A Força do Destino

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinaayak Chaturthi, the day of Lord Ganesha, the god of wisdom. He is also known as the Vighneshwara, i.e., the remover of obstacles (appearing in the way of any good work). As per the Hindu mythology, he is the god who is worshipped before anybody else whenever something is to be done. Even the idiom in Hindi used for the expression - 'to begin a work' is - 'Shreeganesh Karna'. Lord Ganesha has the head of an elephant and hence elephants are symbolic of him in the religious psyche of the Indians. Today is Wednesday also which is also known as his day only. I am fasting today and presenting a review of an old movie whose story was based on the relationship of some elephants with the protagonist. This movie is Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) starring Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja with four elephants (and many other animals also).

Haathi Mere Saathi (elephants are my buddies) tells the story of a motherless boy - Raju (Rajesh Khanna) who, being lost in his childhood, is saved by four elephants and taken back to his father who in his dying moment, instructs him never to leave the company of those elephants and to always consider them as his Saathis (buddies). Raju grows up in their company and they always help him in all kinds of situations. One elephant out of these four, named as Ramu is actually the first among equals in them and he is the special buddy of Raju. Due to him only, Raju comes across Tanu (Tanuja) who is the daughter of a rich man. When Raju loses his wealth due to losing a lawsuit, he loses his prospects of marrying Tanu also. However his genuine buddies, i.e., the elephants help him in not only earning money but also bringing Tanu back to his life. He develops his own private zoo and calls it - Pyar Ki Duniya (the world of love) with the relentless support of the elephants, Tanu and a young boy - Chhote who was earlier the assistant of an unscrupulous mountebank. He becomes rich and finally wins Tanu's hand also from her father. They get married and beget a son.

The trouble strikes with Tanu's becoming an apprehensive and sceptic mother who starts doubting the nature of the elephants, lest they should harm her child (whereas in reality, the elephants themselves are quite concerned for the welfare and safety of the child). This issue leads to her break-up with Raju and she moves to her parental house. A heart-broken Raju has nobody to solace him except his buddies, the elephants. There are some other baddies also, ever ready to harm Raju, viz. the unscrupulous erstwhile mountebank (and later a released jailbird) and the wicked owner of a circus who is the competitor of Raju in this entertainment business. In the end, Raju's best friend, Ramu elephant sacrifices its life to set everything right in Raju's life.

Written by Saleem-Jaaved and directed by M.A. Thirumugham, this movie is actually a brain-child of Chinnappa Devar who can be considered as the pioneer of making animal-based movies in Indian cinema. A genuine animal-lover Mr. Devar always loved to make movies with the significant roles of animals in them. And Haathi Mere Saathi is perhaps the most successful and popular such movie made by him. The animals and especially the elephants have done marvellously and they are in fact, the soul of the movie. All the sequences involving them are simply superb. Some of them are entertaining and some of them are so touching that any sensitive person may find tears coming out of his eyes while watching them. The last journey of Ramu which contains the memorable song - Nafrat Ki Duniya Ko Chhod Kar Pyar Ki Duniya Mein Khush Rehna Mere Yaar (Rafi) is one such scene only.

Though the main performers are elephants and other animals only, the human performers also have done justice to their roles. The movie had come in the heyday of Rajesh Khanna and it is one of his all time great blockbuster movies. He is at his emotional best in the movie, keeping his patent mannerisms under control. Tanuja has done well first as a loving sweetheart and then as a sceptic mother. The complete supporting cast including the baddies (K.N. Singh and Sujeet Kumar) has rendered ample support to the lead cast.

Laxmikant Pyarelal have composed memorable music for the movie with the admirable lyrics of Anand Bakshi. I have already mentioned the song - Nafrat Ki Duniya Ko which can be considered the best of the album. The other songs - Sun Ja O Thandi Hawa, Dilbar Jaani Chali Hawa Mastaani, Duniya Mein Rehna Hai To Kaam Kar Pyare, Mere Mann Mein Machi Halchal, Tak Tak Tak Chalti Hai Gaadi etc. are also very nice to listen.

The movie is not a preaching type. In fact, this movie and all other movies made by Mr. Devar are such that they deliver the message of treating the animals with sensitivity through pure entertainment only. They are nowhere loud in saying anything, the message reaches the viewer automatically in a subtle way.That's why the message though hackneyed does not bores, it touches and moves the viewer deep within. I pity that now-a-days our so-called animal-right activists cannot arrange the closure of the slaughter-houses but they can restrict the artistic creativity of the filmmakers by prohibiting them to use animals in their movies. That's why filmmakers like Mr. Devar cannot get an opportunity now to show their cinematic excellence with the use of live animals.

I first saw this film in India when I was 5 years old. I remembered that I really liked it then, and was quite pleased to find it 30 years later via the Internet.

I'm glad to say that it has lost none of its magic. The story of Raju and his elephant buddy Ramoo makes for a truly unique film. The best way I can sum it up, without giving too much away, is that it is reminiscent of older Disney films, but with a uniquely Indian feel. Suffice to say, there are not many countries in the world where a story of a man growing up with elephants could be told in such an effective manner. The trained animal sequences alone are worthy of films such as "The Bear".

With regards to the inevitable singing and dancing in a Bollywood production, the songs are wonderful and there are far fewer of them than in standard Bollywood fare. Additionally, as opposed to the more modern Indian films, the dancing is refreshingly non-professional and consists mostly of the hero and heroine scampering about and waving their arms - which only adds to the overall charm of this film.

I decided to watch the film on TV because I understood that it had been extremely famous in Bulgaria in the 1970s and lots of people came out from the cinema crying.So I was curious to see "Haathi Mere Saathi" and I really enjoyed it.

The protagonist is Raj Kumar-a young man whose life had been saved by four elephants when he was a kid.Since then he loves them and doesn't think of them as "animals" but as real "friends".He falls in love with the beautiful Tanu.Unfortunately,Raj Kumar loses his fortune and becomes a poor man.But Tanu follows him and they struggle with life with the help of the faithful elephants.

Yes,the story looks naive.But what's more important is that this film made something that few films are capable of nowadays-it proved the great power of friendship and love in a really touching way.The songs are wonderful and the animals are trained incredibly well.Undoubtedly a highly recommendable film!

Review By Kamal K

There are few movies in industry dedicated to human-animal bonding. Tears roll out by seeing care of Elephants towards the lead actor. The movie depicts the struggle for balance of love for animals and family. Surely this Rajesh Khanna classic is a must watch.

Now, kill me if I can remember anything in particular about this movie. Beside the fact that it was 3 hours long and I spilled tones of tears during that time. No other film had made me cry so much for no reason at all. There is some hidden sentimentality in human species that makes him cry - most often some sad event of Bereavement - but in cinema there are instances unexplained. So it was the soundtrack of this Bollywood movie that has remained unchallenged hit for all times in Hindu cinema.

My personal memories from 40 years ago reveal the phenomenon of full cinema saloons with standing people interspersed between rows. Most were Gypsies of various age. That doesn't mean that Bulgaria (that's me) as a full member of European Union is Gypsy state. Most of them are of mixed origins, some of them cohabit with the Turks minority and at least half of that vagrant population is Christian. It's a matter of cultural adaptation and educational policy.

I see from the release info that "Haathi Mere Saathi" (1971) was projected only in Portugal and Bulgaria. Gosh, why don't you see it in America as well. Hundred percent guarantee that the end scene where elephant is being shot in the eye would heal your heart. Actors / actresses are beautiful by any standard and cars are fashionable. Thank you!