Humshakal (1974 film)

Humshakal is a 1974 Hindi movie directed by Jambulingam. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Tanuja, Moushumi Chatterjee, Asrani and Aruna Irani. film music pinned by Rahul Dev Burman and lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The film was remake of 1970 Kannada film Baalu Belagithu starring Rajkumar, Jayanthi and Bharati in lead roles which was remade asTelugu movie Manchivadu (1973) starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Vanisri, Kanchana in the pivotal roles. The Hindi movie was later remade as as Tamil movie Oorukku Uzhaippavan (1976) which was successful at the box office.

The songs of the film were extremely popular with Kishore-Asha duet Hum Tum Gum Sum being on the top of charts for more than a year. The tune of Rafi-Lata duet Kahe Ko Bulaya being even adapted as religious song in subsequent decades. Kishore Kumar conisdered the song "Rastaa Dekhe Tera Vyakul Man Mera” – close to his heart. As per the review by Hindu newspaper in 2016, the box office collections of the film were average and film was hit at the box office. The review quoted "Apart from the double role act by Khanna and the decorative inclusion of the pretty Moushumi and Tanuja, it is RD Burman who stands out with some delightful compositions."^[1]

Cast

• Rajesh Khanna ... Ram / Laxman
• Tanuja ... Lalita
• Moushumi Chatterjee ... Radha / Sita
• Ramesh Behl
• Asrani ... Chakram
• Asit Sen
• Jagdeep ... Biharilal
• David Abraham ... Judge
• Aruna

Plot

Radha (Moushumi Chatterjee) is a poor girl and lives with her ailing mother. Once when she is out for buying medicine for her mother a goon tries to outrage her modesty and follows till her house. Laxman (Rajesh Khanna) is also a poor youth. Incidentally, he comes across Radha and saves her from the clutches of the goon. On the request of the dying old lady Laxman promises to take care of her daughter.

Sagar is a gang leader and forces young girls to blackmail rich men. While the gang leader was charging a young girl for not performing her duty well, his informer tells him about two Arab merchants (Rajesh Khanna and Ashrani) who will be present in a ball room party. Sagar reaches the ball room with his man. He asks his man to sit with a revolver and keep eye on the two merchants to find out their real intention. One of the Arab merchants (Rajesh Khanna) dances with a lady (Aruna Irani) and shows her a photograph of three sisters. This lady is also in the photograph. The Arab merchant whispers into her ear that he had promised her dying sister to find out the murderer and thus needs her help. She is about to divulge information about the murderer when the man, who is keeping eye on them, shot her dead.

Laxman, in order to keep his promise to the old lady, takes care of Radha. However, soon society starts questioning about their relationship. In a fit of rage, Laxman marries Radha in a temple. The newly-wedded woman knows nothing about her husband and thus asks him about his work and designation. He tells her that he works in Ratan Mahal in different position according to the demand of the situation, except for the position of the boss.

In Ratan Mahal, all servants greet their boss on his arrival. The six-year-old daughter of the boss called Rani comes out of a room and expresses her anger to dad for being absent for many days from Ratan Mahal. She also wants to know that when he is bringing her mother Lalita (Tanuja) to home. However, she is not aware that her mother is suffering from mental illness and thus staying at an asylum. In the meantime, the search for the murderer is on by the two people, who this time, impersonate as jewellery merchants.

Few years later, new developments take place. Radha gives birth to a baby boy and Lalita recovers from her mental illness. However, doctor warns that any kind of shock would affect her health again. After returning home, Lalita insists to visit a temple on the occasion of Shivratri Puja with her husband and daughter. Inside the temple premises, Rani gets lost and co-incidentally, Radha takes her back to her mother Lalita, who keeps waiting near the car on the road while Rani’s dad keeps searching for her. For this act of kindness, Lalita develops friendship with Radha and invites her to Ratan Mahal. Both the ladies also talk about their respective husband. Things take a shocking turn when Radha’s baby is ill and reaches Ratan Mahal to find her husband Laxman playing the role of Ram, the husband of Lalita and the boss of the Ratan Mahal. She accuses him of cheating both the women. After recalling doctor’s warning about not giving any shock to Lalita, he denies about playing double role. He tells Radha that he is Ram and doesn’t know anything about her.

Later, Radha leaves a letter for her husband informing him about their son’s death and goes missing. On the other hand, Ram needs to visit Mumbai for accomplishing his secret mission of finding the murderer. Lalita insists to go with him. He couldn’t deny the request and thus takes his wife and daughter to Mumbai. They checked in a hotel where Ram receives a call from Chakram (Ashrani), his helper in the secret mission. Lalita hears their conversation and she again falls ill. Ram calls for a doctor. He is shocked to see Radha as the nurse, who is known as Sita.

Ram is about to succeed in his mission when Sagar informs him that his wife and daughter are kidnapped. Ram and his friends come to the kidnapper and fight. Police come there and arrest the gang leader and his goons. Now, the case is in the court where Ram is standing in the witness box and narrates a story.

According to the story, Ram and his wife Lalita had taken their infant girl inside a baby stroller for a walk. While they were talking the baby stroller moved accidentally on the road and a look-alike of Ram saved the baby. Then Ram came to know that he was Laxman and works as a labourer in Ratan Mahal where Ram was the boss. Ram wanted to repay for his kindness but Laxman refused to take anything as his seven generations served at the Ratan Mahal and earned their bread and butter. Meanwhile, Ram remembered that Lalita was lying unconscious on the road. Ram asks Laxman to take care of the baby and sets out to take Lalita to a doctor. On the way, a woman named Mala stops his car and demands a heavy ransom. She calls him to a hotel to receive the money. In the hotel, she tells Ram about Sagar, who had actually forced her to blackmail him. She was asking him to leave the hotel as soon as possible when Sagar arrived, shot her and absconded. Before dying, she tells about her two sisters who were also under the clutches of this gang leader and were forced to blackmail rich people. To recognize them she gives him a photograph.

Now, police were searching Ram on the charges of murdering Mala. Ram asks Laxman to act as Ram and to stay at the Ratan Mahal as the boss. He also gives Laxman the photograph and asks him to search for the murderer. Laxman promised that he would never let anyone know about the name exchange. After listening to Ram, the judge frees him and gives death sentence to the criminal Sagar. At the end Ram and Laxman decide to stay together like two brothers.

Tracks list

1. Hum Tum Gum Sum Raat Milan Ki : Kishore Kumar,Asha Bhosle
2. Rasta Dekhe Tera: Kishore Kumar
3. Kaheko Bulaya Mujhe: Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar
4. Humko Nikaloge Gharse : Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle
5. Main Tumko Doongi Saiyan: Asha Bhosle
6. Udte Chidiya Udte Udte Phas Gayi: Asha Bhosle
7. Dekho Main Kitni Sayani Hoon: Asha Bhosle
8. Jhoomo Tum Nacho:

External links

• Humshakal at the Internet Movie Database

References