Bollywood cinema has always been known for its spirit of celebration. Singing, dancing, and having a good time has been an important part of the Bollywood experience. Here are the five festive films that must be seen this Eid.
1. Hum Saath Saath Hain:
While most would opt for Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum…Apke Hain Koun as the ultimate festive fare, this feel-good followup after the historic Hum…Aapke Hain Koun from Barjatya’s school of familial merrymaking has a string of terrific stars from Salman Khan to Saif Ali Khan eating, singing, and dancing through a stream of nursery-rhyme styled songs composed in juvenile style by Ram Laxman-. The entire 4-hour film is a pleasure binge for Alok Nath’s Chaturvedi family as they picnic, party, a wedding, and celebrate from Eid to Diwali to marriage anniversaries. Life is one long celebration in this thinly-plotted excuse to celebrate the joys of family togetherness.
2. Mere Mehboob:
Ideal Eid viewing with the characters shown to belong in a well-to-do Muslim environment. Director H S Rawail constructs the royal grandeur of the Nawab culture lavishly. Given the spatial grandeur and the never-ending burst of lovely melodies composed by Naushad, this film feels even today like an ode to romance and revelry. Except for Nimmi, none of the principal actors, Sadhana, Rajendra Kumar, Ashok Kumar, or Pran, were Muslim. But they carried the Nawab culture so gracefully! Watch the way Rajendra Kumar falls in love with the mysterious woman in a veil, played by Sadhana. It is the most dignified ode to courtship you will see in a Hindi film. Incidentally, Mala Sinha and Sadhana were two actresses who were mistaken to be Muslim because of the roles they played.
3. Pakeezah:
The theatrical actor Raj Kumar falls in love with a courtesan, Meena Kumari’s feet. But he doesn’t know she is a tawaif. This is the story of a fallen woman’s search for love and family through pain and poetry. Kamal Amrohi spared no expense to ensure the film exudes a glamour of epic proportions; this Eid, sit back and watch the legendary Meena Kumari dance to ‘Inhi logon ne’, ‘Thare rahiyo’, ‘Chalte chalte’ and ‘Teer-e-nazar’. The melodious music by Ghulam Mohamed merges and melts into an absolutely enchanting evening of unparalleled beauty and harmony.
4.Chaudhvin Ka Chand:
Set in Lucknow, this love triangle features two friends, Aslam (Guru Dutt) and Nawab (Rehman), who fall in love with the same beauty Jameela (Waheeda Rehman). The film captures the exhilarating hustle-bustle of Eid and other festivities of Lucknow, known as the city of Nawabs, while the the love triangle unfolds in graceful episodes through song, poetry, and courtship. The sequence where Guru Dutt sings the title song in Mohd Rafi’s voice to describe Waheeda Rehman’s beauty is considered among the most poetic descriptions of love and romance to have ever been filmed in Hindi cinema. Come, fall in love with love.
5. Padosan:
An absolutely delightful family comedy. Timeless and eternally enjoyable, featuring comic geniuses Kishore Kumar and Mehmood as rivals in love, seeking the attention of the beauteous Saira Banu through songs that R D Burman composed in a state of sheer inspiration. The fun never stops. The music never ends. This is comedy that targets itself at every strata of viewership and hits bull’s eye. ‘Ek chatur kar ke shringar’ brings the house down every time. Enjoy it this festive season.
