Phool Aur Patthar (1966) :
Brief Review -
Tragedy queen Meena Kumari is a rose, Dharmendra is a patthar (turned into a flower), and Shashikala is a sexy thorn in a socially reformative romantic drama. Let's begin with Shashikala, who plays the major supporting role in the film. What a sexy role for her! I don't think she has ever looked so sexy in a film. Yes, there were a few cameos and glimpses in some films, but this film gave her a full-fledged role in a sexy avatar. The hairdo, glamorous outfits, and showing off that cleavage must have been so stimulating in the mid-60s. Dharmendra plays a pro-theif who has been abandoned and cancelled by this so-called sophisticated society. Now, he is giving them back by robbing the rich. You can't think of any other actress to play this role other than Meena Kumari. A widow tortured by her in-laws and threatened by her brother-in-law becomes responsible for changing the thief into a perfect gentleman in society. The last line when she says, "I don't want this money. Give to those poor children so that no flower becomes a stone in the future." The title and the entire essence of the film were defined there. Half a star extra for that. Rest; you have a regular storyline and some mainstream elements like romance, drama, and some action to make those 170 minutes worth it, as the music fails to offer any help. The supporting cast adds some fun here and there and keeps the show floating. However, the film suffers from predictable and dated drama. It doesn't matter much because it's a completely audience-friendly film that appeals to certain emotions at every step. The neighbors who were against the man and the woman are now at their service. That was a cliche, but a relatable one. OP Rahlan's neat and controlled direction makes for a more crowd-pleasing entertainer than a classic blockbuster. It was a Blockbuster at the box office, though.
RATING - 6.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
