REMEMBERING THE LEGENDARY GENIUS : MEHBOOB KHAN

REMEMBERING THE LEGENDARY GENIUS: MEHBOOB KHAN

WRITTEN BY:  SUNEEL V. GAUR  AND  RAJESH V. GAUR

EMAIL: sunrise607@rediffmail.com


Legendary Mehboob Khan who made clssics like Mother India, Anmol Ghari and Andaaz passed away 50 years ago. For a man of humble origins he did very well for himself in life.
Mehboob Khan passed away in May 1964, so this happens to be the 50 death anniversary year of the distinguished film director. He was a man of humble beginnings but despite this handicap , Mehboob became one of India's greatest filmmakers. Mehboob has always been referred to as a legend. But how many movie buffs, really know the vast repertoire of work that Mehboob Khan possessed? Mehboob's craft was learnt in the Film Theatre, the common motif in his films usually being the oppressed poor pitted against the oppressive rich be it the poor tribal against the money-grabbing capitalist in Roti (1942), the commoner against the prince in Aan (1952) or the poor peasant woman against the slimy zamindar in Aurat (1940) and Mother India (1957)
. In 1940, 41 and 42 Mehboob made three of his most important films - Aurat (1940), Bahen (1941) and Roti (1942).
Aurat highlights a peasant's love for his land. The story of a resolute young woman who starts life full of hope and dreams but ends up old and careworn. Bahen was about a brother's obsessive love for his little sister but Roti was unlike anything Mehboob had done earlier. A blistering attack on capitalism and the lust for money. Mehboob then set up his own production house Mehboob Productions.. and came out with a regular output of films like Najma (1943), Taqdeer (1943) and Humayun (1945) they did not do well.

 Anmol Ghari (1946) which starred Suraiyya and Surendranath became a money spinner.The film also had a great musical track by Naushad.
Mehboob's next masterpiece was the super hit Andaz (1949). The volatile triangle to beat all triangles, Andaz remains startlingly modern even by today's standards . Mehboob followed Andaz with Aan (1952), his first film in colour. Amar (1954) ,regarded by Mehboob as his favourite film, flopped, at the box office.
In 1957, Mehboob,remade his earlier hit Aurat as Mother India. This epic saga depicted the sufferings of an Indian peasant woman . So tremendous was its success that the film is in fact a reference point in the long-suffering mother genre. After the high of Mother India , Mehboob’s next Son of India (1962) was a big disappointment and, in fact, his weakest film. This was his last directorial venture as Mehboob Khan died in 1964.
Mehboob was a filmmaker who mixed commerce with message and comes across as a man deeply rooted to the art of filmmaking.

WRITTEN BY:  SUNEEL V. GAUR AND  RAJESH V. GAUR