Cast: Sanjay, Mumtaz & Feroz Khan with: Rajendranath, Lalita Pawar, Randhir, Master Sachin Directed by: Prakash Mehra Musi...
Cast: Sanjay, Mumtaz & Feroz Khan with: Rajendranath, Lalita Pawar,
Randhir, Master Sachin
Directed by: Prakash Mehra
Music: R D Burman
Released on April 2, 1971, Mela marks the second directorial
venture of Prakash Mehra after his successful debut with the Shashi Kapoor
starter Hasina Maan Jayegi (1968). The film brings together Feroz Khan - Sanjay
again playing brothers and released within a couple of months
of Upasana (March 1971) where both had played the siblings. Both the
films also had the same leading lady- Mumtaz. What sets Mela apart is the
way Feroz portrayed a dacoit which won him a lot of appreciation despite Sanjay
being the hero and a popular face too. The second factor was RD Burman’s music
which became instant hits despite him not collaborating with Kishore Kumar (a
big surprise in 1971). The story is also quite similar to Raampur Ka Lakshman
(1972) directed by Manmohan Desai the only difference being one was set in the
village and the other one in the city. Incidentally both the film were produced
by A G Nadiadwala (AG Films) resulting in successes.
Mela tells the tale of two brothers Shakti (Master Sachin) and Kanhaiya
(Master Ratan) who go to a mela. They each get a tattoo embossed on their arms.
But fate had other plans. Storm and thundershower disrupt the mela leading to
pandemonium and chaos. Kanhaiya gets separated and is found by a kind Muslim
lady (Lalita Pawar) who raises and educates him. But Shakti remains in the
village and is under his evil uncle Shani (Randhir) who makes him work like
bullocks and beats him to pulp. Shakti disappears. Years later Kanhaiya
(Sanjay) comes to the village to buy some land. He zeroes in the land and buys
it without knowing that the land belongs to him and his brother. When Shakti
Singh (Feroz Khan), now a notorious dacoit, comes to know about this, he wrecks
havoc as no one is supposed to plough the land which belongs to him and his
brother Kanhaiya. The papers were forged by their evil uncle who dies
immediately after receiving such a huge sum of money.
The film boasts of such hit numbers like “Gori ke haath mein”, “Rut hai
milan”, “Ek baar rakh de” all sung by Rafi & Lata and not to forget the
Manna Dey gem “Dekho re hua yahoo se yahoo kaise juda”.
The performance by Feroz Khan was standout. He looked dashing and his
commanding screen presence literally steals the show from the rest of the cast.
Sanjay played the typical good boy. Mumtaz exudes her charm. Rajendranath (as
Bansilal) provides the comic relief. Randhir was pure evil.
The film even after 55 years, the film is remembered because of R D
Burman’s music and Feroz Khan’s performance.
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