Pakeezah

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Pakeezah
Directed by Kamal Amrohi
Written by Kamal Amrohi
Starring Meena Kumari
Raj Kumar
Ashok Kumar
Cinematography Josef Wirsching
Language Hindi
IMDb profile
Image:Example.of.complex.text.rendering.svg This article contains Indic text.
Without rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes or other symbols instead of Indic characters; or irregular vowel positioning and a lack of conjuncts.

Pakeezah (Hindi: पाक़ीज़ा, Urdu: پاکیزہ، lit.Virgin, pure of heart) is a 1972 Bollywood film.

It is well remembered by generations of its admirers for its touching story of a courtesan, and for its lovely songs by Lata Mangeshkar. It was the magnum opus of the director, Kamal Amrohi who is known for his perfectionism.

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[edit] Plot

The film is based on a courtier.

[edit] Production

Pakeezah took nearly 14 years to shoot because of change in relationship between Meena Kumari and the director from warm to worse and then back to compromise one. Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi were married when Pakeezah was first conceived. A snippet from the originally recorded 'Inhi logon ne' can be seen on YouTube - [1]

Due to a variety of different factors, Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi parted ways and the film remained incomplete. It was only when Nargis and Sunil dutt saw the rushes of the film that they convinced Meena Kumari to complete it.

The heroine of the movie, Meena Kumari, gave probably the best performance of her career. When initially released in February 1972 the film opened to a lukewarm response and was supposed to be a flop. However after Meena Kumari's untimely death a month later, Pakeezah became a cult classic.

[edit] Details

[edit] Famous songs

Many times, when the lyrics are considered fully in the visual context of the singing in the film and storyline, a fuller understanding can often be achieved in retrospect.

  • Chalte Chalte, Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi. (Translation: While Walking; While going along I met someone. My life has stood still since...)
  • Thade Rahiyo O Banke Yaar, Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri (ठाढ़े रहियो)(Translations: My young lover, keep standing...)
  • Inhi Logon Ne, Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri (Various translations: Lit. These are the men who have snatched away my modesty (dupatta). In olden day, a woman's dupatta or veil was considered a symbol of a her modesty.
  • Mausam Hai Ashiqana, Lyrics: Kamal Amrohi. (Translation: Lit. Weather is lovely; at such a time my heart, find out where my love is.(Deeply Desiring [Because it is the Season for]) True Love.)
  • Chalo Dildar chalo, Lyrics: Kaif Bhopali. (Translation: Come on, my love, come, across the moon let us go; I am ready, let us go)
  • Teer-e-Nazar Dekhenge, Lyrics: Kaif Bhopali. (Various translations: Lit. Today I will see the effect of my prayers. Today I will see gazes from these eyes; I will see wounds in this heart... You are getting shy from looking at my eyes, you are fearing the beat of your own heart; even then you insist to look at wounds of my heart;)

Apart from these songs, the movie contains classical renderings in background composed by Naushad, when he took over the incomplete job of Ghulam Mohammed. Ghulam Mohammed had passed away by the time the film was nearing release so Naushad was brought in to complete the background score. These renderings are presented in the voice of the veteran singer Rajkumari, Parveen Sultana, Vani Jairam and Naseem Bano Chopra. Also the title track sung by Lata that appears at the beginning of the film is also composed by Naushad.

[edit] External Links