Dutt’s fifth film and it is undoubtedly the work of the creative mind behind 1954’s Aar-Paar
It is another romantic comedy musical (in the Hindi tradition). This is a situation comedy that almost plays like a fable – Madhubala plays Anita– the heiress to a fortune. Her Aunt oversees the women’s liberation movement pushing for legal divorce in India. Anita’s father leaves behind a will that says that in order to inherit his money she must marry… in comes Dutt as a man who needs a job and comedy (and romance…and music) ensues.
Dutt’s camera placement is often so strong. He’s in the von Sternberg school of frame design and obstruction. The camera is blocked by the judge at the tennis match early. He even pans the camera oscillating between shots during the match with the frame often obstructed with the back of heads.
There’s a musical number in (and around) the pool with umbrellas that could be from Busby Berkeley almost. Dutt tracks the camera along as women pop out of the pool. The handrails getting into the pool are used as an obstruction and frame within the frame as she sings.
Often the camera will push through dancers, or float back and forth from Madhubala on the second floor balcony to Dutt on the ground floor as they sing to each other
Even in the courtroom scene, like Aar-Paar, Dutt uses a window and window panels for a natural obstruction
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