Movie Review- Mehboob Ki Mehndi (1971)

Name: Mehboob Ki Mehndi*

Producer and Director: H.S. Rawail

Cast: Leena Chandavarkar, Rajesh Khanna, Iftekhar and Pradeep Kumar

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Music: Laxmikant-Pyaarelal

I know you must be wondering why the hell someone would review a movie that was released more than four decades back. Well, I happened to watch it on some Hindi movie channel last night, while having supper. However, there are many themes and points I noticed that made me like it immensely esp. compared to the junk that is being dished out these days in the name of movies and hence comes out this honest review. Whenever we discuss about 60s and 70s, only actresses in tight suits (with huge buns) and chocolaty college-going heroes along with some absurd comedy thrown in parts, cross our minds. That would be generalizing the entire category, like ‘all club-hopping girls are bitches’.

The plot in brief – Shabana (Chandavarkar) joins as a new tutor of nawab (Duke) Yusuf’s (Khanna) nephew. Their romance blossoms and soon takes turns towards marriage but Shabana has a dark secret she wishes to reveal. Nawab’s servant Khairu (Kumar) has an old enmity with nawab Safdarjung (Iftekhar) who is Yusuf’s invalid father. Old skeletons crawl out of the family closets and ugly truths emerge leading to a murder by Shabana. I would not like to disclose the entire plot here, for it will spoil the fun. Btw, this movie was a super-hit!

Breach of trust has deadly consequences and so is of placing too much of it in acquaintances. This is beautifully shown in this story. The trust Khairu’s father places in his business contacts is ruthlessly broken by Iftekhar and his family. That makes him smolder with revenge and do things that have deadly after-effects. This movie is different in a few aspects. It is about trust and how true love is its another side. It also gives us an important message of how old sins cast long shadows.

Firstly, there is no skin show in this movie. Shabana is shown wearing full sleeved shararas with her head covered neatly with a dupatta/chunni. The dialogues too, are sans any expletives and double meanings. Songs have certain sweetness about them and the lyrics are lovely as well, just like the sets and the decent manner of romance shown between the couple. Yusuf does not stalk her or asks her out insolently, neither Shabana displays her wild side the way it is shown these days. They just talk and discover they are meant for each other. Hence, the romance that blossoms carries more platonic shades.

Secondly, after knowing her secret, Yusuf supports his love till the end and rescues her out of the legal trouble. He firmly stays by her side till she is out of the mess. What I loved the most is that in spite of being a nawab, he does not get embarrassed of her nor does a quick nikaah (marriage) with someone else. Khairu also realizes the futility of carrying on with the enmity and bitterness all life. He too is shown deeply in love with his late wife. When Shabana comes to know of her mother’s dark past, she tries her best to embrace and accept her. Some real family bonds are reflected in this movie. 

Characters do not leave each other because of petty incompatibility issues and even after tragedies strike, they are very much a family; Shabana is taken care of by her naani (maternal granny) and latter’s foster brother. Love is all about trust and standing by the person in tough times. 



Another prominent message this movie gives out is the value of education. Shabana is educated and thus saves herself and her family from misfortune by managing a respectable job (tutor) unlike her illiterate mother. And yes! Leena Chandavarkar is looking extremely beautiful, really!

The songs are very hummable with no dirty and provocative dancing or cheap lyrics thrown in. ‘Yeh jo chilman hai…’ (This damned veil…) and ‘Jaane kyon log mohhabat…’ (Why do people fall in love…) are my favs!

So, in a nutshell, if you are looking for some meaningful and clean family entertainment, with a touch of the bygone classy nawab era, a dash of Urdu and awesome songs, this movie will not disappoint you!

*‘My henna is for my lover’

In India, Henna is considered very auspicious and is an inseparable part of marriage rituals. It is applied in hands and feet of the bride in beautiful patterns.

Check out this romantic song!