Though much better than the decade-old running TV series on Indian TV by the same name (sorry couldn't resist the namesake comparison), Raj Khosla's CID was a very simple and straightforward who-dun-it. In the mould of Hollywood film-noir, CID was gripping and entertaining.
CID officer Shekhar (Dev Anand) is investigating the murder of a newspaper editor but somehow gets falsely implicated for the murder of the editor's murderer (Mehmood). A mysterious woman Kamini (Waheeda Rehman) helps Shekhar reach the real murderer.
Unlike most multi-layered modern murder mysteries, CID was very one-dimensional without any subplots. While the simplicity added to the appeal of the thriller in the 50s, it kind of looks too undemanding in present times. In the sense that the identity of the killer is revealed to the viewer very early in the film (which could easily have been kept a mystery and been a highpoint of the suspense drama). The motive of the editor's murder was never explained. Director Raj Khosla went on to make the same mistakes in future in Kala Pani.
Waheeda Rehman's character was too half-baked with no background account to her. While she made an impressive debut in a character with grey shades, her abrupt change of heart towards Shekhar (the hero) isn't justified. Thankfully the story doesn't get into a love triangle with the beautiful Shakila playing the only love interest of Dev Anand in the film.
Otherwise CID was a decent entertainer and had to its credit a superlative soundtrack. Each and every track in the film from "Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan", "Aankhon Hi Aankhon Mein Ishaara Ho Gaya", "Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana" to "Bujh Mera Kya Naam Re Nadi Kinare Gaav Re" was a chart-buster and is in common knowledge even today. Wonderful melodies by O P Nayyar! Performances were quite good. Dev Anand was convincing, both, as an efficient investigating officer and a victimized fugitive. Shakila looked beautiful. Producer Guru Dutt had spotted Waheeda Rehman in a Telugu film (Rojulu Marayi) and cast her as the supporting actress (with grey shades) in her first Hindi film. The rest, as they say, is history. Mehmood, who later went on to become one of the most popular Bollywood comedians ever, played a negative role in the film. His sister Minoo Mumtaz was also in the film. Johnny Walker offered some genuine light moments in the otherwise earnest film.
Interesting Trivia: Oscar winner Bhanu Athaiya (then known as Bhanumati) debuted as a costume designer with this film. Javed Akhtar's father Jan Nisar Akhtar wrote the lyrics of 'Aankhon Hi Aankhon Mein Ishaara Ho Gaya'. Tinu Anand's father Inder Raj Anand wrote the script. Popular senior actress Zohra Sehgal known to play grandmotherly roles today choreographed the songs.
Watch it as a modern film of the 50s and you might like CID.
