Anari

Hrishikesh Mukerjhee, after an above average debut with his three parter Musafir (1957) strikes gold with this Raj Kapoor starrer.

Starring the showman in his classic poor Chaplinsque avatar who falls in a romantic yet fun escapade with a rich girl pretending to be poor (played by Nutan), the film delivers the best of classic Hindi cinematic experience.

The film has such a fine array of actors. From the outside stone cold yet inner loving Lalita Pawar to ethereal Nutan to Raj Kapoor himself and Motilal (one of the most under rated actors of Indian cinema. Many actors have cited him as their influence and he was one of the first to bring in natural acting in Hindi school of cinema. Yet films starring him remain scarce to see in good quality. He isn't the main character here but he lights up every scene he comes in).

I normally dislike and skip most songs in Hindi films, both newer and even older variants. I consider them a weakness. Yet, this is one of the few exceptions where the music elevates the film. From the above average numbers like 'Woh Chand Khila' to 'Nineteen Fifty Six' to the evergreen classic ' Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe ho Nissar'; the latter simplistically filmed on a walking Raj Kapoor. Yet the lyrics are so simple and yet so deep that they touch your heart and beautifully rendered by Mukesh. It's a testament to the fact that you don't need an array of dancers and six pack abs to groove to a tune (looks at the mess that modern Film music is). Proper lyricist, composer and singer are all you need.

The director will make many more such slice of life films, namely Golmaal, Anand, Chupke Chupke though they will all be in color. This will be his testament to black and white cinema.

Anari is the story of Raj (Raj Kapoor) a poor 'anari' (simpleton) who rents a room with Mrs. D'Sa (Lalita Pawar). Raj and Mrs. D'Sa have a strange relationship. They love each other dearly but choose to show that love in unique ways. Raj makes mischief and jests with Mrs. D'Sa while she constantly yells at him.

Raj is a painter who doesn't make enough money. One fine day he meets Aarti (Nutan) a rich man's daughter. But Aarti, afraid of class differences coming in the way of their friendship/budding love tells Raj that she is actually a servant in her own house. Gullible Raj believes her and they begin to fall in love.

They sing a few songs around town and then things get serious when Raj discovers who Aarti really is. Saddened at being lied to, Raj wallows in his misery and sings a few sad songs. His life gets even more complicated when Mrs. D'Sa falls sick and eventually dies. The police find that her demise was caused by the medicines she took. Raj is accused of poisoning her.

What really happened? Is Raj guilty? Was he just pretending to be an anari? Watch the movie to find out!

Overall this is a good entertainer. Coming from the likes of Raj Kapoor and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, we don't expect any less. The performances are also very good. Raj Kapoor is perfect in his now famous role of a naive village boy. Nutan is charming and Lalita Pawar is fun to watch.

Music is excellent, simple tunes set to some wonderful lyrics.

Definitely recommended.

Anari is a classic remembered for Raj Kapoor, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Lalita Pawar. Raj Kapoor gives us a wonderful and a memorable performances and even makes us even cry in his scenes with Lalita Pawar.Raj Kapoor makes an excellent job in this movie and makes this as one of the classics to be remembered even today.Lalita Pawar really gives her best and makes her performance a memorable one.Hrishikesh Mukherjee has excellently directed and showed that his first classic is the ever best among made in Bollywood.Rarely a classic comes with the wonderful performances by important characters in the film.Motital also has played a pivotal role to make this movie a classic.Shankar Jaikishan has also given his best music with a classical touch.

Anari," the 1959 film, served as an unflinching mirror to society, confronting themes that remain unsettlingly relevant even today-innocence in a world of cunning, truth in the face of manipulation, the corrupting influence of greed, and the cruel irony of wealth built upon the suffering of the powerless. Decades later, its questions still echo: Will the romantics-those who value integrity, empathy, and human connection-ever triumph? Or will the world continue to revere the 'smart'-those who commodify every aspect of existence, reducing meaning to monetary value, measuring success solely by wealth, and idolizing fortunes over virtues?

sings Mukesh in the lively and entrancing "1959" cabaret scene, but you'd never guess it if you only listen to Western pop music! This was not only Raj Kapoor and Nutan at their peaks but also singers Lata and Mukesh too, in a typically moralising tale from RK with plenty of social instructions expertly delivered as pills in the jam.

Whilst happily cycling and singing the catchy Ban Ke Panchhi lovely Nutan literally bumps into simple guy Raj - after many tribulations they eventually fall in love. Along the way he forms a son/mother relationship with his loud landlady Mrs D'Sa which is pivotal to the plot – he's utterly traumatised when she dies, but still has more trouble to come. Great songs: the jaunty Kisi Ke Muskurahaton, the poetic duet Dil Ke Nazar Se and the astoundingly simple Woh Chand Khila in the "radiantly moonlit" garden – Lata surpassed her usual high standard with that one!

Overall, enjoyable as usual and with the usual RK messages that love is better than money and ingenuousness is better than being a man of the world it's always worth watching.