WQKT: A Romantic Multistarrer Film With The Amazing Lyrics, Wonderful Dialogue and Fantastic Music of 60s

 WQKT: A Romantic Multistarrer Film With The Amazing Lyrics, Wonderful Dialogue and Fantastic Music of 60s

I always like to watch yesteryears some Hindi films again and again  because not only the stories of these films were having perfect combination of drama but also these films have fun, romance, amazing lyrics, wonderful dialogues and fantastic music.  There was one film named as Kismet released in 1943 in which Ashok Kumar played double role in it. It was the first film of double role and became so popular which made the record of running for maximum weeks in theatre and this formula used in many films afterwards. Similarly, there was one more film released on 30^th July 1965 which shows the wealthy family with three sons gets separated due to natural disaster and these three sons grown up separately under different circumstances and reunited at end after various twists and turns culminating. Such formula was enormously used by many Bollywood films like Yaadon Ki Baarat, Dharam-Veer, Amar, Akbar and Anthony etc.  This film also brought the new trend of displaying opulence and glitz. It has shown ornate mansions with fountains, foreign cars, lavish Parties with grand pianos and circular beds. This film brought new trend of outdoor shooting in Kashmir, Shimla, Nainital, Mumbai and Delhi to show the romance in different way in which heroines have been shown in glamorous look with stylish haircuts and diamond Jewellery and heroes with tight suits and T-shirts. The name of the film was Waqt which was first Multistarrer film with amazing lyrics, wonderful dialogue and fantastic music of 1960s.

From Yogesh Gogwekar

Waqt means time in Hindi and this film talks about supremacy of time in which rich and poor persons are just a puppet. Waqt is the story of Lala Kedarnath who believes that human being can do anything with his ability and intellectual. He is a middle-aged man living happily with his wife Lakshmi and three sons. For the children, life is enjoyable as their parents singing praises to each other and planning to have better future. The film starts with the inauguration of new shops of Lala Kedarnath who is hard working person. He started his career as a labourer and prospered due to his diligence and dedication. He never believes in luck and fortune. He never believes in astrology and says that nothing, even faith, can come between a man and his mission. He wants his three sons to become barrister, businessman and engineer. In the same night, he was explaining about his great plan to his wife Lakshmi, suddenly, disaster happens. Earthquake destroys the house and whole town crumbles. This leads to family break up.  When Lala Kedarnath regains his consciousness, he has been destroyed completely and he lost his family.

Eldest son of Lala Kedarnath, Raju, ends up in orphanage; middle son, Ravi found in Road Street, adopted by rich family and third son Vijay who is still an infant stays with the mother in poverty. Raju escapes from an orphanage due to harassment from orphanage manager and grows up to become a thief. Ravi finds refuge in wealthy family and they raise him as their own son and he becomes barrister; Younger son, Vijay, who stays with his mother in poverty and even after completing his graduation he becomes a driver. Lala Kedarnath came to know that his son ran away due to the harassment of orphanage manger, he killed manager and has been sent to jail for crime he committed. Three brothers meet each other but they did not recognise. Lala Kedarnath tried his best to reunite the family in spite of lot of hurdles.

Raju became sophisticated thief and to be known as Raja, falls in love with Meena who is going to get marry with his brother Ravi. For the sake of Meena, he was ready to give up the work of thief. When he came to know that Meena is going to marry with Ravi, he decided to kill Ravi before engagement night of Ravi and Meena. When Raja enters the room of Ravi, he realised that Ravi is his lost brother. Meanwhile, Meena’s parent came to know about that Ravi is of unknown parentage and religion and they break the engagement. Ravi disturbed with this and leaves the house. Before leaving the house, he argues with his foster sister for having a love affair with Vijay who studied BA but working as a driver for Chennoy Seth. After knowing the incidence, Raja wanted to inform Ravi about their relationship in the party organised by Chennoy Seth, but could not inform due to strange incidence.

In the party, one of the employees of Chennoy Seth misbehaved with Meena and Raja warns him and threatens to kill. Later in the late night, same drunken employee of Chennoy Seth came to his house and during the fight Chennoy Seth Killed him. For framing Raja is the killer, Chennoy Seth drags the body to Raja’s house and Vijay saw the same and he became main witness; but remains calm for the requirement of money for his mother’s medical treatment. Raja gets arrested and Ravi defends Raja and Vijay admits the truth. Meanwhile Lala Kedarnath also appears in the court as a witness. Ravi wins the case and Chennoy Seth has been sentenced for Murder. At the same time, Lakshmi comes to the court to find out that her son Vijay did not do the wrong thing. In the court, family reunites and Lala Kedarnath once again builds the new house and family lives together with Meena and Renu. At end, we get engrossing story full of emotion, good lyrics and music.

