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Albela

1951 158’ b&w Hindi d/p/s Master Bhagwan pc Bhagwan Art Prod. dial Ehsan Rizvi lyr Rajinder Krishen c Shankar A. Palav m C. Ramchandra lp Geeta Bali, Master Bhagwan, Badri Prasad, Pratima Devi, Bimala, Nihal, Dulari, Sunder, Usha Shukla

A musical hit and Bhagwan’s most successful film as producer and director. A dispatch clerk (Bhagwan) dreams of becoming a stage star. His success as singer and dancer is aided by the reigning star Asha (Bali) with whom he falls in love. The love story is intercut with tragedy in his home, the death of his mother (Pratima Devi), estrangement from his father (Badri Prasad) and the villainy of his brother-in-law (Nihal). The film’s highlights are the dances and C. Ramchandra’s hit songs Shola jo bhadke (set to flickering light and Hawaiian dance choreography), Bholi surat and Shyam dhale, all sung by the composer with Lata Mangeshkar. Bhagwan apparently sold the film’s rights cheaply after its initial run and its successful 90s re-release did nothing to benefit its impecunious maker.

Film