Paheli (1977 film)

Paheli (Hindi: पहेली; translation: riddle) is a 1977 Bollywood film produced by Tarachand Barjatya for Rajshri Productions. This family drama was directed by Prashant Nanda with Satyajeet and Nameeta Chandra playing the lead characters.

Arun Govil, Nameeta Chandra, Poornima Jayaram, Neena Mahapatra and Anita Singh were debutants to Bollywood screen in this film and Suresh Wadkar as playback singer.

Plot

Brij Mohan (Nitin Sethi) leaves his home in village to live in Bombay. His mother (Durga Khote) prefers to stay alone in their palatial home. Brij gets married. His wife gives birth and passes away soon after. After few years, Brij is an established businessman and his son Montu (Satyajeet) is studying final year in school. He asks Montu to visit his grandmother which he agrees reluctantly provided his friends accompany him. The group is besotted with many problems when they reach the village. His friends return to Bombay, leaving Montu with his grandmother. Montu becomes friends with a precocious village girl Gauri (Nameeta Chandra), an orphan living with her cruel aunt, and two equally cruel cousin sisters. Montu and Gauri's friendship blossoms and they meet regularly. He also meets a struggling farmer Balram (Arun Govil), his mother (Leela Mishra), and his fiancee Kanak (Abha Dhulia). Balram would like to go to city, earn money for his marriage which his mother refuses. Against his expectations, Montu finds village life interesting and promises his grandmother to return the next year.

After a year, he finds significant changes in the village. Balram has married and left the village. His ailing mother has died. Gauri refuses to speak with him, while her uncle and aunt are looking for a suitable groom to get her married. Does Montu understand and appreciate changes in the village against the city life, where he has grown up, and visit his grandmother again?

Cast

• Satyajeet - Montu
• Nameeta Chandra - Gauri
• Nitin Sethi - Brij Mohan
• Durga Khote - Brij Mohan's mother
• Arun Govil - Balram
• Leela Mishra - Balram's mother
• A. K. Hangal - Masterji
• Dina Pathak - Masterji's wife
• Birbal - Birbal, Chauffeur
• Abha Dhulia - Kanak
• Shivraj - Vaidji, Kanak's father
• Poornima Jayaram - Champa
• Neena Mahapatra - Roopa
• Anita Singh - Rekha
• Abka Chuliya

Crew

• Director - Prashant Nanda
• Producer - Tarachand Barjatya
• Production Company - Rajshri Productions
• Music Director - Ravindra Jain
• Lyricist - Ravindra Jain
• Playback Singers - Hemalata, Suresh Wadkar

Soundtrack

All songs written and composed by Ravindra Jain. 

External links

• Paheli at the Internet Movie Database