Bombai Ka Babu: Incest, identity, internal conflict in Dev Anand-Sachitra’s bold film
Later this week, in ‘Retro Review’, we trace a film ‘Bumi Ka Babu’ starring Dev Anand and Suchitra Sen. It is a beautiful beautiful setup with subjects of incest and identity.
As part of our ‘Retro Review’ series on Hindi films from the past, we see ‘Bombi Ka Babu’ again, a classic who tamper with many controversial subjects, including incest, and redefined the concept of crime and punishment.
- film: Babu of Bombai (1960)
- Mold: Dev Anand, Suchitra Sen, Achala Sachdev, Dhumal, Nazir Hussain, Rashid Khan
- Director: Raj Khosla
- Boxes-office status: Flop
- Where to see: YouTube
- Why to see: For a complex plot before your time; A dark, opposing hero Dev Anand, and Suchitra Sen’s final spectacular performance in a black and white Bollywood film; And SD Burman’s multi-style music
- moral of the story: The most difficult thing to betray in this world is that you have your own conscience.
Suchitra Sen is trying to rob flowers from a tree in a meadow in Kangra Valley. Lying in the grass, Dev Anand looked at her with half-her mouth and a curved glow in her eyes. The camera of the cinematographer water mystery performs the penis on Suchitra Sen for eternity – it tantalize with a glimpse of her curves, and tease with the glow of her mesmerizing smile.
A disappointingly rich Dev Anand dropped a flower and put it in Suchitra’s hair.
“What you did -you know that unmarried girls do not plant flowers?” She asks honestly.
“Flowers add to a woman’s beauty,” he responds. Suchitra’s eyes wide, the confusion shines through them. “There is a difference between a woman,” she says in a quiver voice, “and a sister.”
And thus the central struggle of the film begins -De -Anand’s love for a woman who is considered her sister (but not). In the hands of a low -skilled writer, director and actors, this dilemma that shies to incest, can be morally motivated, even guilty to see it on screen. But Raj Khosla – one of the lowest directors of Hindi cinema – handles it with finely cleverness, creating an excellent work that begins with a complex question and ends with only morally correct and satisfactory solutions.
In a career spread over four decades, Raj Khosla gave several memorable films, which started with ‘CID’ and Nutan Classic ‘Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’ reached the peak of her glory. In the early years, the central theme of his films was the struggle created by one of the main characters, which is not what they are going to happen.
His trilogy starring Sadhana is a classic example. In ‘Mera Saaya’, Sadhana is considered an ally of the dacoit, but it is not. In ‘Woh Kern Thi’, he is considered a ghost, but he is not, and in ‘Anita’, she is about to die, but she is not. ‘Bombay Ka Babu’ takes this subject forward with minor changes. Dev Anand (Babu) pretended to be a separate son of Shahaji (Nazir Hussai), and brother of Suchitra Sen. However, he is just a killer on the run. To hide his identity, he agrees with the plan of a village thug that he is the purpose of tampering with an old man’s savings to pretend to be Shahaji’s son.
Khosla was known to make films to focus on women, especially those who lead with their moral power, even when there is pain to avoid their actions. In ‘Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’, Nutan fights for the rights of her husband’s illegitimate child, even when her own son feels modest.
In ‘Bombai Ka Babu’, Suchitra Sen is a moral beacon. When she suspects the identity of Dev Anand, she tries to maintain the sanctity of perceived relationships, causing stress and drama. But these conflicts are subtle and are taken forward by fine metaphors.
Suchitra Sen acted in very few Hindi films. ‘Bombai Ka Babu’ was initially signed by Madhubala, who later pulled out of her health. But without him it is difficult to imagine ‘Bombai Ka Babu’. Starting as a fickle girl to see her ‘brother’ returning home, she turns into the intention of a firm woman, which is morally correct, who has defined her off-screen personality.
In a dramatic scene, she tries to tie a tie Rakhi On his wrist, while Dev Anand tried to express the depth of his love. Khosla dressed Suchitra in a white saree – a signature view in most of his films – and sets him as an ideal contrast to Dev Anand, dressed in black. In another, Dev Anand enters Suchitra’s room, while she stands in front of a mirror.
Seeing her from the corner of her eyes, she draws one Scarf On his shoulders. Such nuances make a complex plot poetry and poignant – it also gives sympathy to the viewer with both Suchitra and Dev Anand, understands their dilemmas, takes the play to a point where any resolution would have been acceptable.
Will they get married? Will Babu further drown in a dark abyss?
The film ends with a song – Mukesh’s Amar ‘Chal Ri Sajhani Ab Kya Soche’ – Another bold trick which was far ahead of its time. The song is an intersection between Dev Anand and Suchitra Sen with a brief conversation.
Suchitra emotions with her eyes. Dev Anand hears in silence because she speaks in her trembling voice. Finally, whatever is left makes you feel for them, perhaps cry. Still you appreciate their dignity, the courage to follow the path of redemption, and the ability to listen to their discretion and not their hearts.
Punash: The music of the film catchs every comprehensible human emotions – the joy of separation, the joy of reunion, love, confusion and even anger. SD Burman and Majoroh Sultanpuri all combine to make several timeless classics. But, the problem with the album is: One of its best songs is not the original composition.
A perfect example of ‘Dikhene Men Bhola’ presented by Asha Bhosle is an ideal example Punjabit – Op Nayar-type rhythm with a leg-tapping number that shows the vivid images of Punjabi Bells Giddha Energy clapping and muding with vortex. Unfortunately, SD Burman lifted it from a Telugu song, without creating the original musician.
If only Burman da’s moral compass was determined by Suchitra Sen’s character, the joy of listening to ‘Bombi Ka Babu’ did not make the ideas of literary theft uncomfortable.
