Rajinigandha (1974) : : Flowery cinema !
In the early 70s, famous Hindi authoress, Mannu Bhandari, had written a short story,” yahi sach hai (This is the truth)” where she explores the life of a young lady who is entangled between two lovers in her life.
Heroine of the story, Deepa, lives in Kanpur where she is writing her doctoral thesis. She loves a young man Sanjay who works in a Pvt. Co. Sanjay is a carefree, extrovert, outspoken and a cheerful person who always remains happy. Even when he curses his official conditions and abuses his bosses, he does it with full melodramatic effect in his sayings. Nothing on heart!
He believes in direct action and on the other hand, Deepa, believes in subtle ways, but by that way writer shows the difference between male and female. When she hopes he will be little soft in dealing and will understand things from her point of view and will consider her problems then she finds him talking about his official problems and given her nature she cant say about her thinking, her problems as she has a feeling that he will not consider them in a way as she likes. Thus she keeps quite most of the time when they meet but once Sanjay is gone away she is filled with his thoughts only.
Sanjay has gone out of the city for few days on an official trip and Deepa is just passing her time in his absence. She can’t concentrate on her thesis. The playing of children residing in same building seems a noise for her. She is in the “Missing Sanjay a lot” phase and she knows very well that he is out and yet she waits for him to come and meet her. She waits that he would bring flowers for her. She changes clothes and wears beautiful Saree having big flowers printed on it to change her mood. She even sings a song, [one of the most beautiful song, Lata Mangeshkar sung]
“ Rajaniigandhaa Phuul tumhaare mahake yun hii jeevan mein
Jaise mahake preet piyaa kee mere anuraagee man Mein
Har Pal Meree In Aankhon mein Bas Rahate Hain Sapane Unake
Man kahataa hai main Rangon kii ek pyaar bharee badalee banakar
barsun unake jeevan Mein
Adhikaar Ye Jabase Saajan Kaa Har Dhadhakan Par Maanaa
Mai Jabase Unake Saath Bandhii Ye Bhed Tabhii Jaanaa Maine
Kitanaa Sukh Hai Bandhan Mein “
Deepa had applied for a post and she gets an interview letter. Interview has to be held at Culcutta and she misses Sanjay even more in these circumstances, as he could have gone with her. But she has no choice as Sanjay has to come back after 2-3 days and if she waits for him then she would miss her interview. She decides to go alone and sends a telegram to her friend Ira, living in CulCutta. After reaching at Culcutta, Ira enquires about her interview, post etc. In the evening when she is sitting in a café with Ira, She sees Naveen also there, she tries to steal away her eyes from him but he also sees her and comes to their table. Deepa introduces him to Ira. He asks Deepa why she is here in Culcutta? She tells him about the interview. He says he would get all possible informations about the job. She wishes to stop him and feels why he should do efforts for her? But she cant say anything. She goes back in memories of her college days.
Deepa and Naveen are classmates and love each other. Naveen is bit revolutionary in thoughts and is involved in student politics. He has anger towards everything present in the established system. Deepa does not like his temperament and anger and feels that he is more interested in politics and shows less care towards her. They develop some differences between them and after college life Deepa has no contact with Naveen.
Later she meets Sanjay and falls in love with him. Naveen is now a forgotten past for her.
But when Ira calls Naveen and tells him that Deepa is here and she has interview in such and such company and when Naveen says that he is coming to meet them then Deepa feels that’s she is unable to stop her mind and its thinking about Naveen.
She is uncomfortable with the thoughts that how she would behave before Naveen and how would she react. Her mind is occupied with the thoughts of Naveen. Naveen comes with all the informations, concerning the post for which Deepa has applied. He assures her that he has talked to the boss of that Company and Deepa would definetly get this job. Ira asks Naveen to accompany Deepa next day while she goes for her Interview. Deepa is frustrated and angry with her because she finds her noticing that what physical changes have occurred in Naveen. She wishes to resist thoughts related to him but cant succeed and later she is completely in under influence of Naveen.
Deepa is sitting in the taxi with Naveen and she is completely occupied with the thoughts of Naveen. She feels that her Saree is touching the body of Naveen and it brings her a pleasure. She desires that Naveen would say sorry for the past and she imagines a lot that he would be doing this and that. But Naveen, being an introvert, does not do any such thing and time passes. Deepa has to go back and she is at railway station, though Naveen has said that he has some work but still she waits for him and she knows and desires also that he would/should come. She is sitting in the train and when train is about to leave she sees Naveen who comes to her. She feels that he wishes to say so many things but he cant express his feelings by saying. Train starts moving and she is waiting for Naveen to say something but he only keeps his hand on her hand and that touch says it in subtle way. Eyes are saying but his lips cant say and soon train catches the speed and Deepa is travelling with the memories of past 2 days.
