In a career spanning several decades, these Bollywood icons rarely ever shared screen-space. In fact, this is the only instance that I know of where Ashok Kumar and Raj Kapoor appeared in the same movie. Its also the only movie where Raj Kapoor played a negative character and came close to murdering the heroine! What movie is it?
Update Aug 4, 2008:
Stella and Ajnabi are right! The movie is 1952's Bewafa, a love-triangle with DadaMani and RK jostling for the affections of Nargis. The movie was scripted by Nargis's brother Akhtar Hussain. Apart from having a young Raj in a negative role, the other unusual aspect of the movie is that the playback for all his songs is provided by Talat Mahmood. Needless to say, the songs are beautiful. Check them out on youtube - Tumko fursat ho, Dil matwaala laakh sambhaala (Talat version and Lata version).
A proper review needs to wait till I watch the complete movie! Just browsing through it with a fast-forward button has shown me a Raj Kapoor who is just as irritating in a negative role as he is in his normal roles! Even as a villainous hero he has Raju the tramp's signature gestures and that slightly nasal Simple-Simon voice of his that grates on my nerves!
Nargis is very charming but keeps reminding me of her son - Munnabhai!
The movie is Bewafa (1952)!
ReplyDeleteBewafaa was my guess too!
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds really interesting- I have a afeeling RK would do a heck of a good job with that- I'm hoping you're going to post a review real soon :)
ReplyDeleteStella and Ajnabi you are both absolutely right. Was it previous knowledge or diligent research at imdb?
ReplyDeleteShweta, I watched this movie as a kid when I had a better opinion of Raj Kapoor. From a cursory look through the movie yesterday, it appears that even as a villain I am unlikely to find him more than bearable! But will reserve judgement till I've watched the whole movie.
I've been looking up all of Raj's backlist but I did do a Google search just to confirm. LOL Can't wait to hear your take on the film.
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