With Basu Chatterjee as director an actor could win the world. He was the messiah for young aspirants, casting them in eye-catching parts in his cinema that appealed so much to the middle class. He did not push for acclaim through the “off-beat” genre but made strong statements with movies that engaged your attention. For Chatterjee, cinema was always a medium to make meaningful and positive impact on his audience, which was diverse and loyal.
A decade after he launched Rakesh Pandey into the hearts of those who valued good acting, Chatterjee accommodated the talented actor in “Manzil”. The cameo by Pandey was a highlight of the movie for his restrained performance in the presence of Amitabh Bachchan, who had secured a coveted position for himself in Indian cinema with hits like “Anand”, “Don”, “Amar Akbar Anthony” and “Zanjeer”.
“Manzil” may rekindle memories of “Akash Kusum”, the Bengali classic by Mrinal Sen with Soumitra Chatterjee and Aparna Sen in the lead. “Akash Kusum” was closer to reality since the protagonist accepts the reality towards the end. “Manzil” sees a twist keeping in mind the audience it had to reach out to. The contrived climax in a court room appears a rush job and lacking the stamp of class that Basu Chatterjee often brought to his work.
“Manzil” had an uncomplicated story where Bachchan is Ajay Chandra, a poor man who finds himself falling for Aruna Khosla, a rich girl (Moushumi Chatterjee) after the initial moves come from her. Chandra has big dreams since he does not want to take up regular jobs. Chandra aspires to work on old galvanometers and restore them with the help of Anokhelal (A.K. Hangal), an old hand in the profession.
Chandra’s well-to-do friend Prakash Mariwalla, played superbly by Rakesh Pandey, is the driving force and also the sponsor for Chandra, who launches the business with the help of his veteran expert, even finds buyers, before he is flattened by some of the big sharks of the business who manage to wean Anokhelal away. All this while Chandra, pretending to be rich, is making huge impression on Aruna, who falls in love after hearing him sing a private gathering.
Rich girl, poor boy and resistance from the girl’s father when he learns the truth make the narrative predictable. Chatterjee’s magic too is missing. This is not the director who gave us “Piya Ka Ghar”, “Rajnigandha”, “Chitchor”, “Chhoti Si Baat”, “Swami”, “Dillagi”, “Khatta Meetha”, all movies which you could revisit for their entertainment value. But not “Manzil”.
Those were times when movie-makers found it a workable formula that a girl could fall for a boy in the process of listening or singing a song. Chandra leaves her in a trance thanks to the Kishore Kumar classic “Rim Jhim Gire Sawan”, a song that lingers as the movie progresses. It continues to appeal even today for its melody. Later he hums “Tum Ho Mere Dil Ki Dhadkan”, another great offering from Rahul Dev Burman. Sadly music was not a theme of this movie where the girl falls in love with the voice of the boy.
Moushumi has little scope but she is charming. Lalita Pawar has a small part as Chandra’s doting mother. Satyen Kappu as the rich father and Shreeram Lagoo as the lawyer for Chandra carry themselves well. Bachchan has the script working for him and towers above the rest with the exception of Rakesh Pandey, who gives ample evidence of the fact that he was a much under-rated actor. Basu Chatterjee’s magic is missing in “Manzil” which falls short of its goal. If only, the story had developed on the strength of RD’s music and Kishore’s voice. There was scope since Chandra sings well and Aruna has an ear for it,
