Though Raj Kapoor was a versatile actor and performed various kinds of roles in his acting career spanning around 38 years (1944-1982), he’s best loved by the Indian audience for the Seedha-Saada, simple, straightforward and naive (and therefore vulnerable) gentleman’s role who’s pure-hearted and cannot play with anybody’s sentiments (but people can easily play with his sentiments and break his heart). Many movies showcasing his talent in such type of roles were made under his own banner and under the outside banners too. One such memorable movie is Anari (1959) which is definitely a classic, not to be missed by a movie-buff interested in watching quality cinema.
Anari (too simple, devoid of shrewdness) is the story of Raj Kumar aka Raju (the evergreen screen-name of Raj Kapoor) who is poor and lives as paying guest with Mrs. D’Sa (Lalita Pawaar), a Christian widow whose personality is like coconut, i.e., apparently stern but very sweet, tender and benevolent inside her heart. Raju gets a job in the pharmaceutical company of Ramnath (Moti Lal) whose daughter, Aarti (Nutan) falls in love with him but pretends to be the maid of his daughter and presents the actual maid, Asha (Shubha Khote) as herself. Though she does it just in a prank-playing way but before she could tell Raju the truth, he himself comes to know of it and feeling badly hurt to see that his sentiments have been played with, alienates himself from Aarti and his father. But when ailing Mrs. D’Sa passes away after a medicine manufactured in that pharmaceutical company is injected to her, Raju is arrested because it is found that she has died of poison. After a few twists in the story, Raju is acquitted and the real culprit surrenders to the court. Aarti and Raju get reunited.
The main thing is not just the story but the touching treatment given to it by the legendary director, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and the characters involved which are above the plot of the story. The character of Mrs. D’Sa alongwith the affectionate relationship between herself, the land-lady and Raju, the tenant; goes deep inside the hearts of the viewers. For Raju, she is nothing short of his mother and for herself, Raju is nothing short of her son. Both the performers have delivered performances of a lifetime in the movie. Especially for Lalita Pawar, I can safely say that it’s the best role performed by herself in her entire acting career. Nutan, first as the carefree daughter of a rich man and thereafter a true lover feeling the pain inside her own heart after inadvertently hurting the man she loves and later, standing by him in his time of adversity even by going against her own father, is just marvellous. And finally Moti Lal, as the proud businessman who is never ready to accept defeat, has delivered a knock-out performance. The performers have enlivened the script on the screen with their towering performances. And the director, who was in the initial years of film direction those days, has shown his class by presenting the story in an extremely effective, interesting and above all, touching way. It’s a movie which first entertains you and thereafter moves you deep inside your heart.The cinematography and other technical aspects of this black and white movie are also up to the mark.
The music preparing team of Shankar-Jaikishan (composers), Shailendra (lyricist), Mukesh and Lata (singers) has done an outstanding job. In fact, music is the biggest strength of this all time great movie. It contains gems like Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisaar, Tera Jaana Dil Ke Armaanon Ka Lutt Jaana, Bann Ke Ye Panchhi Gaayen Pyar Ka Taraana, Dil Ki Nazar Se Nazaron Ki Dil Se, Woh Chaand Khila Woh Taare Hanse etc. My favourite song is the title track sung by Mukesh - Sab Kuchh Seekha Humne Na Seekhi Hoshiyaari, Sach Hai Duniya Waalon Ki Hum Hain Anari (I have learnt everything but not shrewdness; it’s true, folks that I’m a simpleton, devoid of worldly wisdom). I relate to these words.
Anari is a timeless classic from the black and white era of Bollywood movies which had won five Filmfare awards in 1960. Its repeat value is beyond measurement. See it once and you will love to see it countless number of times. It scores in every department of cinema. If you have not watched it till date, please do watch it now and you will know at once what quality cinema is all about.