Aah (film)

Aah

Theatrical poster
Directed by Raja Nawathe
Produced by Raj Kapoor
Written by Inder Raj Anand
Starring Raj Kapoor
Nargis
Music by Shankar Jaikishan
Cinematography Jaywant Pathare
Edited by G.G. Mayekar
Production
company
Release dates
  • 22 March 1953 (1953-03-22)
Running time
 150 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Box office ₹70,00,000[1]

Aah is a 1953 black and white Bollywood romantic drama film starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis in lead roles. The film was produced by Raj Kapoor and directed by Raja Nawathe. This was Nawathe's first independent directorial venture. He had previously worked as assistant director to Kapoor in Aag (1948), Barsaat (1949) and Awaara (1951).

The film was rated "Below Average" at the box office[1] but has various hit songs like "Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat", "Aaja Re Ab Mera Dil Pukara" and "Jaane Na Nazar". The song "Chhoti Si Yeh Zindagani" sung by Mukesh was also picturised on him. Subsequently, the film was later dubbed in Tamil as Avan and Telugu as Prema Lekhalu .[2]

Plot

Raj Raibahadur (Raj Kapoor) lives a wealthy lifestyle with his father, a widowed businessman. One day Raj is sent to work at the countryside Saraswati Dam. His father one day visits him and tells him how his deceased mother wished that he be married to Chandra (played by Vijayalaxmi), the daughter of his rich family friend. Raj decides to write a letter to Chandra which she completely ignores. But Chandra's younger sister Neelu (Nargis) acknowledges the letter and responds to it in Chandra's name. After few letters Raj and Neelu fall in love, but Raj is still unaware that it is Neelu who writes to him. Just then Raj is diagnosed with tuberculosis, the same disease that killed his mother. Raj decides to pretend that he never loved Neelu and also insists that she should marry his physician friend, Dr. Kailash (Pran). He also flirts with Chandra to make Neelu believe that he does not love her. Chandra decides to end the suffering of her sister, who is sobbing for her love-loss. Upon learning the truth, Neelu accepts Raj as he is. Miraculously, Raj also turns well and both lead for a happy life.

Theme and plot change

The theme of the tragic hero and the sufferings of the heroine was inspired from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's famous novel Devdas, which has also been inspiration to various other films.[3]

The end of the film originally showed Neelu marrying Dr. Kailash at Raj's insistence; Raj dies while Neelu's wedding procession is passing by. But at the premiere, Kapoor realised that this film would not work. Kapoor said,

The atmosphere in an auditorium is like a living, palpitating thing. It told me again and again: "Your picture is a flop."[4]

The end of the film was then changed from a tragic one to the happy one, but the change destroyed the thematic unity of the text. Bunny Reuben, who wrote Kapoor's biography Raj Kapoor, The Fabulous Showman, gives his rationale for the change: "The film had some of Shankar-Jaikishan's loveliest music, and a 'Devdas'-ian tragic ending which was changed to the conventional happy ending because the film didn't do well in its first release."[3]

Cast

Music

Composed by the musical duo Shankar Jaikishan.

Hindi songs for the film are written by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri.

No. TitleLyricsSinger(s) Length
1. "Jaane Na Nazar"  Hasrat JaipuriLata Mangeshkar, Mukesh 03:38
2. "Jhanan Jhanan Jhanan"  Hasrat JaipuriLata Mangeshkar 02:52
3. "Jo Main Jaanti"  ShailendraLata Mangeshkar, Mukesh 03:25
4. "Raat Andheri Door Savera"  Hasrat JaipuriMukesh 03:02
5. "Aaja Re Ab Mera Dil Pukara"  Hasrat JaipuriLata Mangeshkar, Mukesh 03:44
6. "Yeh Shyam Ki Tanhaiyan"  ShailendraLata Mangeshkar 03:23
7. "Sunte The Naam"  ShailendraLata Mangeshkar 03:06
8. "Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat"  ShailendraLata Mangeshkar 03:29
9. "Chhoti Si Yeh Zindagani"  ShailendraMukesh 03:34

Tamil songs for the film are written by Kambadasan.

No. TitleLyricsSinger(s) Length
1. "Kann Kaanaadhadhum Manam Kannduvidum"  KambadasanJikki, A. M. Rajah 03:38
2. "Jalakku Jalakku Jalakku Jalakku"  KambadasanJikki 02:52
3. "Aahaa Naan Indru Arindhukonden"  KambadasanJikki 03:25
4. "Kaarirul Neram Kaalaiyo Dhooram"  KambadasanA. M. Rajah 03:02
5. "Anbe Vaa"  KambadasanJikki, A. M. Rajah 03:44
6. "Ekaanthamaam Immaalaiyil"  KambadasanJikki 03:23
7. "Un Perai Ketten Thendralthanil Naan"  KambadasanJikki 03:06
8. "Kalyaana Oorvalam Varum"  KambadasanJikki 03:29
9. "Minnal Polaagum Indha Vaazhkkaiye"  KambadasanA. M. Rajah 03:34

Telugu songs for the film are written by Aarudhra.[5] Amongst them Panditlo Pellauthunnadi song is an evergreen track played at many marriage functions even today.

No. TitleLyricsSinger(s) Length
1. "Neevewaravo Chiru Naawulato"  AarudhraJikki, A. M. Rajah 03:38
2. "Jalakku Jalakku Jalakku Jalakku"  AarudraJikki 02:52
3. "Ghallu... Gajjela Sangeetam"  AarudraJikki 03:25
4. "Vidi Rakasi"  AarudraA. M. Rajah 03:02
5. "Raaraada Madhi Ninne"  AarudraJikki, A. M. Rajah 03:44
6. "Ekaanthamu Saayantramu"  AarudraJikki 03:23
7. "Neeku Purtigaa Telusunugaa"  AarudraJikki 03:06
8. "Panditlo Pellauthunadhi"  AarudraJikki 03:29
9. "Padu Jeevithamu"  AarudraA. M. Rajah 03:34

References

  1. 1 2 "Box office 1953". Boxofficeindia.com. Retrieved 14 Feb 2012.
  2. ↑ "Her tantalising voice will live forever...". The Hindu. Aug 20, 2004. Retrieved Feb 18, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Vijay Mishra (2002). Bollywood Cinema: Temples of Desire. Routledge. pp. 104–105. ISBN 0-415-93015-4.
  4. ↑ Bunny Reuben (1995). Raj Kapoor, The Fabulous Showman: An intimate biography. Indus. p. 108. ISBN 81-7223-196-2.
  5. ↑ "Premalekhalu (1953)". Ghantasala Galamrutamu (in Telugu). Kolluri Bhaskara Rao. Retrieved 3 March 2016.

External links

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