Hamraaz

Hamraaz (1967) : Brief Review -

This is what a near-perfection looks like in a wholesome romantic thriller! You watch "Casablanca" (1942) and "Double Indemnity" (1944), and you've watched the perfection in the romantic thriller genre. Can Bollywood ever match that? The answer is no. But yes, we can go close. We have Howrah Bridge, Teesri Manzil, Mera Saaya, Woh Kaun Thi, and a few others to argue. Hamraaz happens to be one of them, but it's so freaking wholesome. It starts off like a love triangle like Sangam or any other formulaic romantic drama where a girl gets married to her lover, but before anyone else can acknowledge their marriage, he dies. The woman gets married to another man, and years later, her first husband, who was supposedly dead, returns to make her life complicated. BR Chopra gives a very sophisticated and emotional touch to this formula as the husband wishes her the best with the second husband and the woman literally falls at his feet. The real thrill lies in the murder of the woman, and who killed her and for what? For us, that third man is the friend of her first husband, but it turns out that he was never at the villain's place. There is a fourth guy, and I won't spoil it for you. The film has a super hit album, and that's why you see a rare film getting 5 songs in the first 50 minutes of its runtime. The reason is the structure of the narrative. It doesn't need songs later on, which it needed a lot in the beginning to set two romantic stories in a short time, making both look rushed. Hamraaz keeps you hooked with every single element of the story, be it romance, suspicion, betrayal, past secrets, on-stage drama references of Othello, and the cute little girl as the real key-spinner. Big cast, grand music, long narrative, multiple genres-how BR Chopra managed it and made it a huge commercial success should be the textbooks of filmmaking for newbies born after 70s. Truly, a grand affair at a romantic thriller, and probably the grandest.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Good star cast. Interesting story. Very well made movie with excellent songs.

A classic...very well made thriller movie by none other than B R Chopra. This is certainly one of the best of the that times. Music, thrills, suspense, everything was perfect. Sunil Dutt, Raj Kumar and Sadhna were just perfect in their respective roles.

Music is a great strength of the movie and some of the songs are iconic.

This movie has a good cast and songs(Tum Agar Sath Daine Ka Vaada Karo)(Naa Mun Chuppa Ke Jiyo).Although the movie was a hit at its time but the main flaw is its direction.Initially the film seems to be a love story which then changes to an unfaithful type story and then to a mystery type of movie.Sunil Dutt gives a good performance as a man trapped under a mystery.Raaj Kumar also gives a good performance though his character is of no appeal or anything.The end of the movie is very strange and the presence of Raaj Kumar was not even needed in my opinion.On the whole the movie can be given 6 because of its good songs and some appealing thrilling moments but still direction really decreases it value.

Hamraaz meaning confidante is a suspense movie directed by B.R.Chopra, known for his movies like Naya Daur,Sadhna,etc.Hamraaz is one of his best movies.

It is about Meena,daughter of an army general who secretly marries Rajesh an army officer without telling her father about it.On the day of their marriage Rajesh has to leave to the border upon declaration of emergency.Later she gets the news of his death.

She becomes pregnant with his child which supposedly dies after birth.She is then married of to Kumar,a renowned actor from Mumbai.Four years later Meena's past seems to have come back to her life and one day she get's murdered.The solving of this murder forms the rest of the story.

The direction is good.The camera work,music and art direction stand out. Amongst the actors,Sunil Dutt,Raaj Kumar and Mumtaz stand out.Vimi is unimpressive.The supporting cast comprising of Achala Sachdev,Jeevan, Madan Puri,Iftekhar,Jagdish Raj,Nana Palsikar,Manmohan Krishna,Balraj Sahni,etc are all good.Madhumati and Manohar Deepak have danced extremely well in the song 'Na mooh chupake jiyo'.

The movie could have been faster.Though not boring,the appearance of all the songs within the first one hour becomes quite monotonous.But the songs are very melodious.They have been well sung and well composed.

Overall,the movie is good and a must watch.