Howrah Bridge (film)
| Howrah Bridge | |
|---|---|
Film poster
|
|
| Directed by | Shakti Samanta |
| Written by | Vrajendra Gaur |
| Starring |
Madhubala Ashok Kumar K. N. Singh Om Prakash |
| Music by | O. P. Nayyar |
| Distributed by | Shakti Films |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
153 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Howrah Bridge is a 1958 film directed by Shakti Samanta. Its name is a reference to Howrah Bridge, which connects Howrah to Kolkata over the Hooghly River. It features the well known Hindi song "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu"which was reused in the film Salaam Bombay!. This song was sung by Geeta Dutt and picturised on Helen. Director Samanta also said that the sensuous club number "Aaiye Meherbaan" picturized on Madhubala was also very memorable. The Music Director is O. P. Nayyar. The songs of this film were penned by the famous lyricist and Urdu poet Qamar Jalalabadi. The film performed "above average" at the box office.
There is an intertextual reference to the song "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu" in Karan Johar's 1998 film "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" (just before the song Koi Mil Gaya).
The ex-pat businessman Prem Kumar (Ashok Kumar) rushes to Calcutta from his home in Rangoon when he learns that his brother Madan (Chaman Puri) has been found murdered on the city's famous Howrah Bridge. Before his murder Madan stole their family's priceless heirloom, a jeweled dragon mask, and Prem determines both to recover the mask and bring his brother's killers to justice. With the help of his tanga driver Shyamu (Om Prakash), Prem finds his way into a hotel run by Joe (Dhumal) and one run by Chang (Madan Puri), where he encounters a loose federation of smugglers including Chang, Pyarelal (K.N. Singh), and Joe's niece, the singer Edna (Madhubala). Giving a false name, Rakesh, Prem attempts to infiltrate this underworld by romancing Edna. But Shyamu's servant Bhiku (Sunder) witnessed the murder on Howrah Bridge. His snooping raises Pyarelal's suspicion, and Pyarelal - who is also jealous of Edna's attention - attempts to turn the tables on Prem, framing him for Pyarelal's own crimes.
For a film in the mystery-suspense genre, Howrah Bridge's mystery isn't particularly mysterious, its suspense not terribly suspenseful. We know from the first scenes who committed the murder and stole the artifact, and there is little in the way of twist or surprise to cast doubt on the inevitability of justice being done. The love story, too, would have benefited greatly from subtler handling. It's apparent from the story that Prem's initial interest in Edna is a fabrication, a pretense to get closer to the gang and its activities. By failing to show us a clear turning point where Prem struggles against his pretended feelings becoming real, Howrah Bridge squanders an opportunity for satisfying dramatic tension.
...
Wikipedia