’Rudaali’ film by Kalpana Lazmi, produced by NFDC. Starring Dimple Kapadia, Raj Babbar, Rakhee, Raghuvir Yadav, Amjad Khan.
Rudaali is a woman who cry on death of landlord or merchants for which she is paid. We can say a old tradition or fashion just to show society how rich they are. Film makes you think that its base on life of ruddalis, but you are fooled.
Landlord of village (Amjad Khan) is on last stage, he ask his servant to bring rudaali on her death. He believes that no one will cry on his death not even his son (Raj Babbar), so he ask for rudaali with cheaper rate from other village. Rakhee who plays Rudaali come in the village and ask Sanichari(Dimple Kapadia) whether she can stay until landlord dies.
Now the story takes off, Sanichari tell who she came to this village marrying a drunkyard, who wins her in gambling. She tells how she was stated bad luck as born on saturday and her father died on his birth. Slowly she brings out all her past infront of Rakhee. Her mother-in-law dies at that time her husband is arrested by police for doing robbery in thakur’s house. With help of her neighbour she gives fire to the body as she was unable to pay pandit for funeral. But single drop of tear doesn’t come out of her eyes.
After that she gets in contact with juinor thakur (Raj Babbar), who falls in love with her. She gets a job at palace to look after thakurain, wife of Raj Babbar. Thakur ask her to stay in the palace forever but she needs to leave her family. She denies to do so. Thakur gives her two acre of land on the eve of birth ceremony of his son for beautiful song and ask her to leave palace because he might loose his control over himself and that may lead to unusal situation.
Snaichari after leaving palace people in village looks her with different sight, they think she has spent night with thakur. She lost her husband due to food poisoning in the prasad of temple. But again single drop of tear doesn’t comes from her eyes.Her son goes to work in nautanki.
Films comes out of flashback, here Landlord is not dying so Rakhee stays for few more day. In between she gets call from relatives of Landlord where his cousin gets died. But now there is enemity between two families so they ask same rudaali to come which was called by Landlord, showing form of victory over each other even in death.
Seeing painful crying of Rakhee, Sanichari ask her secret behind her tears.She shows the magic powder which makes her to flow tears from her eyes. Sanichari puts in her eyes but still tears doesn’t come. In between her son (Raguvir Yadav) marries a prostitute, whole village points out that she should be thrown out of village.
Sad story of Sanichari continues, she cries or not. Is Rakhee really a Rudaali or some-one else ? Answers to this question can be found at end of film.
Plot of film is totally different. Story, screenplay are well written. Dialouges are purely rajashthani. Conversation between Raj Babbar and Dimple Kapadia is quite intresting. Films comments on old tradition and on the pandit, munims.
Performances are concerned no one has given chance to point out. Raj Babbar who plays thakur perfectly shows royalist in his role. Rakhee and Amjad Khan had not big roles but there presence on the screen was just enough. Amjad Khan’s commedy lines comments on Landord are very funny.
Dimple Kapadia’s performance was simply great. She moulds herself in Sanichari and slowly turn pages of her life infront of us. Shows the jolliness and sorrows of Sanichari fluently.
If we look Rudaali’s albumn as independently its a masterpiece creation by Pt. Hridyanath Mangeshkar and Gulzar. But in the films it looks totally abstract it seems to be classical which doesn’t suit to plot. Song ’Samay dheere chalo’ comes in the small stanza as backround song which is very intresting point of the film.
Direction by Kalpana Lazmi is excellent. She shows day-today life of village on the screen very easily. Film is a bit black comedy commenting on traditions.
Hungry for good films go and watch.