The movie has an excellent theme about societal equity and justice. Vyjayanthimala (playing role of Mala), the protagonist, portrays this theme very well. Her stepfather (Khemchand) is a self-made businessman, but his successes were not totally ethical.
The movie portrays unjust wealth-based class distinction in the behavior and conversations of Khemchand and his peers.
The movie also portrays another kind of inequity in the treatment of Mala by her step-siblings.
Mala had been away from the family for a decade, studying the fine arts. When she returns, she finds herself treated as an outsider in her family. Her sense of social justice and compassion first shows up when she asks about the old family servant, Ramu. Learning that he is sick, she immediately leaves the dinner table to see Ramu.
Later, Ramu is instrumental in getting Mala to perform a charity fundraiser show for the welfare of the poor. While she feels immensely satisfied in this service to the poor, her family and family's social circle find it despicable.
When her father loses his business and is arrested, she urges the family to walk away from his ill-gotten wealth (because it belongs to the government and the people it represents), and move into the same poor neighborhood that they had despised. She shows leadership in coping with the situation.
As for the entertainment side of the movie, one dance performance and its music build on Vyjayanthimala's success in the Nagin movie. Her dances in the movie are superb.
Pran plays his customary villain role very well. Whereas in the the typical Bollywood movie, the villain is made to lose or die in the end, Mala redeems him by asking her father to forgive him. The repentant Pran touches her feet in gratitude.
As in a typical Bollywood movie, the villain and his cohorts engage in a fight scene with the good guys, but the whole episode is contrived and nonsensical - that is the reason I detracted one point from the otherwise excellent impression this move left on me.
I don't understand the ratings of the professional reviewers - the box office returns tell a different story: the public liked it very much - just as I did.
