ख़ामोशी

Waheeda Rehman has acted supernaturally in this movie. She sure knows how to hold an audience and make them use their lachrymal glands again and again. I would rate her as one of her kind, and this movie is an excellent example other than Kagaz Ke Phool.

********** Stars

This is an outstanding movie about the life of a nurse at a mental rehab centre. Extremely good performances from all concerned with the movie. The movie really evokes emotions that you though didn't exist. Add to that the excellent soundtrack and you have a masterpiece on your hands.

If ever there was an haunting voice that had depth, resonance, it was Hemant Kumar. The song "Tum Pukar Lo," played on Waheeda Rehman and Dharmendra (a brief stint) is reflective of the melody that was the mainstay of Indian music composers the likes of Hemant Kumar, who preferred to sing his own compositions. Then there is Waheeda Rehman-God bless this woman for her eternal beauty and acting talent. She was incredibly convincing as the "mental patient." The scene where her face comes down on a barbed wire mesh-incredible piece of acting. Then we had the thespian of acting in a true sense of the word-Rajesh Khanna. Khanna and Rehman, were born actors and the duo were probably the best screen pair next to Guru Dutt and Madhubala. The movie is a bygone classic that very few appreciate. When you need some nostalgia and good cinema, this movie and "Anand" will take you back to the decade of the Indian cinema to be cherished since there will never be another Khanna, Rehman or maestro like Hemant Kumar.

"Khamoshi" tells the story of a nurse Waheeda Rehman who is used by her Doctor, Nasir Hussein to test his theory on the treatment of male mental patients by showering love on them by female nurses. He conveniently ignores the fact that the nurse herself might fall in love with the patient. After successfully treating Dharmendra, Nasir wants Waheeda to treat Rajesh Khanna . She refuses as she had fallen in love with Dharmendra - who considered Waheeda only as a good nurse and wed his girlfriend, shattering Waheeda. But Nasir pressurizes her to take up the case of Rajesh Khanna. She tries to remain aloof from Rajesh but finds herself being drawn towards him. She cannot express her feelings to him as she is forced to accept that she is performing just a job. The "khamosh" feelings play havoc and she herself turns mad. She shrieks at the Doctor and tells him that she had not acted but had really loved Rajesh Khanna. Tragically, only by becoming mad was Waheeda able to remove the veil of "Khamoshi" on her feelings. The climax deeply pains & touches the viewer's heart.

Khamoshi, one of the great classics of Hindi cinema, revolves around Waheeda and its her best performance ever. With Dharmendra she is gay & chirpy, but with Rajesh she is sad & aloof, her eyes betraying the pain of unrequited love and foreseeing the impending doom. Gulzar's exquisite lyrics were beautifully composed by Hemant. The haunting music & beautifully etched performances linger on. It is a remake of a Bengali film "Deep Jale Jaaye" starring Suchitra Sen, directed by Asit Sen.

I will rate it 9 out of 10

A very interesting idea. this film speaks of class. A story about a nurse in a mental institution whose revolutionary treatment's side effects get unnoticed. After falling in love with her first patitent and never telling anyone her love goes unnoticed as her patient moves on and another patient who after being betrayed by his first love is left on the brink of madness, is brought in. After failed attempts, her treatment is again called for but this time with disastrous consequences. A sad yet very moving drama.... a must see with a beautiful soundtrack.