Current Date:March 28, 2024
Yaadein (1964)

Movie 4 d week : Yaadein (1964)

written by Vinoo
Language : Hindi
Director : Sunil Dutt
‘Yaadein’ is an experimental film made way back in 1964. Directed by Sunil Dutt, who also happens to be the only actor in the entire film, it tells the story of Anil. Anil comes back home one evening to find that his wife, Priya, is not home. He initially thinks she, along with the kids, Pawan and Geeta, are playing a prank on him before it begins to dawn on him that they have left him forever. He reminisces his past beginning with the initial days of courtship with Priya, followed by the birth of the first kid and so on and even traces the small husband–wife tiffs. He is also reminded of his infidelity (whatever that means), which results in a showdown with his wife and her leaving him. Every single object at home seems to rake up some memory or the other. He is consumed by everything around him and ultimately contemplates suicide. What happens is revealed in the climax. Nargis’ shadow appears in the film towards the climax. Mario Miranda’s illustrations are used to good effect. So also the use of voices, particularly so the phone calls and even the birthday party celebrations and his soliloquy when in the midst of his kid’s toys are worth a mention. Quite commendable that a one-actor film manages to hold your interest through nearly two hours even if the dialogues don’t always deliver. Watch this one simply for the gall this man had to experiment with something like this, and way back in 1964. Also has a lovely and rare Lata Mangeshkar song, ‘Dekha hai sapna koi’

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This film finds mention in the Guinness Book of World Records in the category ‘Fewest Actors in a Narrative Film’ (Courtesy : Wikipedia).
Other films of Sunil Dutt include ‘Waqt’, ‘Humraaz’, ‘Khandaan’, ‘Mujhe jeene do’ (where Waheeda is fab in the ‘Raat bhi hai kuch bheegi bheegi’ number), ‘Gumraah’, ‘Sujata’, besides directing ‘Reshma aur Shera’ (among the first few films of Amitabh Bachan) which I hope to revisit this week, ‘Rocky’, ‘Yaadein’ etc.
‘Yaadein’ is written by Akhthar-Ul-Iman who has written dialogues for films like ‘Humraaz’, ‘Ittefaaq’, ‘Waqt’, ‘Mera Saaya’ and the story and screenplay for films like the brilliant ‘Dhund’, ‘Pathar ke Sanam’, ‘Chirag’ etc.

Useless trivia : Sunil Dutt, born Balraj Dutt, started his career with Radio Ceylon, and was apparently a popular announcer on the channel. For aspiring stars there may be a hint : start with radio.
Sunil Dutt started his film career in 1955 in a film called ‘Railway Platform’. He didn’t have to wait too long before he became a name to reckon with when he acted in ‘Mother India’ in 1957. I will spare you the oft-repeated Sunil Dutt – Nargis story from ‘Mother India’.
NB : Today happens to be the last day for registration at IFFK. Here is the link www.iffk.in
Hope to see you there.

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