Since I couldn’t find a single synopsis of this film’s story online, I figure I might as well tell it. So reader beware, because I am giving away practically the entire plot.
The movie starts with a woman visiting her husband in jail. He is a Rajput lord from the town of Ajaygarh named Ranvir, imprisoned by the King because he refuses to pay tax. She pleads with him to compromise with the King for the sake of their unborn child. He says that he will not. Cut to palace, with Ranvir in chains before the King and court. Ranvir gives an impassioned speech about being a Rajput and not bowing to some King even though they were formerly friends, blah blah, and although the King pardons him, he is beheaded by the King’s army commander Karan Singh.
A few months later, Ranvir’s widow gives birth to a son (Ajit) at the same time as the Queen gives birth to Prince Vijay. The Chief Minister of the court consults an astrologer, who reads the Prince’s chart and declares that he must be kept away from the King until he is eight years old. The King agrees but says that the prince must be raised by someone of “equal status” (more Rajput pride) and the CM says that the only woman suitable is Ranvir’s widow. They take the prince to Ranvir’s widow and after some argument she takes him in and raises him with her own son, because:
Surprise!
The boys grow up together as brothers until the prince reaches the age of eight, when the Chief Minister comes and retrieves him and promises that the town of Ajaygarh will no longer be raided or taxed by the King’s army. Tearful goodbyes, Ajit’s friend Gauri comforts him; and segue into Ajit and Gauri ten or fifteen years later singing a song and obviously in love. Of course, their peaceful existence is about to come to an end.
Gauri runs into Karan Singh Jr (Pran) one day, and slaps him when he is disrespectful. He is both outraged and attracted to her, and pursues her. She runs to Ajit and a scuffle ensues:
Ajit wins for the moment but he has made an enemy just like his father years before. Karan Singh sets out to poison the King against Ajaygarh and Ajit in particular. The King sends Prince Vijay (Chandrashekhar) (and his advisor Tira Singh*) to Ajaygarh to find out what is going on there. On his way, Vijay sees Gauri singing with some water-girls and he in turn also falls for Gauri:
To be fair, it IS Geeta Bali and she is very beautiful:
He doesn’t find out who she is, nor does he find Ajit since Ajit’s mother has taken him into hiding when she hears the King’s army is coming (they have accompanied Vijay). Can’t blame her, since the last time the army approached she lost her husband. So Vijay returns to the palace but he is a changed man. He is sick with love and sings a beautiful song about Gauri (“Tasveer Banata Hoon” sung by Talat Mahmood) (incidentally echoing a feeling that I–and most artists–have had many times):
The Queen is worried about him, and asks the King to get Ajit to the palace so that they can find out who the girl is**. Ajit is duly summoned, and comes; he meets with his brother and vows to help him find his love. They go back to Ajaygarh, where Vijay identifies Gauri as the object of his affections. Ajit sacrifices his love (and, needless to say, Gauri’s too) to make his brother happy, and persuades Gauri to marry Vijay.
I won’t divulge the ending although any true Hindi film fan can predict it with 100% accuracy. Suffice it to say, Karan Singh gets his comeuppance and everyone else gets a happy ending.
I liked this film; I can’t help but like any movie with lots of Pran in it, and Geeta too. The music is wonderful, with beautifully choreographed dances and a lovely qawwali. The quality of the picture and sound is not great, but it’s more than 50 years old. If you enjoy swashbucklers, you will like Bara-Dari.
*Tira Singh possesses one of the finest mouches I’ve ever seen
**I am leaving out some subplots with sword-fighting and Pran being evil for the sake of space and time
MemsaabStory 