Chaudhvin Ka Chand

About the film

Chaudhvin Ka Chand (transl. Full Moon) is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language romance drama film directed by M. Sadiq. Produced by Guru Dutt, the film centers on a love triangle between Aslam (Guru Dutt), Jameela (Waheeda Rehman) and Nawab Pyare Miyan (Rehman). The film features music by Ravi.

The film was a commercial success at the box-office, and became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of the year. It was ranked #28 in 2003 Outlook Magazine poll of 25 Leading Indian Directors for "Best Bollywood Movies of all time". Filmfare listed it among "Seven Muslim socials you must watch". The film is considered a notable Muslim-social.

Plot

The movie is set in a time and Muslim social circle where noble women, especially young girls, would always cover their faces out in public. Houses were divided into common and female sections where even men of family would seek permission before entering into female sections. Much confusion and plot revolve around the customary veils worn by love interest of leading men.

Aslam (Guru Dutt), Nawab Pyare Miyan (Rehman) and Mirza Musarraddique Shaida (Johnny Walker) are three childhood friends who live like brothers in Lucknow. One day Pyare Miyan accidentally sees a beautiful girl Jameela (Waheeda Rehman) in market and sets his heart to marry her. As the luck has it, Jameela is one of the guests on his sister Rehana's birthday party next week. Pyare Miyan gets hold of a piece of Jameela's veil which he hands over to their maid Naseeban (Tun Tun) to match and bring information about the girl he adores. Meanwhile girls exchange veils (dupatta) as a sisterhood tradition. Jameela exchanges her veil with her friend Bano, to whom Naseeban matches the torn piece and reports about her origin to Pyare as she had worked at Bano's house as maid earlier. Pyare sends his friends Aslam and Shaida to Bano's house for setting the marriage but her father asks for some time to think about it.

Meanwhile Pyare Miyan's mother (Mumtaz Begum) who dreams to perform Hajj, is forbidden by doctor. An Imam suggests to send someone else in her place as it's permitted in Islam. The family asks Imam to go instead but he is hesitant as he wants his young daughter to get married before going. Pyare Miyan's mother wants Pyare Miyan to marry Imam's daughter, but Pyare Miyan is unknown of the fact that Imam's daughter is none other than Jameela and in order to avoid him getting entangled with Imam's daughter, Pyare Miyan first asks Shaida to marry Jameela and when Shaida refuses as he likes Tameezan (Minoo Mumtaz), thereafter he asks Aslam to marry Jameela, which Aslam accepts without even asking anything about Jameela. Pyare Miyan, too, attends the marriage of Aslam and Jameela, but face of Jameela does not get revealed to Pyare Miyan. So, unknowingly, Pyare Miyan himself get the girl he loves married to his friend.

Music

Guru Dutt's music composer of earlier films S. D. Burman had warned him not to make Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), which resembled his own life. When Guru Dutt insisted on making the film, Burman said that would be his last film with Guru Dutt. Hence, the music composing of this film was offered to composer Ravi and was critically acclaimed, and the lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni. The title song is sung by Mohammed Rafi. The other hit songs from this film are "Mera Yaar Bana Hai Dulha", also sung by Mohammed Rafi, often played in wedding ceremony and mujra song "Dil Ki Kahani Rang Layi Hai", sung by Asha Bhosle.

Ravi has composed the music of the film and Shakeel Badayuni wrote the lyrics.

Release

The film was selected into the 2nd Moscow International Film Festival.

In 2014, the film's screenplay was published as a book, titled Chaudhvin Ka Chand: The Original Screenplay, by the film historians Dinesh Raheja and Jitendra Kothari.

Reception

After the box office failure of Kaagaz Ke Phool, Guru Dutt ventured into the idea of producing a commercial project to protect his studio from ruin. Chaudhvin ka Chand was a successful comeback film for Dutt and saved Dutt's production studio.

Awards

Best Lyricist – Shakeel Badayuni for film "Chaudhvin Ka Chand"

Best Male Playback Singer – Mohammed Rafi for film "Chaudhvin Ka Chand"

Key details