Page 10 - Seniors Today - December 2024
P. 10
apartment complex to making serious films.
ask for water and is This one, based on
chased off as a thief. Fyodor Dostoevsy’s
Over the course of the White Nights, was
night he is exposed just his second,
to the cruelty and though the role of
corruption of city folk. the good-hearted
tramp was made for
Raj Kapoor. He saves
Anari (1958): In this Hrishikesh Shanti (Nutan) from committing suicide
Mukerjee film, Raj and learns that she was abandoned by
Kapoor played an her husband (Rehman) after Partition,
honest simpleton, who since she was sheltered by a Muslim in
gets trapped in a racket Pakistan. He offers her a roof and falls in
of spurious medicines love with her, but in the end reunites her
manufactured by his with her husband.
employer (Motilal).
He falls in love with Teesri Kasam (1966):
a woman Nutan) he By this time, Raj
believes is a maid, but turns out to be Kapoor was too
the boss’s niece who helps him when is old to be playing a
arrested for her uncle’s crime. simpleton, but just
about pulled it off. He
Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960): played an innocent
Playing yet another cart driver, who
version of a simple, falls in love with his
innocent man in an evil beautiful passenger,
world, a street singer a nautch girl, played
Raju, helps an injured by Waheeda Rehman, who, strangely
man, who turns out enough did just two films with him as
to be the leader of a romantic lead. The film, directed by
gang of dacoits. After Basu Bhattacharya, was produced by Raj
experiencing their life Kapoor’s favourite lyricist, Shailendra.
and crimes, he works towards trying to The film was a gem, with great music
get them to surrender and get rehabitated. by Shankar Jaikishan, but flopped so
Southern actress Padmini was his love badly, he was financially wiped out.
interest. The film was directed by his Raj Kapoor’s days as leading man were
regular cameraman, but, of course, the coming to an end, though he acted with
RK touch was visible, including a wet sari the much younger Rajshree in Around
scene with the heroine. The World (1967) and a debut-making
Hema Malini in Sapnon Ka Saudagar
Chhalia (1960): (1968), before slipping into increasingly
Manmohan Desai was not known for infrequent character roles.
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