After going through two incidents which nearly put his life into danger, a simple rustic bullock cart driver named Heeraman takes two vows - to never carry again illegal goods and to never carry again bamboo on his cart. Then he is asked to transport a young nautanki dancer named Heerabai as a passenger to a distant village fair. Travelling together for over forty hours, a true bond of friendship is formed between the two. They share some life experiences together and sing some wonderful songs to each other. She is charmed by his simplicity, innocence and his unsophisticated perception of life, and he is mesmerised by her beauty and honesty. This sequence is the film's most interesting and beautiful, but what follows next is what carries the narrative forward and leads the story towards Heeraman's third vow, and the viewers clearly can predict it.
A wonderful and musical drama, Teesri Kasam tells a simple story of cultural clashes and unrealised love. It is a rather captivating watch, well directed and narrated, and is aided by fantastic performances. Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman are absolutely outstanding in their roles. Kapoor's character in this film is not an unusual one in his career given he often played roles of this sort (the overly innocent romantic fool) but his performance definitely is. The way he displays Heeraman's sincerity, fear, love and ultimately his realisation is terrific. Rehman is unsurprisingly excellent as Heerabai - the strong, dignified and talented dancer. Her dance numbers were well done, but it is the depth with which she conveys Heera's feelings and her inner devastation that marks this performance. Needless to say, she is as beautiful and graceful as always.
For this film, Shankar-Jaikishen composed another winning soundtrack. "Duniya Banane Wale" is my favourite song and is soulfully performed by Mukesh. This is also the number that makes Heera call Heeraman her Guru, one of the top moments showing their spiritual connection. The film's final scene is unquestionably the most haunting and memorable in Teesri Kasam, and it is the one which brings the third vow to its ironic fulfillment. Heerabai's honest confession and Heeraman's silent reaction create a melancholic ending that tugs at the heartstrings. I was surprised by how moved I was by the conclusion of the story. This is actually the moment that marks this film and bears the stamp of its greatness. I highly recommend you to watch this classic picture. Take a bow, Kapoor, Rehman, and Basu Bhattacharya.
