Do Ustad

A highly underrated, much overlooked classic from the Golden Age of Hindi cinema. As stated in the Trivia section of this film, this was the 1st Hindi film which depicted the oft-filmed theme of brothers lost & separated at childhood only to be reunited later as adults. This movie also featured a couple of other precedents: The 1st time a Hindi film lead character is openly defiant toward a deity. And probably the very 1st ever "rap" song by a recording artist called "Worli Ka Naaka" sung by the incomparable Mohammed Rafi (lip-synched by Raj Kapoor). This Hindi "rap" song was 2 decades before rock group Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" and Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight". Many of the trademarks of subsequent Shammi Kapoor films were performed here in this film by his elder, more illustrious brother Raj Kapoor. Madhubala proved to be the greatest heroine of Hindi cinema who could effortlessly do both tragedy and screwball comedy. Her much underrated comedic genius is fully on display here. There is not one Hindi film actress before or since who captivated an audience with her personal charm and beauty. And last but not least, we come to the real star of this film: The legendary, now forgotten once-upon-a-time Hindi film star Sheikh Mukhtar. A star who was senior to Raj Kapoor and Madhubala, Sheikh Mukhtar became a leading man during the 1930s. The pioneer Hindi film maker Mehboob Khan made a star out of Sheikh Mukhtar. Sheikh Mukhtar was the original angry anti-hero of Hindi cinema when Amitabh Bachchan wasn't even born. Mukhtar was the original "lambu dada" at 6 feet 2 inches with a shoe size of 12 UK (13 US) as highlighted in this film. He almost steals the film from both Raj Kapoor & Madhubala. This film classic also features probably the best performance ever by Raj Kapoor's eldest son Randhir Kapoor (as the adolescent Sheikh Mukhtar character of Jagannath). This movie was filmed in 1957 but released in 1959. Film director Tara Harish was a former lead actor who had first co-starred with Sheikh Mukhtar in Mehboob Khan's EK HI RAASTA (1939), in which Sheikh Mukhtar played an anti-hero. DO USTAD is a must see for any generation of Hindi cinema fans.

I like this film, it has fun energy. It has some familiar themes: family members and lovers separated and in the dark about about their relationships; mistaken identities; Raj Kapoor donning disguises. It does have morals to impart regarding a life of crime and redemption, so while the ending is not completely upbeat, neither is it tragic. I liked the music; the songs are cheerful and not so Westernized. (One number takes place in and around "Sam's Rocknroll School", but rock & roll is more an influence on the dancing than the music.) This is the first film I've seen Madhubala in, and she was a pleasure to watch. Raj Kapoor is in good form, too; not overly sentimental or too clownish, he is in his charming prime. He also get to have some fun with his fame: his films Shree 420 and Awaara are explicitly referred to, and he is mistaken for...himself! (That's not a spoiler, if you read the cast list.)