Amar Prem

The poignant story and sarcastic representation of the life and moral values of the sub-continent's red light area is captivatingly pictured in this great movie.

The movie underlines the stark facts that depict how a poor and young woman gets entangled in the evils of prostitution. The viewers are compelled to admit the follies and bitter treatment meted out to an innocent woman who ultimately resorts to find refuge in the filthy side of the world. By, coincidence, the most respected, wealthy and influential elite of the city also finds solace in the company of this woman. But something is common in both, i.e., they have been rejected from their homes and yearn to find shelter (physical for the poor and psychological for the rich).

The song "Chingari Koi Barhke" is a classic masterpiece shrouding the excellent screenplay and cinematography coupled with heartrending acting of Rajesh Khanna who has proved that he is a SUPER STAR given his spellbinding screen presence. His brilliant and mesmerizing acting in the boat in a moonlit night speaks volumes about the subtle imagination of the director. The lyrics and music of this song can reverberate the emotions of even an extremely self centered person. Whenever, one watches this song ......one finds something latently vibrant which stirs deep inside the soul. The trio of Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and Shakti Samantha supercharged the movie with this magically hypnotic song. THIS IS THE HIGH POINT IN Indian MOVIE MAKING. Believe you me, the direction, music, acting and cinematography in this song is very unlikely to be equaled in near future, given the prevailing temporal, crazy, puerile, showy, cheap, vulgar and synthetic direction, acting and main theme of the movies.

Some of the very subtle and bitter human values and sentiments creep at the climactic end of the movie underlying the quintessential lesson for mankind to "do good and earn virtue".

I have recently become more disillusioned that ever with Bollywood and its invariable churning of sugar-coated, feel good products, which lack a heart and soul. but if someone was pick up one film, as a beacon, as an example of the great emotional and spiritual waves that flow though India, it would be this one.

A poignant yet everlasting drama of love and the power of compassion and humanity. it tells the story of a woman (Pushpa), who is ostracized and eschewed by society and its establishments, to rot away on the notorious fringes of it. Yet within the brothel she resides, she builds a temple of love and care for those two people that come to see her. Nandu and Anand are members of society, yet only ostensibly, yearning for the compassion that their families fail to provide them, and in search, they come to Pushpa, whose abundance of love and human sympathy far overshadows her disreputable social standing. They alone see her inner beauty, while society maligns her, yet as the director points, cannot provide the qualities of love, happiness and tranquility for members like Nandu and Anand. Pushpa's relationship with Anand is certainly one of the most beautiful you will see. Theirs is a purely platonic relationship, which succeeds where the social union of marriage - for both - fails.

As they continue to meet, their bond grows, and beyond their own socially certified families, they create a little family of true love, depth and care. They receive from each other the love they so desire - motherly love for Nandu, a true companion for Anand, and a child and husband for Pushpa - though their relationship with each other has no social legitimacy. Samanta succeeds in creating a cynical presentation of society as one that compels people to stay within the confines of its social institution of family yet cannot provide for the very emotional, and spiritual ingredients that constitute it. Add the fact that it is society after all that created the brothel, where unquenched desires can be fulfilled, and what you have is a representation that makes Pushpa's relationship with Nandu and Anand all the more 'holy'.

This film tackled a theme that was very much taboo in Indian Cinema, and succeeds in presenting a mature, yet never over-the-top, nor didactic story that ultimately every Indian household can identify with. The music is an absolute delight and adds to the melancholic yet redemptive nature of the relationship between the three protagonists. Setting presentation is class, with nothing done to hide the vividly grotesque nature of the red light district and the people that patronise it. It has its fair share of stereotypical characters, who function very much as symbols of the unscrupulous, cunning nature of society. Yes, you get doses of the typical Hindi film melodrama, but its very much reserved to a modicum. Where it succeeds is in teaching you about human relationships and that it is love, togetherness and understanding that makes family, and not a social ceremony or some legal document. This is a film for all generations who appreciate human relationships and its power to transcend social boundaries.

This movie is a re make of an old Bengali classic starring Uttam Kumar. The role of Uttam Kumar has been played by Rajesh Khanna in this Shakti Samanta movie. However, the performance of Super Star Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore and the music of Rahul Dev Burman are a life a time effort and they have created magic in this movie. Other characters also do their part well- Omprakash, Leela Mishra,Sujit Kumar, Vinod Mehra and others have done their part well. The movie will be remembered for its 6 nos- 3 by Kishore Kumar, 2 by Lata and 1 by S D Burman. The story is a classic and the movie deserves more than what share it has got in last 38 years and is a timeless classic and is life time effort of all the cast and crew. Dialogue of the movie "Pushpa I hate tears' is immortal. A must see to see how the magic of Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and Rahul Dev Burman worked in the early 1970s to be later spoiled by Amitabh Bachchan and his trend of action movies. It is true people forget good things like Amar Prem and remember all the bad things. A must see and a tear jerker.

The first and the real superstar of Bollywood has passed away. Rajesh Khanna took his last breath in Aashirwaad (his residence) today (18.07.2012). Fondly known as Kaka, Rajesh Khanna commanded an era in Bollywood, a short but unforgettable era during 1969-1971. Just three years ! Yes, but the magic they created lasted forever. It is still there and makes us plunge into nostalgia time and again.

