Although this movie was made in 1964, it very well could have been made in 1954 or even 1944 given the quality of its special effects. They are so very special! In addition, the heroine of the film is none other than the ever-fabulous Helen, opposite wrestler Dara Singh. Aaya Toofan was the source for this trivia post, and for my avatar as well. This is not to say that it’s a good film; it most emphatically is not. It’s really bad. Silly story, bad acting, the whole nine yards. But it’s B-movie fun for those who enjoy such things (I do! I do!), and of course there is Helen. And wrestlers. Lots and lots of wrestlers.
In a kingdom far far away, Raja Naagsen (Anwar Hussain) lives with his Maharani and his sister Rajkumari Chandra (Helen). On Chandra’s 18th birthday, he throws a big party. An evil magician named Kammo (Shyam Kumar) arrives uninvited, is welcomed and gives Chandra a box that houses a magical little dancing figure.
Later that night as she sleeps, the dancing figure is transformed into a demon who bears more than a passing resemblance to Mr. Potato Head.
The demon kidnaps Chandra and makes off with her. These scenes just cry out for the comic book treatment.
Chandra is rescued by a man with big muscles named Deepu (Dara Singh), who defeats the demon fairly easily with arrows, a pitchfork and some rope.
After a celebratory song and dance (yay, Helen!) Deepu takes her back to the palace, where her brother is overjoyed to see her. He promises to give Deepu anything he wants. Deepu wants Chandra. He tells the King that he is a Prince also, the son of Bharat, the King of the Sunderbahns.
Oops. Gratitude turns to enmity in less than a second! It’s Deepu’s turn to fight off the King’s guards and escape across the drawbridge, which he does.
The King has a mistress, a dancer named Kala (Nishi).
What he doesn’t know is that Kala has fallen for Deepu in a big way. So has the Princess. Chandra tracks Deepu down and confesses her love, but before it can blossom Kala intervenes with various nefarious plots involving a ring that she steals from the Princess. Chandra comes to mistrust Deepu’s love for her and has him arrested. Her maidservant Manju enlists the help of Deepu’s servant Mallu (Maruti) and his Stunt Snake to help convince Chandra that she is wrong about Deepu.
This also involves Tun Tun as Manju’s aunt, who sets her cap at poor Mallu.
They succeed in convincing Chandra that Deepu truly loves her, and she frees him; but the King—alerted by jealous Kala—catches them, and puts Deepu into a dungeon and Chandra under house arrest.
Our intrepid servants manage to free Chandra from her room (no guards in sight) and they pose as dancers to distract the guards at the front gate, while the Stunt Snake takes a key to Deepu so he can unlock his chains. Getting out of the cell is pretty easy after that.
But alas! Despite their best efforts, Deepu is caught and Chandra arrested again, this time on Kala’s orders. Kala doesn’t seem to get the concept of love as an emotion that can’t be ordered in like dinner.
When her demands fail, she has his eyes poked out.
The king arrives and is very pleased with Kala’s handiwork. The Princess’ defiance is not as welcome.
They are banished together from the kingdom. Can they survive, a blind muscle-man and a spoiled princess? Will the King ever figure out that Kala is the traitor? Will the magician who started all this reappear? There is much much more that I haven’t the energy or will to go into.
In case you are not sure this is your kind of movie, let me recap the highlights:
Mr. Potato Head Demon:
Lots of Helen (and a little of Bela Bose):
Dara Singh’s impressive physique, our view of which is not at all hindered by anything like, uh, clothes (and his manly little skirt has teeny pompons fringing it!):
Bad special effects:
A Stunt Snake:
Besides the Eye-Gouger-Outer, several other sharp Instruments of death:
Tun Tun:
And a happily ever after ending:
MemsaabStory 