Aandhi
Aandhi | |
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R.D. Burman Gulzar(lyricist) | |
Production companies | Natraj Studio |
Release date |
|
Running time | 133 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Aandhi (transl. 'Storm') is a 1975 Indian
Suchitra Sen, the noted actress from Bengali cinema, who also worked in a few Hindi films, played the lead role of Aarti Devi.
The movie was not allowed a full proper release when Mrs. Gandhi was in power. The film was banned during the national emergency of 1975 a few months after its release. This film was banned on the alleged grounds of violation of the Model Election Code of Conduct, claiming it can cause damage to the reputation of the Congress party. So Election Commission stopped the film from releasing. The ban got further added with the declaration of National Emergency. The ban immediately made the film a national topic.[3] After her defeat in the 1977 national elections, the ruling Janata Party cleared it and had it premiered on the state-run television channel.[4] It proved to be an important film in the career of Sen, and also her last Hindi film, as she retired from films altogether in 1978.[3] At the 23rd Filmfare Awards, she was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Actress, while Sanjeev Kumar won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. The film itself won the Filmfare Award for Best Film (Critics).
Plot
J.K. (played by Sanjeev Kumar) is a Hotel manager. One day he gallantly comes to the rescue of a politician's drunk daughter, Aarti (Suchitra Sen). Aarti falls in love with J.K. and both get married in a small ceremony. After few years, the married couple face many differences due to which they decide to separate. Years later, J.K. and Aarti meet again when she is an established politician. Despite the separation, both of them feel the closeness but fearing that her name might be tarnished and her career might be jeopardised, Aarti does not want to step forward. But at last when the opposite party holds a rally to defame Aarti Devi and insult her, She reaches there and explains to the public and voters that she left her husband and family to serve the people of this country. People believe her and are really impressed by her speech and sacrifice. J.K. also reaches there and supports her, she is very happy and leaves the spot. She wins the election and lives happily ever after
Cast
- Sanjeev Kumar as J. K.
- Suchitra Sen as Aarti Bose aka Aarti Devi
- Om Shivpuri as Chandrasen
- Manmohan as S. K. Agarwal
- A. K. Hangal as Brinda Kaka
- Kamaldeep as Chowdhary
- C. S. Dubeyas Gurusaran
- Om Prakash as Lallu Lal, Campaign Manager
- Rehman as K. Bose
- Master Bittoo as Aarti's daughter Manu
Production
Development
Gulzar said the film had no semblance with the personal life of then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. He wanted to make film about modern Indian politician, and so he modelled the character on Indira Gandhi and to some extent on noted parliamentarian from Bihar, Tarkeshwari Sinha.[1]
Script
An early version of the film's story was written by veteran screenwriter Sachin Bhowmick, however it did not go well with Gulzar. He had an idea of an estranged couple meeting in a hotel after years, and started developing it. Hindi writer Kamleshwar joined as the writing crew, as the film started shooting. He later went on to write a full-fledged novel, Kali Aandhi (Black Storm), which is quite different from the film.[5] Subsequently, the film was written simultaneously along with another Gulzar film, Mausam (1975), which was also written by Bhushan Banmali and Gulzar.[6][7] Along with Khushboo, Aandhi also released in the same year; 1975 proving to be the most prolific for director-screenwriter Gulzar's career.[8]
Casting
The lead role of Aarti Devi was offered to actress
In the early 1960s, director Gulzar had approached Suchitra Sen, with screenplay for a film to be produced by Sohanlal Kanwar, however when she suggested some changes which Gulzar didn't agree upon, the film never got made. For film Aandhi producer J. Om Prakash insisted upon Gulzar to approach Sen again and actor Sanjeev Kumar was also keen on working with Sen. This time when the new script was done, Gulzar went to meet her in Kolkata, she agreed without any script issues, resulting in a casting coup. In fact, Sen now promised Gulzar to not suggest any changes, and she stuck to her promise all through the filming.[6][7] For the role Aarti Devi's estranged husband Sanjeev Kumar was already cast, who had previously worked in Gulzar's Koshish (1973), again as an older man. Kumar, one of the finest actors of his generation, went on to collaborate with Gulzar in numerous films, like Mausam (1975), Angoor (1981) and Namkeen (1982).[11]
Filming
Like most of Gulzar's films, including Mausam and
Themes and influences
In her memoir, daughter Meghna mentioned that Gulzar's wife Rakhee had once said to him, "Agar aap shayar na hote, to bade hi ordinary hote" (If you weren't a poet, you would have been very ordinary), this line was paraphrased and spoken by Aarti Devi to her husband in the film. [17] The film looks at the life of a career-minded woman in the political arena, which is large dominated by men. Aarti inherits the legacy of her ambitious politician father, and comes in conflict with her role as dutiful wife. Soon she has to make choices to resolve the conflicts, and part ways with her husband, giving career rather duty as a daughter precedence over her personal life. When they meet again after nine years of separation, the dominating personality created under influence of her father has mellow and wisdom risen and she sees what she has missed. Yet she finds herself at a choice point once again, should she give up her political career or settle for matrimonial life.[18][19] Aandhi takes on a feminist theme, also taken up in Ray's Mahanagar before, as it questions the price women often have to pay for political aspirations or career aspiration for that matter, when her unambitious hotel manager husband refuses to support.[20]
It also satirizes the political opportunism in Indian democracy, where politicians visit the common man only every five years, at the time of elections. Through the lines of the song "Salaam kijiye aali janaab aaye hain, ye paanch saalon ka dene hisaab aaye hain. (Bow to the masters.. They have come after five years...).[18]
Awards and nominations
At the 23rd Filmfare Awards held in 1976, the film was nominated in 7 categories, winning 2 awards.
Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
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23rd Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Sanjeev Kumar | Won |
Best Film (Critics) |
Gulzar | Won | |
Best Film |
J. Om Prakash | Nominated | |
Best Director | Gulzar | Nominated | |
Best Actress | Suchitra Sen | Nominated | |
Best Lyricist | Gulzar for "Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi" | Nominated | |
Best Story | Kamleshwar | Nominated |
Soundtrack
Aandhi: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |
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Rahul Dev Burman | |
Released | 1975 |
Label | HMV |
The music of this film was composed by
Song | Singer(s) | Time | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
"Tere Bina Zindagi Se" | Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar |
5:55 | Picturised on Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen |
"Tum Aa Gaye Ho Noor Aa Gaya" | Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar |
4:15 | Picturised on Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen |
"Is Mod Se Jate Hain" | Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar |
5:00 | Picturised on Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen |
"Salam Kijiye" | Amit Kumar and Bhupinder Singh
|
6:55 | Ensemble cast |
Title Music Instrumental | R.D. Burman
|
2:35 |
Reception
The RD-Gulzar team created for the film, songs which were both acclaimed and also popular songs of the decade.
Release, ban and re-release
The film released in February 1975 amidst controversy, as rumours abound that it was based on the life of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Some of film's posters also hyped the similarity, with lines like, "See your Prime Minister on screen" and "the story of a great woman political leader in post-Independence India", were featured in a film magazine. Eventually, the film was given a go-ahead after it was seen by two staff members and then Information and Broadcasting minister,
Subsequently, while Mausam was being premiered in December 1975, portions of Aandhi were being reshot.[30] It included the controversial drinking scene and to establish the fact it was not a biopic, a scene with Aarti Devi looking at the framed image of Indira Gandhi tells her father that she wants to serve India like Mrs Gandhi, "Woh meri ideal thi" (She is my ideal) was inserted.[5][31][32] After Indira Gandhi lost the general election of 1977 and Janata Party came to power it was re-released and also shown on the state-run national television.[4][31] The film went on to become biggest hit of the Sen's Bollywood career, of which Aandhi was the last film, though she did two more Bengali films before retiring from acting in 1978. [33]
Critical reception
Some critics, including
References
- ^ a b V.Gangadhar (20 July 2001). "Where is reality?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Lalit Mohan Joshi 2002, p. 123.
- ^ a b Chatterjee 2003, p. 247.
- ^ a b Sinha, Sayoni. "Ten most controversial films". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Blast From The Past:Aandhi (1975)". The Hindu. 23 May 2013. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Mausam (1975)". The Hindu. 30 May 2013. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ a b "'Sir' wouldn't lose her sleep over awards". The Times of India. 18 January 2014. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ "Blast From The Past: Khushboo (1975)". The Hindu. 13 June 2013. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- The Tribune. Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ "Down Memory Lane". The Indian Express. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ Chatterjee 2003, p. 97.
- ^ Chatterjee 2003, p. 220.
- ISBN 978-81-7508-007-2. Archivedfrom the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ^ "Movie > Aandhi Locations". Filmapia. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ "Chasing Aandhi: Kashmir sets the background". India Today. 29 April 2010. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ Meghna Gulzar 2004, p. 121.
- ^ Meghna Gulzar 2004, p. 168.
- ^ ISBN 978-93-5029-485-7.
- ^ "Gulzar's Aandhi is not just 'that film on Indira Gandhi', Sanjeev Kumar-Suchitra Sen explore how lack of ambition can ruin relationships". 9 July 2022. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Sûrya India. A. Anand. 1989. p. 71.
- ISBN 978-93-81398-05-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-93-5029-236-5.
- ISBN 978-0-14-306340-7.
- ISBN 978-0-7546-5198-7.
- ISBN 978-93-5029-236-5.
- ISBN 978-0-7069-2226-4. Archivedfrom the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ISBN 978-81-7648-226-4.
- ^ Chatterjee 2003, p. 425.
- ^ Lalit Mohan Joshi 2002, p. 44.
- ^ Meghna Gulzar 2004, p. 78.
- ^ a b "The first ladies of cinema". The Times of India. 14 December 2010. Archived from the original on 15 February 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ^ Meghna Gulzar 2004, p. 79.
- ^ Chatterjee 2003, p. 623.
- ISBN 978-0-19-564218-6. Archivedfrom the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ISBN 978-81-7436-378-7.
- ^ "Aandhi", The Illustrated Weekly of India, vol. 98, Part 2, p. 75, 1977
Bibliography
- Kali Aandhi (Hindi), by ISBN 9788170285625.
- Gulzar (2005). Aandhi (Screenplay) (in Hindi). Radhakrishna Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-8361-004-9.
- Gulzar (2007). Aandhi: A Scenario. Srishti Publishers. ISBN 978-81-88575-90-9.
- Lalit Mohan Joshi (2002). Bollywood: Popular Indian cinema. Dakini Books. ISBN 9780953703227.
- Chatterjee, Saibal (2003). Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7991-066-5.
- Meghna Gulzar (2004). Because He Is--. Rupa & Company. ISBN 978-81-291-0364-2.
External links
External videos | |
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Full movie on YouTube |
- Aandhi at IMDb