Mausam (1975) is a much-acclaimed Indian feature film directed and written by Gulzar. This movie was adapted from the novel The Judas Tree by A. J. Cronin. Starring Sharmila Tagore, Sanjeev Kumar, and Gulzar, the film was a critical and commercial success, with Tagore winning the Best Actress Award at the National Film Awards.
Mausam was considered a groundbreaking break from the romantic, light-hearted Bollywood films of its day. The film is a classic whose fragrance is just enhanced with time. Rarely does a film broach such a brave subject as Mausam did. Classic films are made like that; they have that impact on the audience.
For the boldness of the subject, Gulzar’s Mausam will always remain special. There are other factors too which are discussed below: -
- The simple characters are realistic and that’s why they are flawed too. Another fascinating fact about the world of Mausam is that the people are empathetic.
- Do you remember how Mausam opens? A car is making its way up the Darjeeling Hills and the heart-wrenching lyrics of Gulzar Dil dhoondhta hai phir wahi fursat ke raat din peeks in the soulful music of Madan Mohan. Right from the beginning you, therefore, know that it is going to be a nostalgic ride.
- Sharmila Tagore as Kajli and Chanda Thapa is memorable and rightfully enough she got her National Award. Her innocence and sassy attitude both have a reason and she understood that concept to translate for the audience. She was silent in some scenes and fierce in some, subtle somewhere and also garrulous in some. In totality, she was that refined version of herself in Mausam and that’s what makes this classic Bollywood movie so special.
- The most fascinating element about Mausam is its mature and sensible handling of a sensitive and not-so-comfortable subject. Mausam took a non-judgmental approach in delving deep into the relationship of a man and a woman which was new for Bollywood.
- A subtle river of melancholy runs all through the movie amidst the plot of a lewd-mouthed prostitute and a cantankerous old bachelor.
- Gulzar’s Mausam is a mesmerizing poem of deep regrets, of the chance not taken, of the vanished opportunities, and of redemption.
These are in short what makes Mausam a very special movie. Not only for Gulzar’s or Sharmila Tagore’s career, but Mausam is a benchmark for Bollywood too.
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