April 23rd, 2010

Phool Aur Patthar (1966)

Phool Aur Patthar (1966)

Phool Aur Patthar (1966)

Cast: Meena Kumari, Dharmendra, Shashikala, O.P. Ralhan

Director: O.P. Ralhan

Music: Ravi

Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Capsule Review: A noteworthy potboiler depicting a forbidden liaison between a widow (Meena Kumari) and a petty criminal (Dharmendra). The sequence in which Dharmendra crept up to the supine heroine in a shirtless, drunken stupor had audiences whistling in delight. The screenplay blended the elements of a typical entertainer with a strong social comment on widow remarriage. The assertive vamp (Shashikala) provided a persuasive counterpoint to the chaste and inviolable widow. It was by far the most fruitful collaborative effort of Dharmendra and Meena Kumari during their much talked-about friendship in the 1960s.

Drama