Hare Rama Hare Krishna

I was recently watching Hare Rama Hare Krishna, the cult Hindi movie of 1972. Twenty-six years after Dev Anand introduced Zeenat Aman, the film, I found, is still quite riveting. The film, of course, became popular for its pulsating music – with RD Burman at his prime and Anand Bakshi, expectations were high. But then, the music became too popular for words. Songs from the film are hummed even today, and not just by old-timers.

The film was based on the simple ‘lost and found’ theme, a brother-sister relationship after separation. It was a time of the hippie revolution in those heady days of the late 1960s and ‘70s, and somehow, Nepal and the locals in the film seemed just right - Nepal in those days was still pristine and pure, with a romance all its own (does it exist today at all?).

More than anything, Zeenat Aman as Janice was special, and the Hindi film heroine was probably never the same after that role she essayed with almost effortless ease.

Mumtaz, as usual, charms you with her good looks.

And then, there was Dev Anand, one of the trinity in Hindi filmdom in those days (Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor being the other two). It was not an easy theme to tackle, but he managed well. Today, still known as the evergreen star, Dev Sahab is most remembered for this film, Hare Rama Hare Krishna.

I couldn’t resist capturing some shots as I watched.