Na Jaao Chhod Kar-Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahi" by music director, Jaidev Verma, has to be the best lilting, haunting duet of a melody of all times-sung by Rafi and Asha Bhonsle, Dev Saab (Major Verma) in his inimitable style sings to Sadhana (Mita), who was probably the true beauty ever in Hindi cinema. Now Dev Saheb has left us, if there is one song that will be remembered as his signature song, is this evergreen melody for an evergreen star. The yester-year playback singers, had this unique talent to mold their voice to the actress in the film, as in this song. It is so uncanny, it sounds like Sadhana, was singing this song, not Asha Bhonsle. Also the yester-year stars had a personality of their own, they had individual hair styles, dressed uniquely different, looked different, acted different, unlike the latter year actresses who have no sense of style or class-barring a few. Dev Anand, was not much known for his acting talent (however he was superlative in "Guide") but he had a style and charisma (the man wore his hat in a rakish angle, walked kind of side-ways! with collars up to his ears and spoke his dialog in clipped accent with penchant for nodding), that very few of his contemporaries possessed. This is a movie that should be seen for its sheer beauty of the Stars-Sadhana and Nanda and the melodies like the Bhajan song "Ishawar Thero Naam", which should be the Mother of all Bhajan Songs. This is the most romantic black and white movie and "Sangam" the most romantic color movie. There will Never be another Dev Anand, Never a Sadhana and Never a melody like 'Abhi Naa Jaao." God bless Jaidev Verma for giving this immortal melody.