Dinesh Kamath's column 'Movie World: Rabindranath Tagore’s stories converted into Bollywood Films – Part 2 {Ghunghat (1960)}) that was published in Newsband

Movie World

Rabindranath Tagore’s stories converted into Bollywood Films – Part 2

Ghunghat (1960)

By Dinesh Kamath

Let us take a look at Rabindranath Tagore's memorable stories and novels that were adapted for the screen in Hindi. Tagore’s story has inspired a commercially successful or remarkable piece of cinema in Hindi. Let ud take a look back at some of the Hindi language versions of his works on screen.

Ghunghat (1960)

Noukadubi was again adapted by Ramanand Sagar in 1960 with a stellar cast including Bharat Bhushan, Leela Chitnis, Pradeep Kumar, Bina Rai, Asha Parekh, Helen and Rajendranath. Here, instead of a boat capsizing in accordance with the original story, the makers showed a train accident which leads to a major twist in the plot. The film's music was by renowned composer Ravi. Lage Na Mora Jiya and Mori Chham Chham Baje Payaliya, sung by Lata Mangeshkar, were hit songs from the film.

Ghunghat is a 1960 Hindi movie directed by Ramanand Sagar and produced by S.S. Vasan, Gemini Studios. The film stars Bharat Bhushan, Leela Chitnis, Pradeep Kumar, Bina Rai, Asha Parekh, Helen, Rajendranath, Rehman and Agha. It is an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's Bengali story Noukadubi (The Wreck). The films music is by Ravi. The film became a hit at the box office. Musically also, it was liked by the audience. "Lage Na Mora Jiya" and "Mori Chham Chham Baje Payaliya" sung by Lata Mangeshkar were hit songs from the film.

The movie has an interesting plot. Ravi and Lakshmi were happy lovers. Ravi was summoned home and asked to marry another girl by his father. Since his father’s life and honour were at stake, Ravi had no options but to agree to the marriage. And Ravi got married to the girl fixed by his father. At the same time took place another marriage that was destined to play a strange part in the life of Ravi. The bridegroom of this latter marriages was Gopal and the bride Parvati was the sister of his very dear friend. Manohar. The weddings over, both the bridal parties were travelling by the same train which ran into a disastrous accident. In the accident, Ravi’s wife died and Manohar become blind. Parvati was lying unconscious in her bridal dress and Ravi thinking mistakenly that she was his wife, took her to his home. It was not long before he realized the terrible mistake that he had committed. He kept the secret from Parvati and engaged himself in the relentless task of finding her husband and restoring her to him. But before he could succeed, Parvati came to know the truth and fled from his house in shame and agony. When she fell into the Jamuna river, fate again intervened to save her and land her in her husband’s home. Living in her own husband’s house, she found that she could not reveal her identity. After some time, her blind brother Manohar returned to her husband’s house. To him, she could not disclose her identity. She looked on in speechless anguish when, before her very eyes, Manohar was trying to unite Gopal and Lakshmi whom fate had snatched from Ravi and brought into the life of Gopal. On the day fixed for Gopal’s marriage with Lakshmi, fate brought together the principal characters in this strange drama and solved as easily as it created all the tangles and misunderstandings.  

The film has Bina Rai as Parvati/Jamuna, Asha Parekh as Laxmi, Pradeep Kumar as Ravi, Bharat Bhushan as Dr. Gopal, Minoo Mumtaz as Saroj, Leela Chitnis as Laxmi's mother, Rehman as Manohar, Parvati's brother, Pratima Devi as Gopal's mother, Helen and Rajendra Nath.

The film has songs like "Laage Na More Jiya" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, "More Chham Chham Baaje Payeliya" - Lata Mangeshkar, "Meri Pat Rakho Girdhari" - Lata Mangeshkar, "Do Nain Mile" - Asha Bhosle & Mahendra Kapoor, "Ye Zindagi Ka Mausam" - Asha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi, "Haye Re Insaan" - Mohammed Rafi, "Dil Na Kahin Lagana" - Asha Bhosle, "Gori Ghunghat Mein" - Asha Bhosle, "Kya Kya Dikhati Hai" - Asha Bhosle & Mahendra Kapoor and "Pyari Sakhi Saj Dhajke" - Asha Bhosle.

This film based on the story by Rabindranath Tagore impressed many movie-goers.