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Pakeezah (Hindi: पाक़ीज़ा, Urdu: پاکیزہ، lit.the pure one, pure of heart) is a 1972 Indian film. It is well remembered by generations of its admirers for its touching story of a courtesan, and for its lovely songs by Ghulam Mohammed. It was the magnum opus of the director, Kamal Amrohi who was known for his perfectionism.
[edit] PlotThis movie is about the courtesan Sahibjaan, (Meena Kumari), who is born to a blonde courtesan, Nargis (also Meena Kumari). After being spurned by her lover's (Ashok Kumar) family, Nargis is driven to a graveyard where she gives birth to Sahibjaan secretly. Nargis dies during childbirth, and her sister, Nawabjaan, takes the child as her own. Sahibjaan was brought up by brothel madame Nawabjaan (Veena). Unable to break away from the vicious circle, Sahibjaan grows up and becomes a beautiful and popular dancer/singer. Forest ranger Salim Ahmed Khan (Raaj Kumar) is enthralled by Sahibjaan's beauty and innocence, and eventually convinces her to elope with him, which she does. But trials and tribulations await Sahibjaan as she is recognized by men wherever she goes in the company of Salim. When Salim re-names her "Pakeezah" (pure of heart) and takes her to a priest to be legally married, she refuses, and returns to the brothel. Salim eventually decides to marry someone else, and invites Sahibjaan to dance at his wedding, Sahibjaan agrees to this, not knowing that many secrets will be revealed at this wedding. [edit] Cast
[edit] ProductionPakeezah took nearly 14 years to shoot because of a change in relationship between Meena Kumari and the director from warm to worse and then back to compromise one. Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi were married when Pakeezah was first conceived. Ashok Kumar was to have played the part of Salim, later played by Raaj Kumar. The character was changed from a businessman to a forest ranger to suit Raaj Kumar's more muscular physique. Both films composer Ghulam Mohammed and cinematographer Josef Wirsching died during the period, later composer Naushad stepped in and composed films background music as well as its title track; and over a dozen of Bombay's top cinematographers pitched in when ever they had time, they however managed to maintain its uniform look. Due to a variety of different factors, Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi parted ways and the film remained incomplete. It was only when Nargis and Sunil Dutt saw the rushes of the film that they convinced Meena Kumari to complete it. It was mostly shot in Kamal Amrohi Studios, Mumbai. Meena Kumari was very ill when filming resumed and can be seen lying down in most of her scenes. For the dance sequences, Padma Khanna was used as a body double and can be seen in the long-shots. Meena Kumari died weeks after the film was released. Pakeezah made news again during the Filmfare Awards in 1971 when Pran refused to accept his award for Be-Imaan because he felt that Ghulam Mohammed deserved a posthumous Filmfare award for his songs in Pakeezah. [edit] Details
[edit] Awards
[edit] Famous songsMany times, when the lyrics are considered fully in the visual context of the singing in the film and storyline, a fuller understanding can often be achieved in retrospect.
Apart from these songs, the movie contains classical renderings in background composed by Naushad, when he took over the incomplete job of Ghulam Mohammed. Ghulam Mohammed had died by the time the film neared release, so Naushad was brought in to complete the background score. These renderings are presented in the voice of the veteran singer Rajkumari, Parveen Sultana, Vani Jairam and Naseem Bano Chopra. Also the title track sung by Lata that appears at the beginning of the film is also composed by Naushad. [edit] Quotes
[edit] Also see[edit] References[edit] External links
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