Ram Aur Shyam

Okay, so, a movie about twins, and the main lead is none other than Mr Dilip Kumar. Ram Aur Shyam is a Dilip Kumar vehicle all the way and even the opening credits say "Dilip Kumar in his first dual role", as if it was an event of sorts. But while you expect something particular from the film, it turns out to be different. First, it is not a complete comedy of errors. Actually, there's more drama in this one than comedy. Towards the end, it even gets a dark tone which I personally did not predict and did not like at all. The comedy does work from time to time, and it's nice to see the turns even though everything is predictable. Ram Aur Shyam is not the only movie of its sort, and many such movies were made later, like Seeta Aur Geeta. Which brings me to the next point and it is the fact that today while watching all these twin movies, comparisons are inevitable. Clearly, the best one of the lot is Seeta Aur Geeta, an all-time great comedy, which had the verve, the light and lively comic mood, the music and the excellence that Ram Aur Shyam lacks. Even Hema Malini's unforgettable performance remains unmatched. Where acting goes, well, as said, this movie was made for Dilip Kumar, and he does well, but it is far from being his best. He is excellent as Shyam, but overdoes the cowardice and the shy nature of Ram. The girls do very well even if one expects to see them disappearing under his shadow. Waheeda Rehman plays Anjana with grace and conviction, while Mumtaz is wonderful as the street-smart Shanta. The supporting cast do well. The music is very ordinary and forgettable. Ram Aur Shyam is not a bad film and it has its moments of comedy and great fun, but they are limited, and I would rather go and watch Seeta Aur Geeta instead.