Sangam (1964)

******* Spoiler Alert **********I was never a Raj Kapoor fan, especially because of the progressively degrading portrayal of women in his movies.Still, I decided to give this one a shot.No surprises that the movie reflects his views about women, both as the director and the hero Sundar. This is not a love triangle - it is way twisted for it to be such an easy geometrical figure! Sundar and Gopal love each other as friends since boyhood. For unexplained reasons, Gopal is always defending Sundar. Radha is always in love with Gopal though it is not as clear cut the other way round. It is very clear that Radha hates Sundar (at least till the marriage that she is forced into, after which she suddenly starts loving him - i suppose, the reason being that as an Indian wife, it is her duty to love her husband. However, the romp through several European locations (that feel like a travel brochure for the era that this movie was made) show her to be totally happy with him!) and Sundar is so smitten with her that he is deaf and blind to ALL signals to the contrary, even when they are right in his face! The dumbness of Sundar and the stupid plot twists to get Sundar and Radha married are enough to make one dizzy! The audience has to become as dumb as Sundar to have any credence in the premise that Radha loves Sundar after the marriage. On the other hand, Gopal does his very best to lie to Sundar about how much Radha loves him (Sundar). Poor Radha's opinion has zero value (after all this is Raj Kapoor movie!). A lot of overblown dialogue shows how Gopal and Radha have no clue about plain human decency (Gopal makes Radha to marry Sundar because Sundar loves her and wants her! and she is OK with it, even if as an unwilling pawn). Worse scenes follow to torture all 3 characters with Sundar intent on being deaf and dumb to how Radha and Gopal feel (Does he even look at their faces or hear their voices?), ultimately resolving into the deadly climax! Radha is no better with her stupid insistence in coming between Sundar and Gopal. Why did she not accept Gopal as part of the parcel? It was not clear to me how Sundar could not read Hindi for most of the movie (yet another absurd plot device) while he can read the love letter Gopal has written to Radha. I must have missed it in the mind-numbing turns! and had no desire to look for the explanation going through the scenes again.Raj Kapoor looks too old and tired opposite Vyjayanti Mala. Rajendra Kumar, though wooden, looks better. I did not see the point of the "Sexy" Paris dance by her after the chauvinist comments from Raj Kapoor but I suppose she was getting paid plenty for both listening to those remarks as well as putting on a show and all the palloo-falling!I give this movie 4 stars for 2 redeeming features that make it bearable: superb songs and beautiful picturization.

One of Raaj Kapoor's best films where his acting is flawless and very close to his private personality.For years we saw him in the familiar 'charlie chaplin' guise so this film was an accolade to his inherent acting abilities.Vyjantimala is superb and Rajendra Kumar is also in good form though overshadowed by Kapoor.The music and direction,especially the scenario are very professional and admirable.TThe story is well-balanced though as in all Indian films the flaws are also there;Raj's death and his subsequent arrival are the weak points.This film shows the real Raj Kapoor behind the clown's mask;ruthless and opportunist.A very enjoyable and well directed film.

The story is a little contrived and the acting melodramatic, but the songs make the movie. The songs are really very well situated amidst the beautiful and breathtaking scenery. Vyjantimala's spontaneous dance in the European hotel has never really been successfully duplicated in Indian cinema. It is a classic that was shot in one take I believe. The songs are really and truly memorable and are still heard today in the collections of Mukesh. Also, Raj Kapoor's acting was so effortless and natural in the boat scene where he captures Vyjanitmala and pulls her into his boat. The song is Mehbooba and is terrific. Another excellent song is Mere Prem Patra and the location shot is absolutely stunning and very colorful.

Raj Kapoor, was probably the most co-ordinated of the actors, just watching him, during the song "Her Dil Jo Pyar Karega" he is playing an accordion,singing,dancing and acting when some of his counterparts couldn't walk and chew paan at the same time!!. No wonder this immensely talented actor was known all over globe and was adored as the Indian "Charlie Chaplin". He took a big gamble with a subsequent magnum opus-encompassing the life and tribulations of a Joker-"Mera Naam Joker", almost bankrupting this Producer/Actor/Director known as the flamboyant Showman of Indian Cinema. This Movie was the culmination of many years of his efforts and one of the best he ever made. This celluloid classic was shot extensively in Ootacamund (Ooty-a Heavenly hill station near Bangalore-the song "Oh-Mehbooba" was shot in the Ooty lake), London, Rome, Switzerland. When Sundar (Raj Kapoor)is deemed to be dead, the rekindling of the romance between the erst wile caretaker-friend Gopal (Rajendra Kumar) and Radha (Vijayantimala) starts with barren,desolate and lifeless tree and then, there is this most beautiful scenery of fully blossomed trees-when the music changes from a sullen to a lilting tune coming from a 'Veena' and the subsequent interlude is probably the most romantic song-sequence ever filmed. This was the genius of Raj kapoor at work. He had the greatest ensemble of talent, musicians Shankar-Jaikishan, singers Mukesh and Lata, lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri,cinematographer Radhu Karmarkar, who enriched this visual splendor. Then there is the guilt ridden flashbacks of Gopal and Radha, when he sings "Dost Dost Naa Raha". This vivacious and talented actress was aptly rewarded with the best actress award. This is a movie, that everything came together, like the Indian "Sound of Music". Raj Kapoor had style, class, and passion for film making that no other film-maker shared. "Sangam" is a flawless Diamond that will shine as a quintessenstial Jewel in the Crown of Indian Cinema.