Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Khubsoorat is fantastic family entertainment, which is thoroughly funny, convincing and enjoyable and just beautiful in its simplicity. I enjoyed every moment of it, including the music, the story, the characters, the acting, and everything else it deals with. Khubsoorat presents the brighter side of Hindi cinema, which is not melodramatic, which is credibly restrained and easy-going. The charm of this little gem comes primarily from its persistent sense of everyday realism, but then it also manages to make a genuine impact on the viewer through its host of relatable characters and particularly its charming main protagonist. As expected, Mukherjee skilfully portrays the life of upper-class urban families, and the acting is accordingly natural and authentic.
The ever-amazing Rekha reveals a lesser-known side of her personality. She foregoes her enigmatic sex-appeal to create an endearingly sassy but sensitive girl-next-door, who is smart and witty and has her values always intact. The result is more than effective - her comic timing is brilliant, and she infuses the part with a kind of zest that makes Manju Dayal very memorable. Ashok Kumar is wonderfully gracious and likable all through as the kindhearted father; Rakesh Roshan and Shashikala support well, but obviously it is Dina Pathak who steals the limelight as the imperious mother. Her dignified presence is, indeed, enjoyably commanding, but even more impressive is the fact that she is very much a real person and never a caricature. Her dynamic with Rekha is great fun to watch.
Indeed, Mukherjee's ability to make a film devoid of showiness and cheesy melodrama is commendable, especially considering the commercial pressures. But the film works, and it relies on the intellectual sensibilities of its potential audience, particularly from India's middle class. It is one of those films which deal with real situations and real people who live normal lives which the average viewer should easily identify with. I must note my favourite sequences towards the climax when Ashok Kumar's character falls ill and Manju diligently looks after him. The scene in which he wakes up and realises she was there all along taking care of him is very moving. All in all, whoever you are, do watch Khubsoorat, it will make you feel much better. A heartwarming classic.
