Do Badan

Do Badan (1966) : Brief Review -

Dilip Kumar's classic tragedy Deedar (1951) rewritten for an overdramatic contemporary love story of tragic proportions. As many have said, the idea of this film was given to Manoj Kumar when Dilip Kumar's Deedar was having its re-run and then the script was rewritten. The screenplay adopts a completely different nature as we don't see any childhood bond, which was the main point of connect in Deedar. The blindness is the only same thing here, while the rest of the narrative is totally different. I would prefer the original any day, as I feel that film has that pain and emotional quotient that makes you feel bad and makes you cry for the characters. In Deedar, the main hero has to sacrifice his eyes, which are just restored, but here the hero gets his eyes back and loses the love. Those sudden deaths in the climax don't look very plausible, and the sensitivity of love looks very bad there. I mean, the last stage or concluding stage of love cannot end with death, and that too within minutes. Deedar has no villain, but Do Badan has. It's Pran, as expected. Even he turns good all of sudden, and even while attempting redemption, he does not reveal to anyone that he was the one who was responsible for the accident. It might have added a good touch of salvation there. If one has to look at it as a retelling of Deedar, then Do Badan is a big letdown. But as a fresh film, which it is very much, it stands as a pretty decent film, powered by some excellent performances. The music adds situational momentum for sure but lacks repeat value. Those regular hit numbers are missing. Raj Khosla was actually good at making romantic thrillers, but this romantic tragedy didn't look like his fit. Overall, a fair attempt at the restoration of a classic old tragedy in modern times, but I tell you the impact Deedar had on me was too big. It can't be matched so easily.

RATING - 6/10*

By - #samthebestest.

I really appreciate Raj Khosla as a director. His films had good stories and they were of different genres (within the parameters of mainstream Hindi cinema of course). His suspense thrillers remain the most memorable, but he has made several other noteworthy pictures. Do Badan is unfortunately not one of them. It is a Hindi melodrama, which is not bad but quite typical and predictable. The first half is quite watchable; it is the second half which drastically drags down. It is overdone and at times quite tedious. The problem is mainly with the script, which is unconvincing and hard to believe. For one, the leading hero Vikas does not want to recover his eyesight after he's lost it in an accident. Now that is just another cliché, and his self-victimising attitude really got on my nerves. There are several other such instances of high-melodrama and unbelievable proceedings. Anyway, towards the end the film does improve a bit, and is more interesting, for what it's worth. The film has some good songs, but some of them are too whiny, even if that's what goes well with this kind of story.

Where acting goes, as one can expect, Manoj Kumar is let down by the script but does well at times. Asha Parekh has never been a favourite of mine, frankly, and she is okay here though at times she does very well. Manmohan Krishna is good as her uncle. Pran is always good in villainous parts, so no surprises here. Simi Garewal steals the show with her limited and yet ever so graceful presence. Just the first scene in which she appears on-screen--walking through the hospital's corridors, graciously greeting her colleagues and eventually meeting Vikas to try and encourage him--is an impressive introduction which is naturally done, and it stayed in my mind despite being just one-minute long! The film sadly does not dig enough into her personal story, but her expressions in just a few scenes here and there convey a lot of it, and that's a feat. But then the film ends on a particularly tragic and embarrassing note, which makes me conclude that Do Badan is an average film which has its moments but deserves no more than one watch, that too for lovers of this type of movies.

Although Raj Khosla was known as the master of suspense in Indian Cinema (e.g. "Kala Pani","Who Kaun Thi", "Mera Saaya") he also had an occasional try in romantic movies. And when he did, the result was usually another masterpiece, as is this movie.

Briefly, the story revolves around Manoj Kumar's meeting, love, then sacrifice for the heroine played by Asha Parekh. Nothing extraordinary, you would think. But this is an extraordinary movie, indeed. Manoj Kumar, Asha Parekh and Pran's acting are superb and the compositions of music director Ravi are nothing short of breathtaking.

On the musical side, Rafi really outshines everybody here with his melodious finale song "Naseeb Mein". His first two songs in this movie, namely "Bhari Duniya" and "Raha Gardishon", are certainly gems. But there is something in "Naseeb Mein" that does it for me. This is an immortal, unparalleled and sublime love song by Rafi at his peak. Lata is also excellent in "Lo Aa Gaaee", but its Rafi's unique voice that keeps resounding in your head long after watching the movie.

In a nutshell, "Do Badan" is a real gem of the 60's. Do not miss it, especially given the fact that nowadays movies aren't made like that anymore...

"Do Badan" explores the true meaning of love and separation. It's a movie that you just can't have anything against! Asha (Asha Parekh) and Vikas (Manoj Kumar) first meet on a rather annoyed note. They're at college, Vikas is trying to study, and insists that Asha and her friends turn off their transistor. Of course they refuse and Vikas turns it off himself. Asha tells on him.

Vikas goes to the principal's office, while Asha and her friends listen in the doorway. The principal asks Vikas to pay a fine, and Vikas sadly tells him that he can punish him in anyway, but not to fine him. He wouldn't be able to pay it. Asha realizes that telling on him was a big mistake and takes back her complaint.

Soon, Vikas and Asha get to know each other better and start to fall in love. On the day of exams, Asha is surprised and worried to see that Vikas is not there. She later finds out that he had gone to see his very ill father.

Vikas's brother and his brother's wife are both stone hearted. Vikas's father dies, and all they care about is the money. Vikas overhears their conversation and decides to leave on his own, he was too dignified to live like this.

Vikas goes back to town, and he finds Asha again. She finds a job for Vikas in one of her dad's many industries. They're both so happy, and hope that they can some day get married.

Circumstances have it that Vikas soon finds out that Asha is actually the daughter of such a rich father. He tries to quit the job, but Asha insists that he doesn't. The love continues to blossom, and soon Ashwini (Pran) finds out about it.

