In the 1960’s, there were a couple of movies breaking away from the standard boy meets girl in **Simla/ Kashmir**, breaks into songs, scheming villian or parents separate and everything is fine in the end. One such director who constantly steered away from the beaten path was Raj Khosla. His movies had the standard Bollywood ingredients- songs, dances, melodrama, yet many were backed up with good storyline and more often than not, he was excellent at thrillers. He started his career with C.I.D and he directed one more interesting thriller movie Kala Paani. It was however his 60’s trilogy of thrillers **Voh Kaun Thi, Mera Saaya and Anita**, that would prove to be the most memorable of all. Adding Hitchcockian elements of mistaken identity and suspense, with Bollywood elements of song, dance and a dollop of emotions, he created a unique brand of thriller stuff, which was entertaining and enjoyable. These movies also gave rise to a host of who dun it stuff like **Qanoon, Saajan, Gumnaam**. While these movies did not have the budgets necessary for incredible hair raising stunts, they more than made it up with strong storylines, taut screenplay and some memorable music.
Mera Saaya **was the second in this trilogy and one of the best. The movie deals with a young, rich lawyer **Thakur Rakesh Singh( Sunil Dutt), ** who has to rush back to India to attend to his ailing wife **Geeta( Sadhana).** Unfortunately **Geeta** dies in his arms, and this proves to be a huge blow for him. He loved her intensely, and is unable to handle her death. He becomes a recluse, cut off from every one, spending time with memories of him and **Geeta.
Things get worse when the police inspector informs him that a woman who has been captured during a police encounter with dacoits, claims to be his wife. **Rakesh** rushes to the thana, and is shocked, for the woman is indeed a spitting image of his wife. The cops identify the woman as **Raina( Sadhana in a double role)**, a moll to the dreaded dacoit **Surya( Prem Chopra)**.
While **Raina** identifies **Rakesh** as her husband, he refuses to believe, for she had died in his own arms. The matter goes to court, where **Raina**, has to prove that she indeed is Rakesh’s wife. Both **Rakesh** and the legal fraternity are stunned, as she divulges important information about their marital life, including their intimate personal details. **Rakesh** is at his wit’s ends. His wife has died in his own arms, yet this lady knows every single thing about their married life. Is she the real one? Or did she get the details from some one? Watch this movie to know.
This was the second in the famous **Raj Khosla-Sadhana** trilogy after 1964’s immensely successful **Voh Kaun Thi**. While **Voh Kaun Thi**, had a more Gothic background, with an eerie touch, Mera Saaya, mixes up elements of **Hitchcock and Agatha Christie**. What works in favour is that the director never lets the viewer’s attention lag at all. We are as puzzled as Rakesh, in wondering who is the real woman. He keeps the viewers guessing by using red herrings imaginatively. We have a maid servant who ambles off for midnight jaunts, and in another scene Sadhana looks at a note, and its snatched by an old lady, who chews it off.
The courtroom scenes are pretty effective and gripping. The way **Sadhana **responds to the queries, and **Sunil Dutt’s** confusion is effectively depicted. The scene where Sunil Dutt grills Sadhana, proving that she is a fake, and Sadhana breaking down hysterically is one of the best in the movie. As of course the twist in the end.
As if to provide relief from the heavy courtroom scenes, you have some wonderful heart warming scenes between **Sadhana and Sunil Dutt**, as flashbacks of their happily married days. They do make a wonderful couple on screen, and the banter between them is endearingThe way director intersperses these scenes with shots of **Sunil Dutt**, sitting alone and lost, is quite moving. Makes you empathize with him. However the comedy track of **Mukri-Dhumal** is quite a bore, and could have been shortened.
Madan Mohan** had teamed up with **Raj Khosla** to give a wonderful score for his previous movie **Voh Kaun Thi**, and he doesn’t disappoint with another memorable score out here. Also the songs appear most of the time, when the hero is reminiscing about the happy days with his wife, and so they don’t divert from the courtroom tension.
*Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega**- The title song by Lata is just brilliant, and appears in many scenes in the movie. *“Kabi Mujko Yaad Karke, Jo Bahenge Teri Aanso, To Vahin Pe Rok Lenge, Unhe Aake Mere Aanso”.* Great lyrics here by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan.
*Nainon Mein Bhadra Chaaye**: Easily the best song of the album for me. One of the most beautiful songs ever sung by Lata. It is well known that she always gave her best for Madan Mohan, and this song is a prime example*. “Prem Diwani Hoon Mein, Sapno Ki Raani Hoon Mein, Pichle Janam Se Teri, Prem Kahani Hoon Main”.* Listen to this song with Lata’s magical voice, Madan Mohan’s soulful music, and you are not surprised why Rakesh misses his wife so dearly.
*Nainowali Ne Haye Mera Dil**: This is more of a fast paced, dhol type of song. Pretty peppy number here by Lata. All the above 3 songs are picturized at **Udaipur’s Lake Palace**.
*Aap Ke Pehlo Mein Aakar**: Pretty tragic song by **Rafi**. Picturized on **Sunil Dutt**, as he remembers all those lovely memories he had with his wife.
*Jhumka Gira Re**: One of the best foot tappers you will hear in a long time. Asha in full flow here, in this nautanki style number. **Madan Mohan** moves away from his usual slow, melodic stuff, to create a typical fast paced dance song.
The movie is also helped by some excellent performances.
*Sunil Dutt**, quite often an underrated actor, is excellent as the husband, who has to face a serious dilemma in his life. Whether it’s grieving for his lost wife, or refusing to accept Raina’s version, he is superb. Especially in the scene where he grills Sadhana in the court to prove that she is a fake.
*Prem Chopra**, shines in a brief but effective role as the dacoit leader, who knows the truth.
But it’s **Sadhana**, who steals the show with a wonderful performance in the roles of Geeta and Raina. As a lady undergoing inner turmoil, as some one who tries to prove her innocence, as a reckless dacoit’s moll, she is brilliant. Watch her in the scene, where she breaks down in the court on knowing that she has lost the case, superb acting there.