This Saawan arrives with showers of entertainment

In many of my reviews, I have highlighted this trait of many Bollywood movies made during the sixties that they were basically family or social dramas or else, rom-coms but to present a complete entertainer to the usual Bollywood movie audience, an element of suspense was used to be inserted into the narrative as a twist in the tale when it was in its final phase. And that formula almost always enhanced the entertainment value of the movie and made it more satisfying for the audience. Hence it succeeded also when handled by able script-writers and directors. Director Raghunath Jhalani was a master in using this formula and he continued his successful association with it during the seventies too. One such entertaining movie directed by him is Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969) which is mainly a romance cum social drama but the suspense factor inserted in the second half, makes it more entertaining.Aaya Saawan Jhoom Ke (the rainy season has arrived in a frolicking manner) starts with the time-tested formula of ‘lost and found’ which was hackneyed to the hilt by the Bollywood filmmakers during that era. A poor widow Maya (Nirupa Roy) kills a rapist to save her honour but then leaves her little son in a temple so that his life is not spoiled on account of her misfortune. Destiny makes such a move that Maya happens to work as a maid in the house of the same gentleman – Lala Jugal Kishore (Nazir Hussain) who picks the boy-child from the temple and then fosters him as his own son. Maya recognizes his son but keeps silent because she feels that her son’s welfare lies in her silence in this regard only.

Maya’s son grows up as Jai (Dharmendra) and falls in love with Aarti (Asha Parekh). After heavy doses of romance and comedy being administered to the audience, the story gets twisted when Jai is caught for the murder of a cabaret dancer. His fostering family disowns him but his biological mother, i.e., Maya stands by him revealing to him this fact that he’s her son only. How Jai is able to prove his innocence, how the real murderer is exposed and how the expected happy ending to the story is brought about is shown in the final reels of the movie.The title of Aaya Saawan Jhoom Ke has been taken from a song of this movie. It has no other relevance. The movie is damn entertaining without any boredom anywhere. The storyline meanders through a serpentine path with twists coming at regular intervals. Though the suspense element gets active in the final phase of the movie, the movie upto that point is no less entertaining than it is after that point. However the murder, its background and the developments after that provide enough food for the minds of the spectators to guess as to who can be the murderer.The director has not allowed the audience to yawn even for a moment throughout the duration of the movie. There are enough relief moments in the narrative. The romance of the hero and the heroine itself starts after some hilarious incidents. Then the comedy track of Saadhuraam Sood (Rajendra Naath) and Sangeeta (Laxmi Chhaya) is also quite humorous. Thus the narrator soaks the audience amply in laughs and romance before the serious business begins.Dashing Dharmendra and pretty Asha Parekh always made a lovely on-screen pair. Aaya Saawan Jhoom Ke is one more example of their great on-screen chemistry which is able to turn any heart as romantic. The character of Dharmendra is the backbone of the whole story and this natural actor seldom let any role down in his entire career. All others have also done their respective bits with perfection.This colour movie is a treat to watch. The art director and the cinematographer have filled the frames of this movie with beautiful colours. All the technical aspects are in order. The movie is too long but considering the absence of boredom, the length is not felt. Had the comedy track been removed, the movie would have been crispier but in that era, it was a norm to have a comedy track also in the story as per the demands of the box office.The music composed by Laxmikant Pyarelaal with the help of Anand Bakshi’s lyrics is another big asset of this well made movie. The title track (Badra Chaaye Ki Jhoole Pad Gaye Haay), Saathiya Nahin Jaana Ki Jee Na Lage, Kisi Ne Kaha Hai Mere Dosto, Yeh Shama To Jali Roshni Ke Liye etc. are precious gems from the treasure of Hindi film music. The music lovers still listen to these and cherish that aura that used to exist then.Summing up, Aaya Saawan Jhoom Ke is a complete entertainer with all the regular entertainment formulae mixed optimally to present a spicy and delicious product to the consumers, i.e., the Indian cine-lovers. Watch it any day, any time and get yourself drenched in the showers of entertainment.

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