Mere Mehboob

Mere Mehboob starts with the above-mentioned highly romantic encounter of Anwar (Rajendra Kumar) and Husna (Saadhana) in the college campus. Now Anwar is in search of his sweetheart whose fingers (or hand) only were seen by him and left their imprint on his heart. He sings a song expressing his restlessness to see her - Mere Mehboob Tujhe Meri Mohabbat Ki Kasam, Phir Mujhe Nargisi Aankhon Ka Sahaara De De - in the auditorium of the college (in a poetry contest) and wins the heart of his lost sweetheart who is seeing and listening to him while sitting there as a part of the audience. She at once comes to understand that the dashing youth singing on the mike is addressing to none else but herself only.

Fate and the efforts of Anwar's Hindu friend, Ghaayal (Johnny Walker), bring Anwar and Husna together. Anwar who is the younger brother of a ordinary stage dancer, Najma (Nimmi) gets the job to tutor poetry to Husna who is the younger sister of an erstwhile Nawaab (king), Akhtar (Ashok Kumar). Despite their communication during the tutoring is without face-to-face contact (because as per the Muslim tradition, Husna remains in Parda or behind the veil), they recognize each other but some mistaken identities lead to Husna's friend, Naseem (Ameeta) falling in love with Anwar. The female friends tell about their respective Mehboobs (beloveds) to each other without knowing that their beloved is the same male. One more angle of the story is that Akhtar himself is in love with Najma and had saved her from getting spoiled due to lack of family and monetary support. But since she is a stage-dancer which is not considered a respectable profession by him, he is mentally not prepared to marry her because of the repute of his royal family.

Nawaab Akhtar is impressed by the personality of Anwar and he engages Husna to him but upon knowing that he is Najma's younger brother, he breaks the engagement because of his (hollow) family honour. There is also a villain (Pran) in the movie who wants to take the advantage of the deteriorating financial condition of Nawaab Akhtar and compel him to marry Husna to him. However the climax of the movie ensures that both the loving couples (Anwar and Husna as well as Akhtar and Najma) unite.

The decade of sixties was inarguably Saadhana's decade. Her Choodidaar Paayjaamas (tight-fitting trousers containing crinkles) were perfect for her hourglass figure and they, alongwith her famous hairdo, had made her the icon of fashion in those days. Being a Sindhi (full name Saadhana Shivadaasani), she was very fair and her sharp features ensured that she was a treat to watch and any guy would fall for her. Her proficient acting was the icing on the cake. Despite being a Sindhi, she portrayed a Muslim girl with such a finesse in this movie that you can't imagine any other actress in the role of Husna which was a perfect screen-name for her (Husna means full of beauty).

In addition to Saadhana, all the principal characters, viz. Rajendra Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Nimmi, Ameeta, Johnny Walker, Pran etc. have done complete justice to their respective roles. Raj Kapoor's discovery - Nimmi (through Barsaat - 1949) was near the sunset of her career and she has played the perfect affectionate elder sister to Rajendra Kumar the same way Ashok Kumar has played the perfect elder brother to Saadhana. During the sixties, nobody could beat Rajendra Kumar in romantic roles and he had a great on-screen chemistry with Saadhana. Mere Mehboob is considered as one of his memorable movies. Ameeta has played second fiddle to Saadhana in this movie but she is not only pretty but also very impressive in her performance.

Mainly, the movie scores because of the songs. Though most of the songs interrupt the flow of the story, because of them only, watching this movie is turned into a musical journey for the viewer. The best song is definitely the one in the title of this review and which forms the premise of the original romantic sequence of the movie. In addition to that, Rafi has delivered two more gems in this movie - Aye Husn Zara Jaag Tujhe Ishq Jagaaye and Tumse Izhaar-E-Haal Kar Baithe. Yaad Mein Teri Jaag Jaag Ke Hum is a great Rafi-Lata duet. Mangeshkar sisters - Lata and Asha have sung two beautiful songs jointly - Mere Mehboob Mein Kya Nahin and Jaaneman Ek Nazar Dekh Le. It also contains Lata's beautiful romantic song - Tere Pyar Mein Dildaar Jo Hai Mera Haal-E-Jaar. Allah Bachaye Naujawaano Se sung by Lata and chorus is also no less. The great music has been composed by Naushad whereas the touching lyrics have come from the pen of Shakeel Badayuni. The picturization of the songs is also admirable. We can feel the romance when the song - Aye Husn Zara Jaag Tujhe Ishq Jagaaye - runs on the screen. The movie has a high production value and except the length which could have been reduced, the technical aspects are topnotch. The movie provides a glimpse into the life of Lucknow - the City of Tehzeeb (culture) as it might have been those days.

And finally, the movie is memorable because of the mesmerizing romance. If you are interested in the nostalgia of old-fashioned romance, Mere Mehboob is just for you. Just experience how much can be said through the eyes, the heartbeats and the silence prevailing between the lovers.

