Andaz
Dilip Kumar’s Andaz (1949), helmed by the legendary Mehboob Khan, will remain a special film, at least for lovers of ‘love triangles’. Andaz is regarded as one of the first Bollywood love triangle movies. It deals with the pathos of man, who fails to get his love. Dilip Kumar, Nargis and Raj Kapoor form this triangle. Though the film begins on a romantic note, the film takes turn when Dilip Kumar’s love for Nargis transforms into obsession.
Yash Chopra’s 1993 move ‘Darr’, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Sunny Deol and Juhi Chawla, shows how Shah Rukh Khan’s love for Juhi Chawla turns into obsession. Dilip Kumar’s performance in Andaz is matchless because instead of overdoing things, he believes in himself and delivers one of the finest performances in Hindi cinema. The film’s music was provided by Naushad and lyrics written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. Interestingly, it is the only film to feature Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor together.
Nargis (plays the character of Neena) befriends Dilip Kumar (plays the character of Dilip) after the latter saves her. Slowly but surely, Dilip’s love for Neena changes to love and things begin taking a bad shape for him when Raj Kapoor (Rajan), her fiancé, returns from London. Earlier, Neena loses her father on the day Dilip plans to propose her. He comforts a devastated Neena. Neena and Rajan get married. Dilip, hoping against hope, reveals his true feelings to Neena on the wedding day. This remains Andaz’s one of the most poignant and important moments.
A shocked Neena finds herself short of words. Cut to the future. Neena and Rajan have a daughter. Dilip comes with a gift. Neena tries to tell Dilip that she does not love him and that he should leave. She tries to tell this while taking advantage of the blackout (electricity cuts off). But she mistakes Rajan for Dilip in the dark. She tells all this to Rajan, instead of Dilip.
A furious Rajan accuses Neena (affair with Dilip). In a fit of rage, Rajan hits Dilip and leaves his unconscious. Dilip, now half mad, awakens and tries to molest Neena. Neena shots him dead. Mehboob Khan brought intensity to these scenes and makes us realise how important it is to have a fine sense of judgment. He shows how misunderstandings ruin friendship, love and relation.
Rajan does not save Neena. But he realises his folly when he reads a Dilip’s letter (hidden in the doll that he gifts to Rajan and Neena’s daughter). Dilip writes Rajan is lucky to have Neena in his life. The judge sentences Neena to life imprisonment. A remorseful Rajan comes to see her before been taken away, one of Hindi cinema’s most heart-breaking endings.
Disclaimer: The above review solely illustrates the views of the writer.