Saturday, August 10, 2013

Basu Chatterjee’s Hamari Bahu Alka was a realistic film.


Director Basu Chatterjee was famous for making realistic films in the 1970s and 1980s. His films Chitchor, Choti Si Baat, Rajnigandha and many others showed the life of middle-class Indians. His film Hamari Bahu Alka was directed and released in the year 1982. In the film Utpal Dutta, a contractor lived with his wife Sudha Shivpuri and two sons Rakesh Roshan and Master Raju. Rakesh Roshan was studying MBBS. Rakesh Roshan’s friend Asrani got married to Prema Narayan. Utpal Dutt thought it was better to get his son Rakesh Roshan married to his friend’s daughter Bindiya Goswami. But Utpal Dutta’s strict fatherhood made life difficult for Rakesh Roshan. He did not allow his son to stay in his bedroom. He was asked to study till 11 pm and then go to bedroom. By that time Bindiya Goswami got tired and felt asleep. In the house Utpal Dutta and Sudha Shivpuri both were very caring to Bindiya Goswami but she could hardly spend any time with Rakesh Roshan. So his friend Asrani wrote a letter from Bindiya Goswami’s village that her mother was ill. Rakesh Roshan booked a room in the hotel for her. He took her there. He used to come to the hotel room late at night, spend the night and return back home everyday. One day when Utpal Dutta could not find Rakesh Roshan back at home, the entire drama ended. Bindiya Goswami’s father came from the village and explained to Utpal Dutta that after marriage Rakesh Roshan and Bindiya Goswami required some space. He should allow them to go for honeymoon and reduce down his strictness. He agreed to do it. The subject of the film was very simple. The music was composed by Rajesh Roshan. All the actors and actresses Utpal Dutta, Rakesh Roshan, Bindiya Goswami and others did a great job. Basu Chatterjee’s direction was excellent. The film should be preserved and restored.

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