Dastak

Dastak
Directed by	Rajinder Singh Bedi
Produced by	Rajinder Singh Bedi
Written by	Rajinder Singh Bedi (Screenplay)
Starring	Sanjeev Kumar Rehana Sultan Anju Mahendru
Music by	Madan Mohan Majrooh Sultanpuri(Lyrics)
Cinematography	Kamal Bose
Editing by	Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Release date(s)	1970
Running time	140 min
Country	India
Language	Hindi

Dastak (The Knock) is a classic Hindi film made in 1970, it was written and directed by Rajinder Singh Bedi, and was his directorial debut.

The film is still known for its award-winning performances by its leading cast, Sanjeev Kumar, and the newcomer, Rehana Sultan, and for its memorable songs by Madan Mohan, he won his first National Film Award for it, and the lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the famous film director turned editor of this black-and-white film, and won a Filmfare Award, his second after Madhumati in 1958. ^[1]

Awards

• 1971 National Film Award for Best Actor - Sanjeev Kumar
• 1971 National Film Award for Best Actress - Rehana Sultan
• 1971 National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Madan Mohan,
• 1972 Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award -(B&W) - Kamal Bose

Overview

The film presents an expanded version of his radio play, Naql-e-Makaani (Moving to a New House), first performed on All India Radio, Lahore in 1944. ^[2]

Upon its released the film established Rajinder Singh Bedi as an important force in Indian Parallel Cinema, as Dastak is still considered an important film of the decade. ^[3] Subsequently in 1972 film's director Rajinder Singh Bedi was awarded the Padma Shri.

Talking about the film, noted director, Hrishikesh Mukjherjee once said, "Rajinder Singh Bedi was an extraordinarily gifted writer. Indeed, I feel privileged that I could edit his maiden venture as writer-director 'Dastak' in stark B&W starting Sanjeev Kumar and Rehana Sultan. Rehana won the 'Urvashi' award then the term for the National Award for Best Actress and I won the coveted Filmfare award for my first love-editing!" ^[4]

Synopsis

The film was known for its unusual story line set in a red light area, where a newly-wed couple Hamid (Sanjeev Kumar) and Salma (Rehana Sultan) unwittingly rent a flat, and thus begins their daily turmoil at the knocks (Dastak) on their door, as the previous occupant of their home was Shamshad Begum (Shakeela), a famous mujrewali (nautch girl).

Cast

• Sanjeev Kumar
• Rehana Sultan
• Anju Mahendru
• Shakeela
• Kamal Kapoor
• Manmohan Krishna
• Anwar Hussain
• Niranjan Sharma
• Jagdev
• Yash Kumar

Music of Dastak

It was the time when the nation was gripped by the western rhythms prevalent in the music of music directors like R.D. Burman, but films music director stood his ground as a maestro of classical rhythms on the dholak and raga based melodies. The music of Dastak stood out for its allegiance to the classical traditions of raga based melodies given by its music director Madan Mohan, who managed to get from Lata Mangeshkar, ostensibly her best performance as a playback singer.^[5]

Lyrics

The film is known for its poignant lyrics by famous lyricist of his times, Majrooh Sultanpuri, especially in capturing the painful state of the story's female protagonist, Salma.
Be it a dramatic statement about the society: "Hum hai mataye koocha bazaar ki tarah, Uthti hai har nigaah kharidaar ki tarah..".
Or a silent pain of: "Mai Ri mai ka se Kahoon pe apne jiya ki..." ^[6]

Songs

• "Baiyan Na Dharo" - Lata Mangeshkar - (based on Raag Charukesi)^[7]
• "Hum Hain Mata-e-koocha-o-bazaar" - Lata Mangeshkar
• "Mai Ri Main Kase Kahoon" – Lata Mangehskar/Madan Mohan
• "Tumse Kahoon Ek Baat" - Mohammed Rafi

References

1. ^ Hrishikesh Mukerjee
2. ^ The Films of Rajinder Singh Bedi - Annual of Urdu Studies. v. 5, 1985
3. ^ Parallel Cinema
4. ^ Hrishikesh Mukherjee remembers Dastak
5. ^ The Incredibly Sweet Sound - Madan Mohan
6. ^ Dastak (1970)
7. ^ Film Songs on Ragas

External links

• Dastak at the Internet Movie Database
• Passion for Cinema-Dastak
• Dastak, an in-depth study