Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon

In the late fifties, Nasir Hussain (Aamir Khan's uncle) started the trend of masala Hindi movies in which the least attended aspect was the story. The screenplay was created on the basis of some set formulae - melodious music, some action, some comedy, some romance, the works. When coloured movies became a routine since the sixties, one more thing which got added to this set-up was beautiful photography of beautiful locations. Nasir Hussain made the bollywood movie viewers habitual of such movies in which two and half hours entertainment was guaranteed without any proper storyline.Such movies became box office success and the formulae of this type of mix-masala continued till early seventies without a hitch.

One such movie is Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon which was released in 1963, starring Joy Mukherjee and Asha Parekh. The title of the movie had been taken from an emotional song of another Joy Mukherjee starrer Ek Musafir Ek Hasina. One song was composed for this movie too as the title track because fortunately like the hero, the music director was also the same for both these movies - O.P. Nayyar. While Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (directed by Raj Khosla) was a black and white movie, Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon was made as a coloured movie with negative and celluloid material of such a good quality that even today the print of the movie is a visual treat for the viewer with eye-soothing colour combination in the scenes of the beautiful locations of Kashmir.

The story as I have already mentioned is just a formality to make a romantic movie with melodious songs to fit in alongwith a comedy track and a track for the baddies who need to be beaten by the hero in the climax before their arrest by the generous Indian police. Hero Joy Mukherjee is fostered by his mother because of rift between his father and mother. His father fosters his friend's little daughter (Asha Parekh) like his own child. Destiny brings the hero and the heroine together and they find themselves in deep love. Villain (Pran) enters the scene to take advantage of the situation that the rich father of the hero does not recognize his son and presents himself as his son. After a good doz of comedy, romance and action to the viewers, the final outcome is - all's well that ends well.

Under the pretext of the romance between the lead pair, the director Nasir Hussain got ample opportunity to insert melodious songs. And music is the biggest plus point of this movie for which you can watch this movie again and again without giving a damn for the story. Rafi's classic songs - Banda Parvar Thaam Lo Jigar (which is the title song), Laakhon Hain Nigaah Mein Zindagi Ki Raah Mein, Aji Kibla Mohatarama Kabhi Shola Kabhi Naghmaand my favourite Aanchal Mein Saja Lena Kaliyaan Zulfon Mein Sitaare Bhar Lena alongwith Asha's classic song Aankhon Se Jo Utari Hai Dil Mein alongwith Dekho Bijli Dole Bin Baadal Ke make this movie a visual treat. Rafi-Asha duet - Humdum Mere Khel Na Jaano is also no less. One excellent Rafi-Asha duet - Zulf Ki Chhaon Mein Chehre Ka Ujaala Lekar Teri Veeran Si Raaton Ko Sajaaya Hamne has not been included in the movie and can be listened to in the album only. Summing up regarding the music, it's timeless.

Cinematographer has exploited the opportunity of arresting the enchanting beauty of Kashmir in the coloured movie (whose trend had just started those days) to the greatest extent possible for him. If anybody gets the opportunity to watch this movie on big screen, he/she must be highly fortunate to watch the enchanting beauty of heaven on earth in the most satisfying manner.

Direction of the movie is routine but the songs have been aptly placed. The scene (alongwith the relevant dialogues)picturized Joy and Asha which consisting of the song - Aanchal Mein Saja Lena Kaliyaan - is emotionally penetrating for tender-hearted romantic people (like me) and definitely a memorable one.

Comedy tracks are two. The bigger one is of Rajender Nath which is inter-twined with the main plot and another one is a watered down one in which Ram Avtar, as the hero's friend, makes the audience laugh. However, being short of a full-length storyline, the comedy track of Rajender Nath has been excessively prolonged. Tabassum and others, as the Sahelis of the heroine, also present amusing situations in the movie.

Performances are OK, whether they are of the lead pair (good on screen chemistry between them) or of the supporting cast alongwith the villain and the comedians. Pran has not got a meaty role as the villain considering his reputation in the negative roles in that period but he has tried his best.

