Coming up with lists is always a tricky task, especially when it comes to picking film stars who were the most influential, or films that deserve a “second chance” because they are no longer (supposedly) available to the general public.

Yet that is precisely what Deepa Gahlot does in Take 2 — 50 Films That Deserve a New Audience. In her own words, “50 is a cruel number. It was a tough task to decide which films to include in this book … some were chosen because they were the first of their kind, or were obscure films by well-known directors. Others deserve mention because they were by directors whose contribution to Hindi cinema has now been forgotten. Unfortunately, many more films that merit attention have been left.”

Of course, such criteria are relative. For someone like myself brought up on a steady diet of Hindi films for most of my childhood and teenage years, many of the films that have been listed are anything but obscure, be it Namkeen (1982), Shikast (1953) or Jogan (1950).

Deepa Gahlot attempts to revive interest in films long lost from the tradition of Indian cinema

And if one was to follow such criteria, there are definitely more than a handful of films that should have been mentioned in such a listing. These would include Sharada (1957), in which Meena Kumari and Raj Kapoor play lovers, but by a twist of fate, she ends up becoming his step-mother. In my opinion, Sharada definitely deserved to be on this list rather than Meena Kumari’s Miss Mary (1957), which lacks the finesse or complexity that characterised the former.

Similarly, the Vinod Mehra-Rekha starrer Ghar (1978) should have made the cut not only for its mesmerising music but because it too was groundbreaking in its approach towards rape, and how it affected the relationship between its married protagonists.

However, such lists are relative and one could go on arguing for and against those films that made the final cut.

To give Gahlot her due, she does highlight several films that remain obscure; one in particular is Karma (1933), not to be confused with Subhash Ghai’s 1986 film of the same name. Starring Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai, it was “made at a turning point in cinema history [and] this orientalist fantasy is a good example of early Indo-European creative collaboration.

To give Gahlot her due, she does highlight several films that remain obscure; one in particular is Karma (1933), not to be confused with Subhash Ghai’s 1986 film of the same name. Starring Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai, it was “made at a turning point in cinema history [and] this orientalist fantasy is a good example of early Indo-European creative collaboration.

“The film became a curiosity for having the longest kissing scene in Indian cinema ... and premiered in England with a screening for the royal family.”

However, as Gahlot points out that even though Karma, directed by J.L. Freer Hunt, was a joint production between India, Germany and United Kingdom, the plot left a lot to be desired. A princess, played by Rani, falls in love with a prince despite her father’s disapproval. The film was a flop and one can only wonder why it deserves a mention by Gahlot.

The same can be said about many of the films that are mentioned, such as Roti (1974), Anupama (1966) and Aakhri Khat (1966).

What is especially annoying is the fact that Gahlot gives away the entire plot of the movie under discussion which means that even if you haven’t seen a film that she writes about, you will know how it turns out, thereby, eliminating the need to watch it.

The only part of the book that is engaging is the behind-the-scenes disclosures. For example, Rekha was Gulzar’s first choice for Namkeen, although the role eventually went to Sharmila Tagore.

Still, the fact remains that such a book may be of value to people not as obsessed with Hindi films as I am — including budding millennial filmmakers. As far as I am concerned though, I’d suggest Ghalot take five and not attempt to write a book for now.

Take 2 – 50 Films That Deserve a New Audience
(FILM)
By Deepa Gahlot
Hay House Publishers, India
ISBN: 978-9384544829
312pp.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, July 10th, 2016