praks99
Joined Dec 2003
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Reviews6
praks99's rating
Purana Mandir is without any doubt one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Bollywood horror movie ever made. Directed by the famous Ramsay Brothers, it has a powerful story that grips your attention right from the start, and never let's go.
The story concerns a demonic curse bestowed on a royal family, which forbids its daughter (Aarti Gupta) from marrying. However, she falls for Monish Behl. Before they can marry, they visit, with two friends, the old palace and the nearby temple where, hundred of years ago, an extremely macabre event had taken place...
Much of the credit for the huge success of this masterpiece has to go to the perfect musical score provided by relatively unknown music director Ajit Singh. The music is essential in making this movie genuinely frightening at times. Monish Behl and Aarti Gupta both give very sincere performances, Ajay Agarwal has a very strong screen presence as Samri, and it is a pleasure to also see veteran actor Pradeep Kumar.
The DVD recently released by Mondo Macabro (part of a 2-disc release including also Badh Darwaza) is the best this movie has looked for years. Unfortunately, it is presented in 4:3 aspect ratio, but this is how the movie was originally made.
I would rate this movie right up there with Raaz as the best Bollywood has given its audience in terms of horror.
And, oh, did I forget to say that Purana Mandir also has the most beautiful and haunting love song ever to grace the Indian silver screen, sung by no other than...Ajit Singh himself.
The story concerns a demonic curse bestowed on a royal family, which forbids its daughter (Aarti Gupta) from marrying. However, she falls for Monish Behl. Before they can marry, they visit, with two friends, the old palace and the nearby temple where, hundred of years ago, an extremely macabre event had taken place...
Much of the credit for the huge success of this masterpiece has to go to the perfect musical score provided by relatively unknown music director Ajit Singh. The music is essential in making this movie genuinely frightening at times. Monish Behl and Aarti Gupta both give very sincere performances, Ajay Agarwal has a very strong screen presence as Samri, and it is a pleasure to also see veteran actor Pradeep Kumar.
The DVD recently released by Mondo Macabro (part of a 2-disc release including also Badh Darwaza) is the best this movie has looked for years. Unfortunately, it is presented in 4:3 aspect ratio, but this is how the movie was originally made.
I would rate this movie right up there with Raaz as the best Bollywood has given its audience in terms of horror.
And, oh, did I forget to say that Purana Mandir also has the most beautiful and haunting love song ever to grace the Indian silver screen, sung by no other than...Ajit Singh himself.
Jawani Diwani was a landmark comedy primarily because of RD Burman's fast, pounding and melodious score. RD Burman was such a genius; his musical legacy will live on forever. When his music combined with the voices of either Kishore or Asha (or both), the result was electrifying. A case in point is this movie.
Kishore gives the start with the energetic and beautifully sung "Samne Kaun Aya". He later also executes the title song "Yeh Jawani" in his unique comic style (Kishore was said to have the unique ability to put himself right in the shoes of the actor for whom he was doing the singing). However, it is the combination of Kishore with Asha on "Aa Jane Ja" that creates one of the most memorable songs of Indian cinema. The picturization of the song is perfect, there is a sense of mystery in both the setting, the voice and the music. This one song will keep on ringing in your ears long after hearing it and, to my knowledge, is being remixed now over and over again by so many.
In so far the plot is concerned, this is the simple story of boy (Randhir Kapoor) meets girl (Jaya Badhuri) at school, with the usual problems with parents. However, the acting is great. A special note goes to the great Satyen Kappu who gives, in my opinion, his most comical performance ever (as the DJ friend of Randhir Kapoor) in two scene-stealing pieces: first, when he impersonates Randhir Kapoor's father to meet the boy's teacher, and later when he meets Jaya's father.
In short, you have here everything that a great Indian movie is made of: a good story, very good acting and excellent music.
Kishore gives the start with the energetic and beautifully sung "Samne Kaun Aya". He later also executes the title song "Yeh Jawani" in his unique comic style (Kishore was said to have the unique ability to put himself right in the shoes of the actor for whom he was doing the singing). However, it is the combination of Kishore with Asha on "Aa Jane Ja" that creates one of the most memorable songs of Indian cinema. The picturization of the song is perfect, there is a sense of mystery in both the setting, the voice and the music. This one song will keep on ringing in your ears long after hearing it and, to my knowledge, is being remixed now over and over again by so many.
In so far the plot is concerned, this is the simple story of boy (Randhir Kapoor) meets girl (Jaya Badhuri) at school, with the usual problems with parents. However, the acting is great. A special note goes to the great Satyen Kappu who gives, in my opinion, his most comical performance ever (as the DJ friend of Randhir Kapoor) in two scene-stealing pieces: first, when he impersonates Randhir Kapoor's father to meet the boy's teacher, and later when he meets Jaya's father.
In short, you have here everything that a great Indian movie is made of: a good story, very good acting and excellent music.
That Dharmendra never got an award for his memorable performance in this great movie is nothing short of shameful in the annals of Indian Cinema. In fact, Dharmendra never got one, in spite of giving such great performances in movies like Anupama, Satyakam and Chupke Chupke, amongst others.
The movie has Dharmendra as a notorious bandit who kidnaps, then falls for and marries Asha Parekh. Dharmendra tries to turn over a new leaf but his wife falls critically ill. When he tries to borrow money to have her treated, all his efforts fail. He then kidnaps a millionaire's young son. The millionaire agrees to pay but when Dharmendra goes to deliver the boy, he kills the latter by accident. Broken-hearted, Dharmendra buries the boy. His "samadhi" (tomb) remains as indelible in the viewer's psyche as it remains in Dharmendra's destiny...
Dharmendra is just brilliant. The pathos he conveys is incredible when, in one scene, he asks God how he is going to return the dead son or, in another, he is slapped by his son (played by Dharmendra also) and curses his own destiny.
The movie is by the way directed by the great Prakash Mehra and, if you like it, check out also the older "Mujhe Jeeno Do", another superior flick with Sunil Dutt.
R D Burman's music shines as usual with a hauntingly beautiful song by Asha Bhosle (Jab Tak Rahe), an offbeat gem by Kishore (Jane Jaana) and a great solo by Manna Dey (Bhagwan Bhi), amongst others.
The movie has Dharmendra as a notorious bandit who kidnaps, then falls for and marries Asha Parekh. Dharmendra tries to turn over a new leaf but his wife falls critically ill. When he tries to borrow money to have her treated, all his efforts fail. He then kidnaps a millionaire's young son. The millionaire agrees to pay but when Dharmendra goes to deliver the boy, he kills the latter by accident. Broken-hearted, Dharmendra buries the boy. His "samadhi" (tomb) remains as indelible in the viewer's psyche as it remains in Dharmendra's destiny...
Dharmendra is just brilliant. The pathos he conveys is incredible when, in one scene, he asks God how he is going to return the dead son or, in another, he is slapped by his son (played by Dharmendra also) and curses his own destiny.
The movie is by the way directed by the great Prakash Mehra and, if you like it, check out also the older "Mujhe Jeeno Do", another superior flick with Sunil Dutt.
R D Burman's music shines as usual with a hauntingly beautiful song by Asha Bhosle (Jab Tak Rahe), an offbeat gem by Kishore (Jane Jaana) and a great solo by Manna Dey (Bhagwan Bhi), amongst others.