I learned about two important things when I first saw this BR Chopra classic a while ago: Sahir Ludhianvi’s sublime lyrics, and Sunil Dutt’s penchant for making progressive women-centric films. He stars alongside Vyjayanthimala, who has many opportunities to show off her considerable dancing skills. She plays a nautch-girl whom Sunil’s character hires to pose as his fiancee to make his dying mother happy. She won the Filmfare (Best Actress) award for it as well, as did the story writer Mukhram Sharma.
Mohan (Sunil Dutt) is a morally upright, honest young man living with his beloved Ma (Leela Chitnis), who is singleminded in her pursuit of one goal:
Mohan teaches literature and poetry at a nearby college. During one lesson about a nobleman who has fallen for a prostitute, he makes his feelings about dancing girls quite clear.
Not long after, his Ma (who is running a fever) falls down the stairs in their home and is unconscious. The doctor is called, injections are given, the neighbors all come crowding in, and much shaking of the head ensues, but she finally regains her senses long enough to say this:
The doctor pronounces his judgment that with the medication, she will get better; but the packed-in neighbors are much more gloomy.
They all file out, still muttering amongst themselves. I find this hilarious, since I was spared such attention from my parents—but I’ve seen friends go through it and it’s not pretty.
Kya kare? One of the neighbors, Jeevan (Radhakrishan), has creditors hounding him, and he sees a little opportunity to make some money. He tells Mohan that he knows a girl who might be persuaded to pose as his fiancee for a few days, but her father will probably want money. Mohan of course is willing at this point to do anything and agrees to give Jeevan whatever he wants.
Jeevan goes to see Champabai, a local tawaif. She’s dancing to a lovely song, “Kaho Ji Tum Kya” in front of a crowd of admirers.
He negotiates a price with her (Rs 100 although he charges Mohan Rs 200 later) for posing as Mohan’s fiancee for the evening. She puts on a demure sari and he takes her to see Ma and meet Mohan. Ma wakes up long enough to bless her before falling back into a deep sleep.
Champa for her part is unimpressed by either mother or son and mocks them when she gets home.
Jeevan gives her money, which is promptly pocketed by the brothel owner Lallubhai (a very young Manmohan Krishna). The next day Ma asks to see “Rajani” again, and Mohan asks Jeevan to bring her again that evening—Jeevan has told Mohan that she is the daughter of a distant relative.
Time for another song, “Aise Vaise Thikane Pe”; if you like mujras, you will love this movie!
In any case, Champa/Rajani is bowled over by the expensive jewelry that Ma shows her as the family bride-to-be. She decides to forgo her fee (to Jeevan’s dismay) in favor of pretending to have real feelings for Mohan until she can find an opportunity to steal it. She soon does, as one day Ma gives her the bridal sari and jewelry to take home and try on. She puts on her finery for her customers that evening, and they make fun of her.
She flees in humiliation and the jewels she put on so happily moments before now feel like they are scalding her.
Her customers sing a lively qawwali to try and coax her out (“Aaj Kyon Humse Parde”). But when she emerges, this time in her dance costume, they laugh at her again and she realizes that she means nothing to them: they don’t think of her as a person with feelings or emotions. The next day, subdued, she brings back the jewelry and bridal sari to Ma (who, by the way, is recovering nicely). Ma’s warm greeting and kind affection makes her feel even worse.
Meanwhile, Mohan has fallen for Rajani, and he wants to speak to her father! Jeevan puts him off, and he returns home to find Rajani there. He expresses his affection gently, and she tells him that she is not worthy; she’s a “scent-less flower.”
She leaves sadly, and the next evening refuses to dance for her customers. Lallu’s threats don’t move her either, and she throws him out after an impassioned speech about how he has been living off her earnings for years. He goes, but vows that he will make her dance in the bazaar.
She goes to see Jeevan and makes him promise that he won’t tell Mohan the truth about her, not because she thinks she has a future with him, but because she can’t bear to become a lesser woman in his eyes.
Alas! Soon after that, Mohan sees Rajani walking in the street. When he calls her name she flees, and he follows her to her house.
Mohan is horrified and angry. He tells his bewildered mother that he will never see Rajani again. What will happen now? Can Champa ever be anything except a prostitute? Will Lallu make good on his threats?
Watch Sadhna to find out! The denouement of the story is really the power-packed part of the film but I don’t want to spoil it for you.
It’s Vyjayanthimala’s show all the way. She portrays Champa’s journey from jaded prostitute to defiant and angry woman beautifully. Sunil Dutt and Leela Chitnis give her solid support, and as I said earlier, her dancing talents are used in full measure. The music is lovely and Sahir’s lyrics are so expressive and poignant. My favorite song is the stinging—and sad—indictment of female oppression: “Aurat Ne Janam Diya Mardon Ko”:
Edited to add: This is how the song was subtitled on the DVD; I don’t think the translation is even the best so I can only imagine how beautiful the song is when understood in the original language:
Woman gave birth to man.
And he gave her the flesh-trade
Whenever they felt like it
They trampled on her or discarded her
Woman gave birth to manShe is weighed in dinars
Or sold in open markets
Sheās stripped in the court of lustful men
Sheās that ill-reputed thing
Which settles among the reputed
Woman gave birth to manMan can commit every crime
But a woman canāt even weep
Man sleeps on a million soft beds
The woman gets the funeral pyre
Man has a right to every luxury
For a woman life itself is a punishment
And it was a woman who gave birth to manThe lips which declared love
Were traded for money
The womb [from] which they were born
Was used as a business
The very body they blossomed from
[Was] abused by them
Woman gave birth to manMen made customs which were regarded as their rights
But a woman being burnt alive was looked upon as sacrifice
Even the food given to her was considered an obligation
And to think it was a woman who gave birth to manEvery act of shamelessness is rooted in poverty
What is passion in men is a sin to woman
Woman gave birth to manA woman is destiny of the world
But she doesnāt have it herself
She bears prophets and lord incarnates
Even then sheās considered a devilās child
This is that unfortunate mom
Who sleeps with her own sonsFor woman is the mother of man
But they gave her the marketplace
Whenever they felt like it they accepted or discarded her
And it was a woman who gave birth to man
MemsaabStory 