She has seen a much caring, introvert Naveen, who feels a lot but cant express his true feelings. More distance, train covers, and more Deepa comes back in to the reality that now she has left Culcutta behind. She knows if she joins this job then it would be difficult for her to resist her feelings and attraction towards Naveen.
As train is approaching Kanpur, Sanjay’s memories also knock her mind and she is trapped between two attractions of her life. Two entirely different personalities and both love her in their own way. Naveen was her past but he has come back again in her life. Sanjay came later in his life but belongs to her present life.
What she should do and what she would do?
Rajinigandha beautifully takes us on the journey of feelings and thoughts of Deepa and we, audience, curiously watch her confusions, her spilt in to two parts and later her final decision. She finally selects one of them and surrenders in his arms as if she has come back from a tiring journey. They are standing there embracing each other, kissing each other, responding each other, with all their feelings towards each other. Sweet smell of Rajinigandha flowers, is spread every where.
Basu Chaterjee had directed this film based on the above mentioned famous short story and his selection of actors in three lead roles wins half the game for him and rest the job is done deftly by his able direction.
Vida Sinha plays Deepa here and she lives the character in true manner and it does not look she is acting in the film and she is not Deepa.
Amol Palekar plays the carefree Sanjay and brings a charm before us. Very convincing actor in such roles.
Dinesh Thakur plays the Naveen and utilizes his skill to expose the traits of the character.
Salil Chaudhari is the music director and he gives us two beautiful song. One is sung by Lata and another by Mukesh.
Yogesh has written the lyrics and second song sung by Mukesh, justifies the feelings of Deepa, the central character, in perfect manner. This song epitomises the confusions of Deepa.
“Kai Baar Yun Hee Dekhaa Hai
Ye Jo Man Kee Siimaa Rekhaa Hai
Man Todane Lagataa Hai
Anjaanee Pyaas Ke Peechhe
Anjaanee Aas Ke Peechhe, Man Daurhane Lagataa Hai
Raahon mein, Raahon Mein, Jeevan Kii Raahon Mein
Jo Khile Hain Phuul Phuul Muskuraake
Kaun Saa Phuul Churaake, Rakh Luun Man Mein Sajaake
Kai Baar Yun Hee Dekhaa Hai
Jaanun Na, Jaanun Na, Ulajhan Ye Jaanun Na
Sulajhaaun Kaise Kuchh Samajh Na Paunn
Kisako Meet Banaaun, Kisakii Priit Bhulaaun
Kai Baar Yun Hee Dekhaa Hai ”
If one likes light romantic film then this is a must watch. A nice and sober love story and film is based on high quality literature. Its based on a short story and suitably further develops the shades of the characters in right direction. Nothing of the story is lost in the film and it gives equal or more pleasure.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
RK..agree compltly. Thnx for those lyrics. Love both the songs.
Thanks RK,
Mukesh’s “Kai Baar Yun Hee Dekhaa Hai” is a personal favorite, perfect tune, excellent lyrics and not that bad picturization.
Thanks for this RK…The title song used to be on infinite loop on my dad’s Record Player..it was Lata at her best…a very beautiful film…middle class values were at its prime during this phase in Bollywood and Basu Chatterjee, Hrishda mastered it…
Chitchor next?
Phoenix, Nitin:
Thanks for comments. Not necessarily but if get chance then pls. try to read the short story “Yahi sach hai” also and then you will really admire the picturisation and presentation.:)
OM: I hope when your own childrens are grown up and some day feel love is blossoming in their heart, Lata’s song will be playing in your home.:)
with such gems given by Lata, Rafi’s song comes in mind, “Tumsa nahin dekha”,
sorry “Tumsa nahin Suna”.
This is true its Middle class cinema. It does not attack on middle class to curse their present situations and to look always for riches to have Maza factor of Raichands, Singhanias, oberoys and other filmi rich families.
pls dont call it light romantic,,,,,,,,,its heavy,,,,,in a good way!
RK
All I can say thanks for bringing back the delight of middle class.Thanks indeed.
Anshul: heavy? in what way? its thandi hawa ka jhonka,
which can bring cold feeling if body is having temperature else its a nice feeling.;)
@RK: Is there any way to lay hands on the short story you mentioned, “Yahi Sach Hai”? maybe online, book? More information please …
Nitin: This short story you may find in
Thanks a ton RK for such a detailed information. You are the man !!
Unfortunately I’m not in India, that’s why the whole online business
Nonetheless I’ll keep searching here in US.
Thanks again for your reply.