Waqt is the film way ahead of its time. Inspiring and thoughtful lyrics with great melody brings the freshness to my mood. I grew up to listening these wonderful songs which have different class. For lyrics, whole credit goes to Sahir Ludhianvi. He has done amazing work with music director Ravi. Film is having eight songs out of that six songs were based on Hindustani Ragas (Five songs based on Rag Pahadi and one song is based on Rag Pilu). Songs like Kaun aya ki nigaahon mein chamak jag uthi (Whose arrival cause the eyes to light up), Din hai bahar ke (It is the time for spring), Chehre Pe khushi chaa jaa ti hai (The face brims with joy), Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu (What lies ahead, you do not know), Hum Jab Simat Ke aapki baanhon mein aa gaye (When I came into your arms) are based on Raag Pahadi and one song Aye Meri Zohrajabeen, Tuze Malum Nahi (Oh my radiant love, you may not know )  is based on Raag Pilu.  Other two songs like Maine Ek Kwab Sa Dekha Hai (I have seen a dream) and Waqt Se Din Aur Rat, Waqt se Kal Aur Aaj (Night and Day are a function of time as are tomorrow and today) are also outstanding. Sahir and Ravi have once again proved to be wining one as the soundtrack of Waqt.

Film has eight songs and even after fifty five years these songs give us freshness. Sahir Ludhianvi  nicely poured out the feeling of every middle age man who wants to tell his wife about his love for her in the Song Aye Meri Zohrajabeen, Tuze Malum Nahi (Oh my radiant love, you may not know). Similarly, he has expressed the message like, ‘present is the thought’ nicely in the song Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu (What lies ahead, you do not know). Even title song Waqt Se Din Aur Rat, Waqt se Kal Aur Aaj (Night and Day are a function of time as are tomorrow and today) wonderfully written by Sahir Ludhianvi which conveys the gist of the film while stressing on the whimsical nature of time. This song was sung beautifully by Mohammed Rafi. Sahir Ludhianvi had the ability to create happiest moments through his poetry or film songs in the life of persons who have failed in romance. The best example is Din hai bahar ke (It is the time for spring). 

Akhtarul Iman has written wonderful dialogues for Waqt. He has won Filmfare award for the same. The most two popular dialogues of this film has gone to Raj Kumar and Raj Kumar had delivered the dialogues in theatrical ways through his gravelly voice. When he snatched a stiletto from Madan Puri and warned him by saying,” Yeh bachchon ke khelne ki Cheez nahin, haath kat jaye to khoon nikal aata hai” (This is not a thing for kids to play with. If it cuts the hand then blood comes out). Another dialogue which is on high on octane when Raj kumar warns Rehman, “Chennoy Seth, jinke apne ghar sheeshe ke hon woh doosron par pathar nahi phenka karate”(Those who live in glass houses do not throw the stones at others). Even Sunil Dutt has also been given the dialogues for his stylish persona presented in the film. Besides Dialogues, Lyrics and Music, Direction, Story and Cinematography were also excellent. For that Yash Chopra for best direction, Dharam Chopra for best Cinematography and F. A. Mirza for best story has been received Filmfare award of that year.

Each and every actors and actresses have given their contributions. Stylish acting of Raj Kumar became the turning point in his film career. He received Filmfare for best supporting actor for this film; but Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor, Sadhana, Sharmila Tagore and Achala Sachdev were not behind. Balraj Sahani was simply perfect. Playback singers Asha Bhosale, Mahendra Kapoor, Manna De and Mohammed Rafi have sung the songs in amazing way. That is the reason the film has created very professional and convincing atmosphere.

This is one of the evergreen classic films. One never gets tired after watching this film again and again. At end, I am closing my writing by using the first two lines of the song of this film which says, “What lies ahead, you do not know, what is gone, you do not know. The only thing that matter is this very instant.”

Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu, Piche Bhi Jaane Na Tu

Jo Bhi hai Bas Yahi Ek Pal Hai

Mumbai

14/03/2021.