Mere Mehboob" is a classic Hindi film released in 1963, directed by H. S. Rawail and starring Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana in the lead roles. The film is renowned for its melodious music composed by Naushad and lyrics penned by Shakeel Badayuni.

Set in the backdrop of Lucknow, "Mere Mehboob" tells the tale of two lovers, Anwar (Rajendra Kumar) and Husna (Sadhana), who come from different social backgrounds. Anwar, a struggling poet from a lower-middle-class family, falls in love with Husna, the daughter of a wealthy Nawab. However, their love faces several obstacles, including societal norms, class differences, and disapproval from Husna's conservative father.

One of the standout aspects of "Mere Mehboob" is its soul-stirring music. The film features memorable songs like "Mere Mehboob Tujhe," "Tumse Izhaar-e-Haal Kar Na Sake," and "Yeh Jo Chilman Hai." These songs, beautifully sung by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, have become timeless classics and continue to be cherished by audiences even today.

The performances in the film are commendable. Rajendra Kumar delivers a heartfelt portrayal of Anwar, effectively capturing the innocence and sincerity of his character. Sadhana shines as Husna, displaying grace and vulnerability. The supporting cast, including Ashok Kumar, Nimmi, and Pran, also delivers strong performances, adding depth to the narrative.

The film's screenplay, while incorporating elements of romance and drama, also explores themes of love, sacrifice, and societal norms. It highlights the challenges faced by lovers from different social strata and the sacrifices they make for their relationships. The film's narrative is engaging, keeping the audience invested in the story until the end.

"Mere Mehboob" was a commercial success at the box office and received critical acclaim for its performances, music, and storytelling. It is regarded as one of the iconic films of Hindi cinema's golden era. The film's timeless appeal continues to attract audiences, making it a classic that is celebrated even after several decades since its release.

Mere Mehboob (1963) : Brief Review -

The power of Mohabbat amidst rational and dignity issues. You might remember the scene when two guys fall in love with the same woman and challenge each other about whose girl is more beautiful. It is later revealed that they are both in love with the same girl. One guy has to cry out loud about his fate. Mere Mehboob has the same scene, but with a gender swipe. We see two beautiful girls talking about their Mehboob (lover), and it looks much cuter than two boys doing it. This is just one shade of the story, while we have another love story, a pure but biased one. The man is rich and belongs to a respected family, so he cannot marry his girlfriend, who happens to be a courtesan. Interestingly, the rich man's sister falls in love with the brother of the courtesan, making it an engrossing affair. Then we have the love triangle coming in to save four love birds from the mess of social, rational, and dignity issues. The script seemed very nice, but it's the overuse of songs and lengthy runtime that spoil the fun. "Mere Mehboob" in the beginning sounded great, but reusing the same song again and again literally bored me to death. The rest of the songs didn't work for me. Rajendra Kumar as Anwar, the shayaar, was nice, and his hold over the language was good. Sadhna looked gorgeous, and Ameeta walked away with one of the most memorable roles of her career. Ashok Kumar's and Nimmi's chemistry was something else. It was actually good to see such romance without intimacy, where love is expressed through words and emotions instead of physical contact or lust. That dialogue, "Mohabaat ibaadat hai, bechi ya kharidi nahi ja sakti, nibhayi jaati hai," stands out despite so many beautiful and ornamental shayaris. H. S. Rawail's biggest hit may not be great, but it has a few royal moments of its own.

RATING - 6.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Very simple and heart touching

Today's Romantic movies are nowhere near this. Rajendra Kumar and Sadhna Singh chemistry is so addictive that I rewind it and viewed it so many times.

Songs, Shayaris are also very amazing.

This movie, about young love and the consequences of societal disapproval, started out a bit slow for me, and I almost started to regret buying the DVD. I was also a bit spooked by the paleness of the male actors' faces (I know it sounds weird, and maybe it's just me, but there you go). The make-up they used in those days must have been some kind of white chalk-based powder! Not a good look. But once I got over (or at least, tried to live with) my fear of pale male faces, and the story in the movie really kicked off,I was pleasantly absorbed.

The music in the film is lovely, and the lead actors, Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana, pull off very sincere and touching performances. Sadhana, in particular, is enchanting and charming as Husna. The actor who plays 'Husna's brother', the actress who plays the role of 'Najma', and most of the other cast members all do very well. The legendary Pran, looking very young and sprightly and with all his fantastic on screen presence, does a great job in this movie.

The only exception to the good acting in 'Mere Mehboob' is the dreadfully (in my opinion) miscast young man who plays Rajendra Kumar's young poet friend, and supplies most of the comic relief in the film. First of all, the young man does not look young at all, and certainly doesn't look like Kumar's contemporary. There's a scene where he's with his parents, and they look more like 3 siblings. Also, his humour seems forced and was a bit annoying. I should probably give him an 'A' for effort though, it looks like he was trying his best, anyway.

All in all, this a sweet tale of love and acceptance, and of being proud of who you are and where you come from. Very charming.