Man, woman and doctor (Dil Ek Mandir)

It's not for nothing that Raj Kumar received a Best Supporting Actor Filmfare award for his portrayal of Ram in C V Sridhar's emotional drama Dil Ek Mandir. For, here is a man who despite being diagnosed with lung cancer and waiting on the brink of desolation and doom, is buoyant, pragmatic and jocund all the time. He is not afraid of death and he has no qualms in securing a stable and safe

Guru Dutt's last (Sanjh aur Savera)

Considering that this 1964 drama was Guru Dutt's last film outing before he succumbed to the dangerous cocktail of sleeping pills and alcohol, I'm ready to overlook any minor glitch that happens in the film. True, Sanjh aur Savera does have some unnecessary plot twists and some of the sadness could be done away with, but on the whole this Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic is quite an engaging

More of Jubilee Kumar (Hamrahi)

My tryst with Rajendra Kumar continues...
This time I encountered Kumar playing a philanderer turned good husband. Did he do it well? I didn't get to reason that out because I kept feeling let down by the director's decision to cast Jamuna in the role of the leading lady. A good actress she is, but certainly not gorgeous in the looks department. And definitely not the person for whom Shekhar

Marvellous Meena (Ardhangini)

I like all Meena Kumari films. Well, almost. Even when the script is faulty or loose, I keep my eyes fixed on the charming lady because I know that she will make the moments picturised on her come alive with her deft histrionics. But then, she alone cannot do much if the film is really bad. In those cases I take solace in the fact that she tried and tried. Luckily, Ardhangini is not a film like

Supporting it strong (Beti Bete)

One thing's a given when you sit down to watch a L V Prasad film; there will be a plethora of twists and turns in the life of the main protagonists, family members will be separated by a freak stroke of fate, while one sibling regales in wealth, the others will have tormented livelihoods, there will be umpteen occasions when the members will come face to face with one another without each

Crafty Kanhaiya (Bharosa)

This films stands solely on its story. It's engaging, freewheeling and full of attractive moments. Even though a bit melodramatic, like all K Shankar classics, Bharosa is very believable and in parts funny. And yes, it has Kanhaiyalal, the Parsi actor who made every role his second skin. Here, as the scheming foster father, Kanhaiyalal is a revelation. He enthralls, extracts irritation and

Fending for answers (Gharana)

I need some questions answered. Why do all films from the Gemini stable start off with a punch and then degenerate into some regressive drama? Why are the women in their films projected as husband-worshippers? Why do they trust so easily? Why do they forgive even more easily? And yes, why does Rajendra Kumar carry a police constable's stick throughout his screen time in SS Vasan's Gharana?

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