Overall, the movie is successful in entertaining the audience and that's why it was a hit. I watch it whenever I am willing to get the combined effect of the visuals and the songs upon me which is always mesmerizing. I recommend it to all the lovers of melodious music who are also desirous of light romantic entertainment.

Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963) : Brief Review -

Nasir Hussain was like: Phir Wohi Story Laya Hoon. Some of Nasir Hussain's films (as a writer) always look similar to each other or that main conflict of the story. Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon is pretty much similar to Hussain's earlier work (as a writer), "Tumsa Nahin Dekha" (1957). Interestingly, in both films, Pran plays that man who pretends to be a lost son. In TND, Shammi Kapoor falls in love with a girl, and here, Joy Mukherjee is that man. Same story, with a few additional changes here and there, and PWDLH is ready to serve its purpose of entertaining the audience as a delightful rom-com. It is entertaining after all, but it's too dramatic on occasions. The same story of a son who is taken away after birth and comes to confront the father after years, unknowingly. Both don't know about their relationship with each other, but the mother knows and wants to hide it as long as she can. The hero falls in love with the heroine, and the father is looking for the right match, which is, of course, not our hero. The antagonist appears and pretends to be the lost son and then begins a fight to win the girl, but the hero has to fight his own father for that. The screenplay is very engaging in the first half when you see those lots of comic banters coming with youth vibes and those typical romantic moments following the adorable pattern. The second is dragged, though, and unnecessarily. Maybe Husaain ran out of ideas while doing too much rehashing. Joy Mukherjee and Asha Parekh's chemistry is beautiful, and the songs are decent. Pran plays a deadly villain yet again, and Rajendra Nath gets the role of a comic leader/joker. Overall, it's a watchable film, but it's too much of old Nasir Hussain reappearing on the screen instead of new images.

RATING - 6/10*

By - #samthebestest.

This movie was released in 1963 and that was the golden period of Hindi Cinema. Though I was born nearly 15 years later still I like this movie very much. The Story is interesting. Joy Mukherjee looked handsome and done full justice to his role Asha Parekh was expert in such roles and did her role very well. Rajender Nath The Comedy King was great in the role of "Dimfu" he was simply great in the picnic scene and also when he speak wrong English. All the songs are great Title song, "Lakhon Hain Nigah Mein" and "Aankhon Se Jo Utri Hai Dil Mein" are the best among the lot.The beautiful locations of Kashmir are a treat to watch. There is a scene in the movie when Joy tells Asha that there is nobody to wait for him so why would he come and then Asha asks him " Agar Koi Intzar Karne Wala Hota to Kaya Aap Aate?" I mean that is called Love. That was the beautiful feeling of love where words were enough to express and no need of body moments. These days where love means lust you will never find such beautiful feeling again. Three Cheers to Nasir Hussain, Joy Mukherjee, Asha parekh Rajender Nath and O.P. Nawayer.

Although ignored by 'The Encyclopedia of Indian Film' (1995), this psychedelic escapist fantasy (whose title translates into English as 'I've Come Back With the Same Heart') was not surprisingly a big hit in its day.

The plot is typical Bollywood nonsense in which Mohan, an army officer's son, is abducted as a child at the behest of his mother. He grows up to fall in love with his haughty foster sister (who happens to be a professional dancer), and pursues her and her entourage on a trip to Srinagar, thus providing the pretext for a succession of boisterous musical numbers shot on location in various tourist spots in Kashmir. Most of this is played for laughs until director Nasir Hussain decides about two-thirds of the way into the film that it's now time for a bit of melodrama, with the introduction of an imposter (played by Pran) passing himself off as the long-lost Mohan.

Much of the staging and acting resembles an old Mack Sennett two-reeler, as does the climactic pursuit of a jeep by a speed boat. It was Hussain's first film in colour, and he responds to the occasion with a frenzy of zooms and whip pans. Marshal Braganza's Eastmancolor photography, luxurious interior sets that look as if they're made of icing sugar, extremely phony-looking studio exteriors and the vigour with which the musical numbers are staged combine to create the sensation of watching a live action cartoon in which even a compromising photograph used for the purpose of blackmail is in colour!