Shehnai

It's not a war film but the story is all about families of soldiers, their passion to serve the nation and their fear to lose loved ones at war front, simultaneously. Nirupa Roy is at her best, as always. For this role, she won the best actress in a supporting role award at the Filmfare Awards 1965. Her strong presence and Johny Walker's comedy skills saves this movie to some extent but that was not enough. I fail to understand why Vishwajeet was considered to be a good actor. This movie does not endorse it, at least. Rajshree is average. Music is good but no notable song except the melodiously memorable "Na Jhatko Zulf Se Paani". Watch only this song and forget the movie.

I was drawn to see this movie because of the songs especially 'na zatko zulf se pani' by Rafi, but found there were two other good songs the sad number from Asha Bhonsale 'Is tarah toda mera dil' and a duet by Rafi & Asha 'Sadiyon purani' shot in the beautiful valley of Kashmir. The story of the movie which is more of a love story but reaches it crescendo when mothers of both the hero and heroine meet after a long time unknown to each other that their children are in love with each other and intend to marry, but heroine's mother role very well played by actress Veena, does not want them to marry as the hero wants to continue working as an air force pilot being his late Father's dream, who was also a pilot himself but was killed in a war. Incidentally heroine's mother also happened to be wife of an air force pilot who also lost her first husband in the same war and both the pilots happened to be friends. She did not want them to get married due to hazards of the job. So the dilemma of the story is to choose between one's values and survival. The story ended too soon in a happy ending, but overall it was a movie worth watching one time.

This wonky film has two redeeming features: (1) The Rafi song, "Kya ajab saaz hai yeh shehnai", which is a complete essay on this soulful music instrument. Needless to say, neither this poignant song nor the film title itself, is suited to the film, which is more of a senseless romp across Kashmir's landscape. (2) The second redeeming feature is a starlet called Praveen Chaudary, who looks stunningly beautiful and sexy, completely overshadowing the lead female protagonist, Rajshree, who looks weary, if not old.

Nirupa's travails seem far-fetched.. she is almost a pauper, as if she neither got the widow's pension or death benefits of her husband, who was an air force officer martyred in a war. Not clear, which war though. Neither Biswajeet nor Johnny Walker look like students.. the inference is hilarious, as we watch these two pot bellied actors romp around with their respective love interests. A wholly avoidable film.