Ashwini tells Asha's father about it. Soon they have a random party (gosh, why do rich people always have random parties like this?), and Asha's father not only is mean to Vikas, but suddenly announces the engagement of Aswini and Asha. He also tells Vikas to leave the next day.

Before he decides to go, Vikas tells Asha that he will come back...as a rich man and take her away. Asha says that she doesn't care about money, but Vikas insists that she wait for him.

But before he leaves for Bombay, Vikas falls into Ashwini's trap and he drives a car without a brake in it. Fortunately he survives the accident, but his eyes are gone. He is devotedly served by a kind doctor Anjali (Simi).

Now, Vikas doesn't want Asha to live to serve him all her life...but how can Asha or Vikas ever forget each other? Does Asha marry Ashwini? You're going to have to judge this movie by yourself! It's a great movie, VERY sad, and VERY touching. Asha Parekh is beautiful, and Manoj Kumar is good looking...and both of their performances are great. Simi looks pretty also and acts nicely. Everyone did a good job for the acting part. The music by Ravi is enjoyable. Lata's magnificent voice in "Lo Aagayi Unki Yaad" brings tears to your eyes, along with Rafi's "Naseeb Mein", "Bhari Duniya", and "Raha Gardishon". Asha sings nicely also in "Jab Chali Tandhi Hawa" and "Mat Jayio Naukaria Chod Ke". Raj Khosla's direction is a feast for the eyes as well as the heart. A great movie...bring out the Kleenexes! 10/10

First of all, I sincerely thank esteemed MS member Thomas D (tom3357) for inspiring me to write a review of this emotional love story of the sixties which is still remembered for its great songs. Do Badan is the first movie I saw on the big screen in Kolkata (then Calcutta) after moving to this metro city in 1988. I went to watch it with a lot of expectation because I was (and still am) very much impressed by its melodious and touching songs. And Do Badan lived upto my expectations.

Today is Karva Chauth, the festival of the Indian (mainly Hindu) ladies fasting for the long life of their husbands. Now what's marriage ? Does the marriage of a male and female happen through rituals or legal procedure only ? My answer is - No. The marriage, in the real sense, happens in the hearts of a male and a female. I am writing a sentence in the Urdu language - JIS-SE MOHABBAT HOTI HAI, USI SE VABASTAGI HOTI HAI AUR YE VABASTAGI HI SHAADI HAI (you are linked to whom you love and this link itself is marriage). The hearts of a man and a woman can be married despite the non-performance of rituals (or legal formality). Do Badan (two bodies) is the story of such a pair only which could not tie the sacred knot in the eyes of the society but the love that had evolved for each other was eternal, transcending the limits of bodies with merger of the souls.

Do Badan (1966) tells the story of college-mates turned lovers - Asha (Asha Parekh) and Vikas (Manoj Kumar). The difference between the statuses of Asha's rich father and poor and orphan Vikas becomes an insurmountable wall in the path of their union. Vikas leaves Asha to earn money and become worthy in the eyes of her father to ask for her hand in marriage but his rival for Asha's love, Ashwini (Pran) arranges an accident to get rid of him. Vikas survives but loses his eye-sight. Kind-hearted Dr. Anjali (Simi Grewal) serves him. On the other hand, Asha gets married to Ashwini under the wrong impression that Vikas is dead in the accident. However she is not able to love him like a wife as her emotions have died with Vikas. The twist in the tale comes when she sees Vikas singing in a party. What happens thereafter is very touching and the movie finally reaches its tragic climax, leaving a throbbing in the hearts of the viewers.

The expert in directing suspense-thrillers, Raj Khosla has excelled in the field of emotions too with Do Badan. The movie is quite interesting and the curiosity of the viewer has been well-maintained by the narrator. Despite bollywood style twists and cinematic liberties in the narrative, the viewer is nowhere let down. Cinematography is good and the bright colours provide a cooling experience to the viewer's eyes. Technically and production value wise, the movie is up to the mark. The length of the movie is also quite OK according the norms of the sixties.

The lead pair was never considered a great performer. However in this emotion-packed movie, both have done well. Asha Parekh never got accolades for her performance but she was quite pretty and the thing for which I admire her is that she was able to develop good on-screen chemistry with every hero and that covered up her average acting. Manoj Kumar has also acted properly. The greatest ever villain of bollywood, Pran has delivered a knock-out performance again. However the surprise packet of this movie is Simi Grewal who is simply lovable in the role of a kind-hearted lady doctor. She won the Filmfare award for the best supporting actress too for her performance in this movie.

The music of Do Badan is just marvellous with all the songs as memorable ones. The emotional lyrics of Shakeel Badayuni have been melodiously composed by Ravi. It contains three gems of Mohammed Rafi - Raha Gardishon Mein Har Dumb, Naseeb Mein Jiske Jo Likha Tha and Bhari Duniya Mein Aakhir Dil Ko Samjhane Kahaan Jaayen. It has Lata's great sad song - Lo Aa Gayi Unki Yaad. It contains Asha's teasing song - Matt Jaiyo Naukariya Chhod Ke. And above all, it contains - Jab Chali Thandi Hawa which is undoubtedly one of Asha's most popular songs, a real classic in terms of the tune as well as in terms of the instrumental music in which tender words have been strung like fragrant flowers in a beautiful garland. This unforgettable song links the natural phenomena with human emotions in the most impressive manner.

I had watched Do Badan in the Liberty Cinema situated at Girish Park, Kolkata (then Calcutta) on 14th October, 1988 and I am unfortunate that I have yet to watch it for the second time since then (though I watch the videos of the songs on internet). This touching love story is a treat to watch for the people liking emotional love stories and its great songs render it repeat value for sure.