Madhumati is a 1958 Hindi film produced and directed by Bimal Roy, and written by Ritwik Ghatak and Rajinder Singh Bedi. The music for the film was composed by Salil Choudhury with lyrics written by Shailendra. The film stars Dilip Kumar and
Vyjayantimala in the lead roles along with Pran and Johnny Walker. It was one of the earliest films to deal with reincarnation and had a gothic noir feel to it.[1] The first and only collaboration between Roy and Ghatak, it was one of their most commercially successful and influential films.[2]
Janam Janam, the 1988 Hindi film starring Rishi Kapoor is a remake of Madhumati. In 2007, Farah Khan and Shahrukh Khan made a new film, Om Shanti Om, that uses some plot elements from Madhumati, but did not credit the earlier film.
Contents [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Awards and nominations
4 Track listing
5 Influence
6 Trivia
7 Golden Jubilee
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Plot[edit]
On a stormy night, Devendra (Dilip Kumar), an engineer, drives down a hill road with his friend, to fetch his wife and child from the railway station. A landslide blocks their path and the friends take shelter in an old mansion just off the road. Devendra finds the house uncannily familiar. In the large front room he finds an old portrait which he recognizes. His friend and the old caretaker join him, and Devendra, amidst flashes of memory from another life, sits down to tell his story while the storm rages outside. Anand (Dilip Kumar) had come to Shyamnagar Timber Estate as its new manager. An artist in his spare time, he roamed the hills and forests with his sketching pad and fell in love with Madhumati (Vyjayantimala), a tribal girl whose songs have haunted him from a distance. Soon Anand meets his employer, Ugranarayan (Pran), a ruthless and arrogant man. Anand refuses to bend down to him like the others, and incurs his wrath. Anand also has enemies among his staff who have been fudging the accounts till his arrival. Sent away on an errand suddenly, he returns to find that Madhumati has disappeared. Anand learns from Charandas how Madhumati had been taken to Ugranarayan in his absence. He confronts Ugranarayan whose men beat him unconscious. Anand's life is saved, but his mind wanders. One day in the forest he meets a girl who looks exactly like Madhumati. She says she is Madhavi (Vyjayantimala), but Anand refuses to believe her and is beaten up by her companions when he tries to plead with her. Madhavi finds a sketch of Madhumati in the forest and realizes he was speaking the truth. She takes the sketch to the rest house where Anand now stays and learns his story from Charandas. Meanwhile Anand is haunted by the spirit of Madhumati who tells him that Ugranarayan is her killer. Seeing Madhavi at a dance recital where she dresses as a tribal girl, he appeals to her to pose as Madhumati and appear before Ugranarayan and help him get a confession out of him. She agrees.
Returning to Ugranarayan's palace, Anand begs permission to do a portrait of him. Next evening with a storm brewing outside Anand paints Ugranarayan. At the stroke of eight, Ugranarayan sees the pretend-Madhumati in front of him. Shaken, and goaded by the pretend-Madhumati, he confesses the truth. The police who have been waiting outside the room now come and take him away. Anand suddenly realizes that the questions "Madhavi" asked were on matters unknown to him. How could Madhavi know where Madhumati was buried? "Madhavi" just smiles and moves towards the stairs. Now the real Madhavi, dressed as Madhumati, rushes into the room. She is late, for the car failed on the way. Anand realizes that Madhumati's ghost had made an appearance, and runs up to the terrace where the ghost beckons to him. Madhumati had fallen from the same terrace trying to escape Ugranarayan. Anand follows the ghost, falling to his own death. Devendra's story is over. "But," he says "I finally did have Madhumati as my wife. In this life — Radha." Just then news arrives that the train in which his wife was traveling has met with an accident. The road the friends were to take is cleared, and then they rush to the station. From one of the coaches, Devendra's wife Radha (Vyjayantimala) appears unhurt with her baby.
Cast[edit]
Dilip Kumar as Anand / Deven
Vyjayanthimala as Madhumati / Madhavi / Radha
Johnny Walker as Charandas
Pran as Raja Ugra Narayan
Jayant as Pawan Raja (Madhumati's Father)
Ramayan Tiwari as Bir Singh
Ranjit Sood
Shivji Bhai
Tarun Bose as Doctor (Deven's Colleague)
Awards and nominations[edit]
Madhumathi was the record holder for the most awards (9) received by a film at the Filmfare Awards for 37 years until the release of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge which won ten awards. The film had multiple screenings since its release screened; 10th Bite The Mango Film Festival (2004), 4th Pune International Film Destival (2006) and Toronto Film Festival (2011).[3][4][5]
Ceremony Award Category Nominee Outcome Note Ref.
31st Academy Awards Academy Award India's official submission for Best Foreign Language Film Bimal Roy Not Nominated Second film submitted by India [6]
[7]
National Film Awards 6th National Film Awards[8] Best Feature Film in Hindi Won Initially known as President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi
Filmfare Awards 6th Filmfare Awards Best Film Received on behalf of Bimal Roy Productions
Best Director
Best Actor Dilip Kumar Nominated
Best Actress Vyjayanthimala Vyjayanthimala won Best Actress Award for Sadhna
Best Supporting Actor Johnny Walker Won
Best Music Director Salil Choudhury
Best Female Playback Singer Lata Mangeshkar For "Aaja Re Pardesi"
First winner of this category
Given as single category for both male and female singers
Best Story Ritwik Ghatak Nominated
Best Dialogue Rajinder Singh Bedi Won First winner of this category
Best Art Direction Sudhendu Roy
Best Cinematographer Dilip Gupta Black-and-white category
Best Editing Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Track listing[edit]
No. Title Singer(s) Length
1. "Aaja Re Pardesi" Lata Mangeshkar 04:26
2. "Chadh Gayo Papi Bichhua" Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey 05:23
3. "Dil Tadap Tadap Ke" Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar 03:27
4. "Ghadi Ghadi Mora Dil Dhadke" Lata Mangeshkar 03:11
5. "Hai Bichhua Hai Re Hai" Lata Mangeshkar
6. "Ham Haal-e-Dil Sunaenge" Mubarak Begum 03:26
7. "Jungle Mein Mor Naacha" Mohammad Rafi
8. "Kancha Le Kanchi Lai Lajo" Asha Bhonsle, Sabita Chowdhury & Ghulam Mohammad
9. "Suhana Safar Aur Yeh Mausam" Mukesh 03:44
10. "Tan Jale Man Jalta Rahe" Dwijen Mukherjee
11. "Toote Huye Khwabon Ne" Mohammad Rafi12. "Zulmi Sang Aankh Ladi" Lata Mangeshkar