Dilip Kumar in Filmistan's Shabnam (1949) - has a "Yo! Ho! Ho! and a bottle of Rum" look

This latest Filmistan picture running to crowded houses at Roxy for many weeks now is a picture which does credit to S. Mukerji the producer, who gave us in the past pictures like Kangan, Bandhan, Naya Sansar etc. There are no less than ten songs, several dance numbers in which the selection of artistes has been made very discreetly with a certain eye on the box office. The result is a picture to which sex starved thirsty humanity will throng. Though the picture has fine settings, beautiful costumes, good comedy, pleasing photography, excellent sound recording, yet an idealist or utilitarian reviewer cannot help feeling that all this skill and equipment would have been harnessed much better, social and patriotic purpose by Filmistan Ltd.

The picture lacks a well-connected story. Indeed it is all disjointed and unbelievable episodes come one after another on an astonishing scale. One cannot get away from the idea that those responsible for the production happened to see Chandralekha and having been impressed by its phenomenal success could not get over the temptation of imitating some scenes or ideas therefrom or at least taking inspiration from there. The flashback technique has been effectively used, yet all things considered Shabnam can be rated as fine entertainment but disappointing pictorial story.

Kamini Kaushal has been at her best in this picture, particularly before interval. Light hearted acting, grace of body and features, and understanding, easily place her above everybody. After his performance in Andaz Dilip Kumar has raised certain expectations but it must be said that he does not fulfill them in Shabnam. Mubarak and Jeevan are as satisfactory as ever. Paro and Cuckoo who are responsible for the dance numbers and do very good work indeed and even there, the palm must go to Paro who excels Cuckoo in spite of the latter’s better looks and presentability. We, however want to emphasize that Filmistan Ltd. must employ their resources capacity and superior talents to much more important social and patriotic purpose as entertaining the masses cannot alone be sufficient function for men like Messrs. Chuni Lall and Shashadhar Mukerji (The Motion Picture Magazine, September 1949)

Cast and Production Credits

Year – 1949, Genre – Musical/Costume, Country – India, Language – Hindi, Producer – Filmistan,  Director – B. Mitrai, Music Director –S. D. Burman, Cast - Paro, Mubarak, Cuckoo, Haroon, Kamini Kaushal, Dilip Kumar, Jeevan, Rajendra Singh, Shyama

Nargis in Deedar (1951)

Adapting much of the K.L. Saigal type of melodrama, the tale opens with adolescents Shamu (Dilip Kumar) and childhood sweetheart Mala (Nargis). Mala’s rich father (Sapru) disapproves and when the children have an accident while horse-riding (a portent of the tragedy to come), he has Shamu and his mother evicted. The trauma kills the mother and turns Shamu blind. He is rescued and brought up by Champa (Nimmi) and her canny guardian, Choudhury (Yakub). Champa loves Shamu but he cannot forget Mala. Dr Kishore (Ashok Kumar), an eye surgeon moved by the music Shamu sings on the streets, restores the hero’s eyesight. Shamu then sees that Mala, to whom he has dedicated his life, is engaged to his benefactor, Dr Kishore, and he puts his eyes out again.

Dilip Kumar’s best-known tragic performance clearly evokes the Oedipus legend with blindness signifying an escape from the unbearable present and mourning for a lost innocence. The film, however, splits its 1ead protagonists, e.g. through turn-wipes repeatedly juxtaposing Dilip against Ashok Kumar and Nargis against Nimmi, a technique that evokes the Bengali literary melodrama (as does the cliche of the eye operation). In spite of the many unimaginative and maudlin sequences, some attempts at realism resemble aspects of Satyajit Ray’s approach, e.g. the long track along the kitchen floor in Champa’s hovel or the changing light patterns on the ceiling behind Shamu when he sings Naseeb dar pe tere azmaane aya boon. The film was edited by Bimal Roy and contains some of the best songs composed by Naushad and sung by Mohd. Rafi, Lata, Shamshad Begum and G.M. Durrani including Bachpan kai din bhula na dena, Chaman mein reh kai veerana, Dekh liya maine and Meri kahani bhoolne waley.

Cast and Production Credits

Year – 1951, Genre – Drama, Country – India, Language – Hindi, Producer – Filmkar, Director – Nitin Bose, Music Director – Naushad, Cast - Dilip Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Nargis, Nimmi, Yakub, Tabassum, Rattan Kumar and Sapru.

Dilip Kumar in Devdas (1956)

Cast: Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen,Vyjanthimala, Motilal

Director: Bimal Roy

Music: S.D. Burman

Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

Capsule Review: Bimal Roy’s faithful and fiercely intimate adaptation of Saratchandra Chatterjee’s classic tragedy about a self-absorbed hero who destroys his own happiness in pursuit of love, is leagues removed from P.C. Barua’s minimalist version in 1935 and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s flamboyant epic in 2002. Roy’s deep-focussed character study looks at Devdas Chatterjee (Dilip Kumar) as a narcissist whose self- absorbed romanticism destroys those very things that it loves, including himself. Kamal Bose’s exquisite black-and-white photography captures the essence of the theme. The sordid backlanes and gullies of Kolkata are recreated with the same mellow meticulousness as the unspoilt village where Devdas and Paro grow into love. More naturalistic than stylized, Bimal Roy’s Devdas conveys a quaint majest in its epic thrust.