The sixties had spelt quite a few experiments in the Hindi film industry. The theme mostly revolved around emotional melodramas and love stories. The Hero was either a village bumpkin out to reform the prevailing ill-wills of the society or a suave, foreign returned businessman hunting for his ladylove in the idyllic locales of kulu/manali/gulmarg... The heroine was reduced to being a mere love interest of the protagonist who abided by the Bharatiya Parampara to the hilt and rarely displayed any raw emotions other than dancing around the Alpines or shedding copious Glycerine drops. But, there were a few directors who were willing to weave a complex knot of emotional upheavals and give the feminine aspect a more polished and senstive treatment. Raj Khosla was one such renegade who had embarked upon the exploration of the relationship between a husband and a wife along with navigating it through the boulders of mystery, suspense and regular filmi masala.
Mera Saaya was the brainchild of Khosla who made every attempt to present it in a neat & reliable manner. Released in 1966, this novel venture by Khosla went on to become one of the most memorable movies of all time. A splendid cast, lilting music, unique theme and crisp direction were some of the parameters that helped the movie to carve a niche for itself in the film market and the hearts of the viewers as well.
I was watching this movie yesterday on my VCD player. I love to browse through the old classics time & again. Who said that Indian movies are not comparable to International standards in terms of acting, direction etc ? We should be proud to have a magnificent array of stars in our homeland who can give any Hollywood/European actor a run for their money. India is mother to the most important human parameter EMOTIONS and that’s where our movies excel at all instances. The movie starts with Thakur Rakesh Singh, played superbly by none other than our very own handsome Sunil Dutt barging into his haveli after having returned from abroad, to find his ailing wife Geeta, who else, but the mesmerisingly charming Sadhana in his arms. Geeta dies at the spot leaving the grieving Thakur in solitude, cut-off from the rest of the world.The scene leaves the Thakur engrossed in his beautiful past and proceeds to a shootout between a band of dacoits and the police that results in the latter recovering a prize catch, a young lady.Enter Good Heavens !! Sadhana(Double Role) again, who leaves the people around her, gasping for breath. She claims to be the wife of the inconsolably heartbroken Thakur, who flies into rage, whenever the pretty damsel gets closer or tries to provide an incoherent explanation. After all, he himself, has seen his beloved expire in his arms & lit her funeral pyre. Outsiders & even the Thakur, consider it as a ploy by the determined clone to inherit the huge property of the Thakur, who meanwhile propagates the issue to the Court as she’s suspected to be Raina, the consort of a dreaded bandit played with elan, by Prem Chopra in his heydays. The lady in distress pleads with the Thakur to repose faith in her, even hints at certain issues related to the Thakur, which only his wife could have known, only to be castigated and proved manipulated by one and all. As the matter escalates to the court, She plays advocate to herself, with none willing to take sides with her. The climax, I don’t think I should unravel, for there lies the key to an extremely interesting twist in the film.
The USP of the movie rests in the hands of composer Madan Mohan who had churned out some of the most enjoyable & haunting songs ever composed in the film industry. In addition to this, the fact that, the king of emotions Mohammad Rafi and the melody queen Lata Mangeshkar had sung them only makes it brighter. Who can forget the unmatchable Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega ... Mera Saaya by Lata, which still stirs many a chords in our hearts. Then, the mother of all Mela Songs Jhumka geera re..Bareilly ke Bazaar mein, is a treat for the eyes with the enchanting Sadhana in full flow. The sad number Aap ke Pahaloo mein aa kar ro diye by Rafi is as contemplative as the chirpy Nainon mein Badraa chaayeby Lata is evocative.Raja Mehdi Ali Khan had penned those beautiful lines. The picturisation of the sequences are pretty inspiring & editing is excellent, the movie moves at a fairly good speed. The absence of technology and big budget ambitions have managed to retain the naturalness of the theme which has become so obsolete now a days.
Coming to the acting section, Sunil Dutt has portrayed the emotions of a bereaved Thakur with utmost finesse. The moist eyes, fiery retorts and vacant expressions speak for themselves. Prem Chopra’s cameo as the Bandit who is willing to undergo atonement by revealing the suspense is as splendid as any other negative character that existed in reality. But, the piece de resistance is certainly none other than the Lady Protagonist fighting to prove herself authentic in the face of an impending onslaught on her character and existence. Sadhana’s best performance on the celluloid moves everyone to tears. She could neither tolerate seeing her beloved husband cry his heart out nor vindicate her stance as the righteous wife. The scene where she professes her unflinching love for her husband inspite of being disbelieved is one of the most excellently executed scenes I have ever seen on the silver screen. She is equally vivacious in her role as the dancer cum lover of the Dacoit leader and achieves perfect harmony between the dual characters.
Mera Saaya is an ode to the Loving, Caring and Believing nature of the Indian Women who are the true representatives of the moral and traditional teachings human kind has ever been subjected to...See it to Believe it