Amar Prem (immortal love) is based on a Bengali story - Nishipadma penned by Bibhuti Bhushan Bandhyopadhyay. It's is the story of Pushpa (Sharmila Tagore) who gets expelled from her Sasuraal (in-law's home) and has to struggle a lot in her life. Finally, she has to take up the profession of a woman who sings privately at her home to entertain the gloomy visitors. She is not a prostitute but this profession is seen by the so-called clean society as a dirty profession only and the women who take to it are seen in a degraded way. The place where Pushpa resides and professes is actually a Kotha, not a brothel. She sells her melodious voice to enable the aggrieved to find solace through that and does not sell her sexual favours as a woman. However the judgmental society is not ready to differentiate between the two.

Among the visitors to Pushpa's Kotha, there's a tender-hearted businessman - Anand Babu (Rajesh Khanna) who is an alcoholic due to the lack of peace in his family life. He and Pushpa comes pretty close in the platonic way. There appears one more source of happiness and enthusiasm in Pushpa's dry life in the form of a little boy Nandu who is the son of her neighbour (Sujit Kumar) and always remains distressed through the bad behaviour of his step-mother (Bindu). He does not stop visiting Pushpa despite being prohibited from his home for that because he is getting motherly love from that lonely woman.

Anand Babu's family's coming to know of his visits to Pushpa and Nandu's family's leaving the place snatch these small joys too from Pushpa and she falls lonely again. However, years later she happens to come across both Anand Babu and adult Nandu (Vinod Mehra) and her loneliness and agony ends at least in the dusk time of her life when Nandu takes her to his home as his mother.

The character of Pushpa is the soul of the movie and the spectator's journey through the entire movie runs alongside her only. Anand Babu's character is not essential for the main story but the thing is that it only infuses the colours of life into the dry narrative. It's through him only that the significance of platonic relationships is underscored emphatically in the movie. Pushpa's agony is felt only in part through herself. Partly, it's conveyed through the character of Anand Babu and that's the beauty of this movie and the relationship between the lead pair. Such relationships cannot be named or explained through words. They can be understood properly only when somebody is able to feel them.

The Bengali society of the period of the story and the status of women has been dealt with quite realistically in the story. And that's why the movie also contains quite impressive and moving sequences. However Shakti Saamanta could not do complete justice to the classic story. This movie could have been much better, had more attention been paid to screenplay and direction. However the day has been saved by performances and music. Let me discuss its music first which contains lyrics penned by Anand Bakshi and tunes composed by R.D. Burman. It contains two memorable songs of Lata Mangeshkar - 1. Raina Beeti Jaaye, Shyam Na Aaye which is based on Raaga Todi and 2. Bada Natkhat Hai Re Krishna Kanhaiya which is touching song filled with motherly love. However the music of this movie is better known for three invaluable gems in the voice of Kishore Kumar - 1. Ye Kya Hua, Kaise Hua, Kab Hua, Kyun Hua, Jab Hua, Tab Hua, Ho Chhodo Ye Na Socho, 2. Chingaari Koi Bhadake To Saawan Usse Bujhaaye, 3. Kuchh To Log Kahenge Logon Ka Kaam Hai Kehna.

Performances are also great. The supporting cast has done well, the child artist playing the role of young Nandu has delivered a heart-conquering performance and Vinod Mehra as adult Nandu is also up to the mark in his cameo. However, it's the lead pair which has taken this movie to the heights greater than it actually deserves. The character of Pushpa is the heart and soul of the story and Sharmila Tagore has delivered one of the best performances of her career in this movie. Her on-screen chemistry with Rajesh Khanna was amazing and that's why she made one of the most popular on-screen pairs with him.

Rajesh Khanna is at his mannerismic best in this movie. His trademark jerk of the neck, peculiar dialogue-delivery, smile, style; everything is present here in the most loud way. And perhaps this was the peak of the success of his gimmicks which could go down only later. Anyway, in this movie, he is just lovable and it's easy to understand why he was so popular. No other actor can be imagined in the unforgettable character of Anand Babu.

This movie is a treat to watch for lovers of golden oldies. Kaka is no more but Anand Babu will live forever. People have said a lot about Kaka's failure in later years but I repeat for the departed soul - Kuchh To Log Kahenge, Logon Ka Kaam Hai Kehna ...

Amar Prem will go down in history as one of the best Indian films ever made. It is superbly directed by Shakti Shamantha (his best effort).

The film takes a look at how society views women who have been forced into the sex trade. Their sensitivities, insecurities etc., are so beautifully touched upon.

The music of the film is by R.D Buraman, a Kaka favorite. All the songs are gems. Specially the "Chingari koi badke" song.

Sharmila tagore has mentioned how Kaka had so masterfully performed in this song in the very limited space they had i.e in a small boat.

It is a lifetime role for sharmila tagore & she makes full use of it. She surely deserved the national award & it is a wonder how she missed it.

The supporting star cast of Madan Puri, Vinod Mehra & Om Prakash are adequate.

Coming to the hero of the film, the eternal superstar Rajesh khanna. He was at his zenith when this film released.

It was reported that when the film crew asked for police permission to shoot the "Chingari koi badke" song near the howrah bridge, the police denied permission stating that they would not be able to control the crowds & that the bridge may collapse. Eventually, the song was shot in a studio set. Such was the popularity Rajesh commanded.

In spite of his super stardom, as is his wont, he did not think twice about accepting this role knowing fully well that this film centers around the heroine. The beauty is he comes out unscathed. He looks handsome in his Bengali dhoti & underplays superbly. The end scenes specially show kaka at his best.

Definitely a film which comes in the top 3 of kaka's films & eternally loved by Rajesh khanna fans.

Watch it over & over again. You will never feel bored.