Review : Prem Rog

I was a kid when I saw this (and now I’m a bit older 🙂 , a teeny-tiny bit though ), so my details may not be down pat. This could easily be classified as an “all-in-one” , since it has all the ingredients, but to me this has always been a romance. Why ? Am not sure, but I think its because of the notion of love sustaining over time. Anyway here are the bare bones, and then some :Manorama (a very young Padmini Kolhapure), is the darling daughter of a rich family, whose patriarch is the all-powerful Thakur (an aging Shammi Kapoor). She is coddled, and pampered and her every whim is answered. Deodhar (Rishi Kapoor) is a poor orphan in the village, who is able to further his education in the big city with the Thakur’s help. He returns after his studies, to find that Manorama has grown up into a beautiful young lady, and promptly falls in love with her. He is unable to declare his love for her however, because of the apparent class-distinction (lowly orphan vs. rich nymph – you get ?)

Manorama, of course unaware and child-like treats him as always, as her child-hood friend. Enter the handsome and rich Vijayendra Ghatge (I forget his screen name) as Manorama’s prospective bridegroom. She is soon married and off to her sasuraal, leaving Deodhar in silent despair…

This is a Yashraj production, so very visually pleasing. Add to that Ms. Kolhapure of yesteryear, when she actually exuded innocence, and a young Rishi Kapoor, and you have a sure-fire hit. Remember that the young Rishi Kapoor was minus pot-belly and the ravages of time. Good actors, and good direction and some very nice songs. Plus that unfathomable sensuousness of slowly unfolding important events – something I’ve seen only in older love stories. Nowdays we hurry too much me thinks.

The film is a love story no doubt, but also dwells upon and shown class-distinctions, a feudal society, widow status, and problems faced by widows in traditional India. The writer of this film, Kamna Chandra is the mom of author Vikram chandra. She later also wrote “1942 – a love story”.