Phool Aur Patthar

Phool Aur Patthar (transl. Flower and Rock) is a 1966 Indian film, directed and produced by O. P. Ralhan and written by Ralhan with Akhtar ul Iman and Ahsan Rizvi.[1] The film made Dharmendra a star in Bollywood. It starred Meena Kumari along with Dharmendra, who played a villainous character (or Patthar, literally a Stone) whose inner good being (or Phool, literally a Flower) is drawn out by Meena Kumari. The movie also starred Shashikala, Lalita Pawar, Madan Puri and Iftekhar.

Phool Aur Patthar
Poster
Directed byO. P. Ralhan
Produced byO. P. Ralhan
Written byAhsan Rizvi (dialogues)[1]
Screenplay byO. P. Ralhan[1]
Story byAkhtar ul Iman[1]
O. P. Ralhan[1]
StarringMeena Kumari
Dharmendra
Shashikala
O. P. Ralhan
Music byRavi
CinematographyNariman Irani
Edited byVasant Borkar
Release date
  • August 14, 1966 (1966-08-14)
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Box officeest. ₹17 crore[lower-alpha 2] (US$12.89 million,[lower-alpha 3] ₹9.67 crore)[lower-alpha 4][5]</ref>

This was the movie which went on to become a golden jubilee hit catapulting Dharmendra to stardom. The movie was the highest grossing for the year 1966.[6] Due to his rugged physique, he was also acknowledged as the He-man of the Indian film Industry. In fact, a scene in the movie where he takes off his shirt to cover the ailing Meena Kumari was one of the highlights of the movie. His performance in the movie ensured him a nomination in the Best Actor category in the Filmfare awards for that year. However, it was won by Dev Anand for his performance in Guide. He made his presence strongly felt despite the fact that he did not lip sync for any songs in the film. In the 1960s, it was very unusual for the leading man not to sing any songs in a movie.

The film was also instrumental in making Dharmendra-Meena Kumari a popular couple and they went on to act in more movies such as Chandan Ka Palna, Majhli Didi and Baharon Ki Manzil after this.

Before shooting for the film, O. P. Ralhan had wanted Sunil Dutt to don the leading role, but it did not work out.

During shooting, at one point of time, Dharmendra had a show-down with the film's director O. P. Ralhan, since he felt that the director had an arrogant attitude and he contemplated quitting the film mid-way. However, sense prevailed and he resumed shooting.

The film was remade in Tamil as Oli Vilakku, with M. G. Ramachandran, in Telugu as Nindu Manasulu with N. T. Ramarao and in Malayalam as Puthiya Velicham, with Jayan.[7][8]

Plot

Circumstances have made Shaka a career criminal. When plague empties a town of its inhabitants, he takes the opportunity to burgle a house. He finds nothing except Shanti, a widowed daughter-in-law who has been left to die by her cruel relatives. Shaka nurses her back to health. When her relatives return, they are not pleased to find her alive and even less pleased to discover that someone has tried to rob them. Shanti gets the blame and a beating. Shaka saves her from worse, at the hands of brother-in-law, and the pair flee. They set up home in Shaka's house, much to the displeasure of the respectable neighbours, who are all too ready to think the worst. Shanti's relatives are dismayed when a lawyer arrives to announce that Shanti has been left a legacy. They hatch a plot to get her back. Meanwhile, Shaka's rehabilitation is proceeding - much to the chagrin of his former criminal associates. Fire and redemption for some, death and handcuffs for others is what fate has in store.

Cast

Soundtrack
SongSinger(s)Notes
"Sheeshe Se Pee Ya" Asha Bhosle Picturized on Shashikala
"Sun Le Pukar" Asha Bhosle
"Zindagi Mein Pyar Karna" Asha Bhosle Picturized on Shashikala
"Mere Dil Ke Andar" Mohammad Rafi This song is a qawwali.
"Layi Hai Hazaron Rang" Asha Bhosle Future item queen Laxmi Chhaya is one of the dancers featured in this song.
"Tum Kaun? Mamul" Mohammad Rafi

Awards
Filmfare Awards
  • Best Art Director - Color - Shanti Dass (Won)
  • Best Editor - Vasant Borkar (Won)
  • Best Actor - Dharmendra (Nominated)
  • Best Actress - Meena Kumari (Nominated)
  • Best Supporting Actress - Shashikala (Nominated)

Notes
  1. 46.4 million Soviet tickets sold, average ticket price of 25 kopecks<ref name='moscow7'>Moscow Prime Time: How the Soviet Union Built the Media Empire that Lost the Cultural Cold War, page 48, Cornell University Press, 2011
  2. Phool Aur Patthar box office:
  3. 0.9 Soviet rubles per US dollar from 1961 to 1971[3]
  4. 7.5 Indian rupees per US dollar from 1967 to 1970[4]

References
  1. Phool Aur Pathar. 2:50. 1966.CS1 maint: location (link)
  2. "Box Office 1966". Box Office India. 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013.
  3. "Archive". Central Bank of Russia. Archived from the original on 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  4. "Pacific Exchange Rate Service" (PDF). UBC Sauder School of Business. University of British Columbia. p. 3. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/puthiya-velicham-1979/article6996857.ece
  8. http://www.cinejosh.com/news/3/45724/is-ntr-the-king-of-remakes.html
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