11 days ago
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The Rajshri banner of Bollywood run by Late Tarachand Barjatya always believed in giving break to newcomers. Usually they made family dramas and social dramas but in Jeevan Mrityu(1970), they presented a revenge saga(or crime thriller) while giving break to a Bengali actress Raakhee who won hearts of the audience of the Bollywood movies in her first Hindi movie itself. Dashing hero of Bollywood, Dharmendra was paired with her in this movie.
The story of Jeevan Mrityu(Life & Death) has nothing to do with its title. It's the story of a youth named as Ashok(Dharmendra) who is in love with Deepa(Raakhee). After college, he gets a job in a bank and soon becomes the manager of the bank. However before he is able to marry his sweetheart Deepa and start a happy life with her, he is arrested in the charge of embezzling the bank's money and sentenced to imprisonment. Actually, this crime had been committed by Harish(Ajit) who is an employee of the bank and his companions who had framed him in the same while saving themselves. While heading for the prison, he asks Deepa to take care of his mother in his absence. And Deepa does the same like a dutiful daughter-in-law would have done.
After completion of his sentence, when Ashok is released and travels by train to his hometown, things happen in such a way that he is considered as dead. As luck would have it, he happens to come across a rich man named as Raja Ranveer Singh(Bipin Gupta) who is very impressed by his honesty. After listening to his life story, he encourages Ashok to seek revenge from his perpetrators. Now for this purpose, Ashok dons a new personality of Sardaar Vikram Singh. He comes back to Deepa on one hand and the culprits(Harish and his companions) on the other while in disguise. How he is able to inflict his revenge upon the culprits and brings them to the law, proving his innocence plus reunite with Deepa forms the remaining part of the story.
Jeevan Mrityu is a very interesting movie which keeps the viewer tied to his seat from the beginning to the end. In the beginning itself, there is a very interesting scene in which Ashok delivers a lecture in a college competition underscoring the significance of one's honour. The scene of Ashok's interview for job in the bank is also impressive. Once the real story takes off, it keeps the spectator as spellbound till it reaches its climax. Biswanath Roy has written its story and it's actually the Hindi remake of a Bengali movie - Jiban Mrityu(1967).
Raakhee impresses in this debut movie of hers in Bollywood. Her romance with Dharmendra looks believable, not filmy. Dashing Dharmendra does not disappoint his admirers in this movie. He not only looks very handsome but has performed very well also. He is christened as Ashok in the story. I think, Ashok was a popular name for the heroes in that period, especially Dharmendra as I have found him named as Ashok in certain other movies also. All other actors have also done justice to the assigned roles including comedian Rajendra Naath. Director Satyen Bose has been able to extract good performances from the whole cast.
Laxmikant Pyarelaal have given good music in this movie. It does not have many songs. Jhilmil Sitaron Ka Aangan Hoga(a Lata-Rafi duet) is the best song which is quite popular even today. Dialogues penned by Govind Moonis are admirable. All the technical aspects of the movie are also in order.
Thus Jeevan Mrityu is an entertaining(and decent) movie which is sure to be liked by not only the admirers of Dharmendra and Raakhee but also those who love to watch golden oldies.
After penning this review, I have come to know that Dharmendra has passed away today. May his soul rest in peace.
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