It's Sweet. Review on Namkeen

Director: Gulzar

Actors: Sanjeev Kumar, Sharmila Tagore, Waheeda Rehman, Shabana Azmi, Kiran Vairale;

Music: R. D. Burman

Based on renowned Bangla writer Samaresh Basu's writings, Namkeen is one of the lesser-known films from director Gulzar. This is one of the films where legendary duo of Gulzar and Sanjeev Kumar worked together. A great movie with a star cast comprising some of the all time greats from Bollywood.

It is a story of different relationships of four women, of different age groups with one man in the house. The story goes like this. Truck-driver Gerulal (Sanjeev Kumar) on his travels has to stop in a small village in the mountains for an indefinite period of time and rents a room in an isolated old house owned by Jyotiamma (Waheeda Rehman). Jyotiamma a no-nonsense skeptic old woman lives in this house with three young daughters Nimki (Sharmila Tagore), Mithu, (Shabana Azmi) and Chinki (Kiran Vairale). Jyotiamma and her daughters labor for a living. With passage of time Gerulal comes close to the family and a strong bond begins to develop between the tenant and the house-owners. The coming of a man changes the lives of these women and Gerulal starts assuming the role of guardian of the family. The relationships between the different characters are built up and various secrets from the characters past lives are revealed.

Then one day the employer of Gerulal ask him to shift to a new place. Gerulal has to leave the place with a heavy heart. He proposes Nimki to marry him and come with him but Nimki refuses to leave her sisters and old mother. Time passes and Gerulal forgets about the family. One day Gerulal halts at a place for night stay and there he meets Chinki the youngest daughter, dancing in a nautanki. Feeling guilty he comes back to the old house in the search of the family and find that ………. (please watch the movie)

The story looks is quite simple but the way the director has executed it on screen makes it a great movie. Gulzar beautifully has woven a deeply human story that touches you. The camaraderie among three sisters and their relationship with one man in house has been shown very sensitively and beautifully. Sharmila Tagore, Shabana Azmi, Kiran Vairale, and Waheeda Rehman in lead roles, is a treat to watch, if for the characterizations alone. The portrayals are funny, heartbreaking, and thought provoking, all at the same time. Each character in that film is a story in themselves and the way the director has brought them together and made a story out of it is worth applauding.

As always Waheeda Rehman, Shabana Azmi and Sanjeev Kumar have given their ultimate performances in the movie. But surprise of the movie is Kiran Vairale who has superbly played the part of a sensitive and pragmatic teenage girl. Kiran Vairale was in fact nominated for best actress in a supporting role in Filmfare Awards 1982

Most of the scenes in the movie have been shot in the dark but cinematographer has captured it beautifully. The film has music by R.D. Burman that is not extra ordinary but gel well with the movie. Songs “Phir se aiyo badra” sung by Asha Bhosle and “Raah pe rehte hain” by Kishor Kumar would be liked by serious music buffs. Alka Yagnik has also sung a song in the movie with Asha Bhosle.

The movie somehow falters at its ending which seems to be result of commercial interests of producers because Gulzar is known for going into the depths of the story, even if it does not go well with the audiences.

However, in spite of a few weaknesses, this film is a piece of poetry that is realistic and yet laden with emotion and drama. A must see for serious lovers of Hindi cinema. The VCD of the movie is available on “Bombino Video” which will cost you less than Rs. 100.

P.S. Sadly movie was a disaster at box office that explains why we don’t get to see such movies quite often.