B.R. Chopra's 'Gumrah' has been remade umpteen times in Bollywood, each remake being more (melo)dramatic than its predecessor. The latest one is perhaps Dharmesh Darshan's 'Bewafaaa' (I forgot how many A's the title has) which was a disaster to say the least. The story of 'Gumrah' feels like a typical Bollywood family drama from the 60s.
That isn't necessarily a bad thing but the film gets much more interesting when Meena meets Rajendra after marriage and embarks on an affair with her ex-flame. This was quite a surprise for a film of its time when women were portrayed in stereotypical roles as the loyal and devoted wife, mother or sister who would never cross social boundaries.
Moreover Chopra depicts it quite well without resorting to clichés and he presents some interesting arguments, especially where Rajendra raises the question about whether Meena is only meant to be a caretaker of Ashok's children. However, Chopra's concluding argument is faulty. Is a woman's role only confined to being a homemaker and limited within her home? Granted that it was wrong of her to cheat on her husband but doesn't the husband have any responsibility and granting her the happiness she deserves, a happiness that was forced away when he tied the knot? In addition, the whole Shashikala track felt forced and awkward, changing the entire rhythm of the film.
'Gumrah' is technically well made. The cinematography captures the sense of space and gives us many eye-candy shots. The lighting is impressive. The songs are nice but repetitive.
All three actors deliver some stellar performances. Ashok Kumar is quite charming. However, his French is hilarious (was that intentional?). Sunil Dutt is brilliant as the boyfriend/other man. But 'Gumrah' belongs to Mala Sinha who not only superbly delivers a nuanced performance but very few of her contemporaries could have depicted the internal conflict and vulnerability as effectively as she has. Sinha remains underrated as the actress is hardly mentioned these days when one talks of classics.
