BANDINI (1963)

Bandini is story of Kalyani (Nutan), a young, innocent, well behaved and ever willing to help any one and she was in jail. How could such a pure woman committed a crime of murder and landed in jail? The young and handsome jail Doctor (Dharmendra) has soft corner for her and proposes a marriage but she does not respond. It is after Doctor left her, she revealed her past to kind jailor (Tarun Bose). What’s her past? Why is she in prison? Will she accept Doctor’s love? It would be insulting for such a fine artistic film if I reveal it all.

Nutan was Bimal Roy’s favorite actress and after ‘Sujata’ he repeated her here in one more memorable role of her career. There’s no second opinion that it’s out and out actress film.With all her natural expressions she gave simply her best performance of lifetime. She also won her second Filmfare in bimal Roy film. The film also have veteran actor Ashok Kumar and young Dharmendra and both of them maintained the grace of Bimal Roy film.

Even after so many years back the memorable melodies composed by S D Burman draws any Indian music lover into trance. The songs not only contained a part of script but enhanced the film’s emotional high too. The film bears special mention of three golden songs: “Mora gora ang lai le…” (Lata), “Ab ke Baras…” (Asha) and “O Jaanewale ho sake to…” (Mukesh). For the old Hindi film buffs its worth to note that its Gulzar’s first film as lyricist and he finely penned “Mora gora ang laile…”
Just like most of the Bimal Roy films, the film swept Fimfare Awards, winning 6 trophies for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Sound Recording, Best Story and Best B&W Cinematography. It also bagged National Award for Best Hindi Film.

Bimal Roy’s social reformist cinema once again successfully raised a question of setting an example of treating prisoners as human beings without being much didactic in tone. At the same time he presented a fine portrait of Everyday Indian woman on whose sacrifice our male dominated paternal society having its last laugh.

Ratings-8.5/10