Albela (1971)

A. Shamsher's comedy for Sanat Kothari, built around Mehmood as Mahesh, a stage performer who will not come off stage. Word arrives that his father is dying and he refuses to leave the play half-finished; the father, before he goes, extracts a promise that Mahesh will marry his sister into a wealthy and respectable family. A friend produces a prince, Sunil, and Mahesh steals a king's costume out of the theatre to look the part when he makes the proposal. Aruna Irani plays opposite him, with Rajendra Nath, I. S. Johar, Achala Sachdev, Leela Mishra and Ramesh Deo. The music is Shankar-Jaikishan's: Main Hoon Albela and Sultanon Ka Sultan are Kishore Kumar's, the second shared with Mehmood himself; Ae Mere Dil is Lata's; Devta Mana Aur Pooja they sing together; and Tera Dil Mere Dil Se Jo Aan Mila is sung by Noor Jehan. The first thing in this print is not a title but a photograph in a garland: DEDICATED TO THE EVERLASTING MEMORY OF THE LATE Shri JAIKISHAN. Jaikishan died in September 1971, at forty-two, and the film went out carrying the card. No database entry for this film carries its crew; the print's own roll does. Bipen Gajjar, W.I.C.A., photographed it. The lyrics are Hasrat Jaipuri's. Essa M. Suratwala took the audiography, the dances are by P. L. Raj and Suresh Bhatt - Bhatt went on to choreograph Ram Teri Ganga Maili - and the fights are by Sattar. Anil Ganguli is production executive and Nagaiya Swami production manager; Kirit Kumar wrote the titles; the publicity was designed by Lalit Kala and printed at Swastik Litho Works. It was made at Shri Sound Studio, Ranjit Studio and A.V.M. Studio.