FilmIndia (Feb-Dec 1949)

*OUR REVIEW " Dil-Ki-Duniya " Draws Crowds I At Kamal ! Mazhar Khan's Masterly Performance ! It was a happy surprise to see mother picture from Mazhar Khan. Quite a few people had thought that Mazhar Khan has had enough of motion picture production to be up and doing once again. But in "Dilci-Duniya" he is back again with a vengeance with all his flair for somehing new and dramatic. Mazhar is a very sincere and ;onscientious producer. He always strives to give something different, something sensible and something imbitious. He never uses the usual Hvolous and poisonous box-office arescription to regale the idiotic nasses to make mere money. "Dil-ki-Duniya" is a picture in ceeping with these ideals of its prohicer. Not that the picture is anyluere near being perfect but it has n it seeds of thought and versatility n addition to the picture having veil-balanced production values. MISUNDERSTOOD MAN! It is a story of a lone man who las suffered much in life and seen lis affectionate attachments being orn away from him one by one. The last one whom Lalaji loses is his inly grown-up daughter who dies uddenly whilst singing to the rhyhm of Lalaji's sitar. Lalaji cannot get over this shock nd he sees a glimpse of his daughter n every young maiden of his village, lalf-crazy with the grief, which he eeps green by peering in the face f every damsel he sees, Lalaji is oon misunderstood as a vicious old lan with a weakness for young wolen. The village folks, wallowing i the muck of their own filthv noughts and veiling their vision ith shades of their own sins, ondemn this afflicted old man as sex-obsessed maniac and describe im as a menace to society. Little id they realize that the old man 'as searching for a daughter to cover er with the affectionate love he had )r his own departed one and in doig so quench the thirst of his itherly heart. One day the ever-searching old ■an meets Lalna, a street dancer, DIL-KI-DUNIYA Producers: Noble Art Productions Language: Hindustani Story & Songs: Zia Sarhady Music: Pt. Gobindram Photography: Saju Naik Audiography : Allaudin Cast: Mil n iia »ar Sultana, Gita Bali, Mazhar Khan, Jaswant, Madan Puri etc. Released At: Kamal, Bombay Date of Release: 14th May 1949 Directed By: MAZHAR KHAN and in her sees the glimpse of his own daughter. When Lalna's own father dies, she shifts herself to Lalaji's house to live as his daughter. The old man is happy again but the villagers twist this comradery to suit their own evil minds and plan punitive measures against both, Lalaji and Lalna. Lalna has in the meantime fallen in love with Anil Kumar, a wealthy young man, whose married life is vitiated by his scheming brother-inlaw who has helped to alienate the wife from her husband. Unhappy and miserable in his own home, Anil meets Lalna on the hill near the village and snatches some hours of bliss in her company. The town starts talking now as all towns do but Lalaji doesn't yet hear the scandal. Pretty soon the villagers smash Lalaji's shop and home and compel him to take up work in Anil Kumar's household. There Lalaji meets Neena, Anil's wife, and with his experienced eyes he sees the tragedy of a broken home. Very soon, Neena's brother makes an attempt to poison Anil to appropriate his wealth. But fate holds the poison cup in the wrong hand and takes it to the wrong lips, killing Billo, the young sister of Neena. The brother now quits the field in fear, leaving Neena alone to face her destiny. At this stage Lalaji learns of Anil's love affair with Lalna. He comes home a sad and miserable man and talks to Lalna about Anil's young wife. He points out to her the folly of building her love nest on the ruins of a married home. The girl goes to the hill top to meet her lover for the last time and there she succeeds in convincing Anil of her disloyalty. Anil rushes back to his waiting wife but Lalna does not return home in time. Lalaji rushes to her rescue despite the steep climb and the waters of a burst dam rushing out in a death dealing fury. Though the dam suddenly appears in the story to help Mazhar Khan revive the memories of his work in "Padosi", the rushing waters provide a dramatic ending to the story when they drop the final curtain on the physical existence of Lalaji. It is a pathetic ending. MAZHAR'SPET ROLE! The picture is very well produced, with the exception of the crazy-angle shots which Mazhar uses without any psychological reason. The music of Pandit Gobindram is very attractive. The photography is pleasant throughout. The dialogue is philosophic and beautiful in parts. Mazhar Khans direction is very good. Mazhar Khan, who takes the camera most of the time, plays the old grief-stricken Lalaji. Mazhar Khan delights in such cranky, melodramatic roles since the one he played in Debaki Babu's "Sonehra Saiisar". He gives an excellent performance in the present role too and takes thundering applause whenever his fingers deftly move over the sitar. Munnawar Sultana looks pretty in. this picture, thanks to Saju Naik. She plays Neena with the requisite dignity and emotion; Geeta Bali plays Lalna and gives a smart performance in addition to a smart dance. Jaswant. evidently a new boy plays Anil Kumar. His little figure.' puerile poise, jerky movements, and blank face— all shriek out in a chorus his utterly amateurish effort Well, "Dil-ki-Duniya" is a melodramatic affair which may appeal to the crowds all over the country. It has attractive music in addition. Did you dust your grey matter with "Grey Dust"? 51