KINARA (1977)

Inspired from Douglas Sirk’s ‘Magnificient Obsession’, this Gulzar film is a love story of repentance. I just love the light hearted first half better than the second one which is quite serious and melodramatic one with its projected end. But saying this I must say that Gulzar once again let his viewers connect without any pretentious gimmicks. His gift of sensitive story telling with poise and simplicity, turning the stars of the era so naturally befits into lifelike and unadorned characters and above all natural and inartificial warmth of relationships. Where are such films today? Gulzar spent intial years of his career under the umbrella of his mentor Bimal Roy and one can see his sense of capturing the essence of nature in his films in frames and characters. If Hema Malini’s natural grace and his talent of classical dancer is exploited here so beautifully under the ace Master choreographer Gopi Krishna, the two actors Jeetendra and Dharmendra who're wasted and exploited by unproductive ugly eighties either by B grader mindless revenge violence and mediocre southern remakes. Here both seems characters than stars. Though I believe that Dharmendra is a fine and talented actors than so called jumping jack of the era but even that 'jack' tried to act as natural as possible even while stretching his limit here. Even Jeetendra wonders how unlikely to his musical star image Gulzar made him bespectacled doctor and a tutor in ‘Khushboo’ and ‘Parichay’. Gulzar also achieved fine supporting act from underrated character actor like Dr. Shreeram Lagoo; this is one of his finest one. But the film remains memorable out and out for it’s touchstone compositions.

‘With Gulzar, I would sometimes need a day or two to understand the significance and beauty of his lyrics, and then he would take a couple of days to appreciate my music,’ said Panchamda once in an interview. Pancham-Gulzar is one of the heavenly combination ever happened to Hindi film music and the combination gave some of the most soulful albums that never grow old. I would rate and include Pancham’s classical oriented score of ‘Kinara’ as one of my all-time five favorite Pancham soundtrack and it’s the hallmark of the film. Ever since first time I heard ‘Ek hi Khwab’, Gulzar’s non metric open eye dream wonderfully serenaded and strummed on acoustic guitar by Bhupinder, I just wonder does anybody able to make it such a dearest unique touch in composition or singing? That’s one of my eternal favorite Bhupinder number and he’s undoubtedly brilliant singer shadowed under the era of Kishore Kumar. The film has matchless melodies ranging from Lataji-Bhupinder’s two soulful classic duets ‘Naam Gum Jayega’ and ‘Meethe Bol Bole’ and two touching solos ‘Jaane Kya Soch Kar’ (Kishore Kumar) and ‘Ab ke na Sawan’ (Lataji). 

If for noting else one should watch the film to revisit those golden melodies where purity and soulfulness makes one linger those emotions!