ALBELA (1951)

Bhagwan Dada made whole India crazy with this musical blockbuster film of its time. May be it’s the only super hit he gave in his entire career. The credit goes to two Marathi Manus. The first one was Bhagwan Dada himself who’s all one man show here. This little unlikely hero not only acted brilliantly his part, but also wrote the story-scenes, directed and produced the film under his own productions. The other is song composer C Ramchandra, who gave perhaps the best score of his lifetime. Almost all tracks of the film are just immortal classics both in audio and visual sense. Whether its finest lullaby by Lata- “Dheere se aajari ankhiyan me”, “Mere Dil ki ghadi kare tik tik”, “Kismat ki hawa kabhi naram kabhi garam”, “Shola jo bhadke”, “Shaam dhale khidki tale” and absolutely audience favorite “Bholi surat dil ke khote”. The song sequences seems so cohesive and naturally synchronized that it’s hard to tell whether scenes were filmed first or songs!!!

The film is about Pyare, a man born to entertain others with his flair in act, singing and dance. Destiny makes a twist with his own career but not with his poverty stricken family. The film ends with happy note- a hero gets his family along with partner of his life and career. But more than story it is the sincere and entertaining effort of story telling with music which is the heart of the film.

Like great Chaplin or our own Kishoreda, Bhagwan Dada had natural flair for light comedy and dance with his own unique signature style. He’s so natural and effortless that it’s hard to separate his reel image from real image. It’s bloody difficult to enact and direct comedy or musical so naturally and though it’s always tragedy or drama which takes all prize and laurels from everywhere. Comedians of yesteryears never get their due in India, nobody considers comedian a serious or sincere actors like other tragic or romantic superstars.

Anybody’s heart missed a beat for Indian Venus Madhubala. Watch Gita Bali in this film and same can be applied to her too. She looks so fabulous & so graceful in every frame.
No exaggeration to say its one of the Best Indian Musical I ever seen.

Ratings-8.5/10