Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam 1962

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Bollywood social film released on 1962. The film is directed by Abrar Alvi, produced by Guru Dutt under banner named Guru Dutt Films.

The story is unveiled in flashback, through the eyes of Bhoothnath (Guru Dutt), a young man who starts out as a servant in a wealthy zamindar household. The thakurs lead a decadent life, giving hardly any time to their wives, who are in turn expected to engage themselves in making jewellery and remaining within the confines of the mansion.

The younger thakur marries a beautiful woman from a simple family, and true to tradition, neglects her. However, the 'Chhoti Bahu' (Meena Kumari), his wife, is very lonely. She talks to Bhoothnath about her loneliness and looks for ways by which she can win her husband's love. She even partakes alcohol one night, in order to prevent her husband leaving her for the courtesan's house.

The story thereafter, traces the destruction of the zamindars and the ultimate plight of the younger thakur and his wife.

After the failure at the box office of Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Guru Dutt had let M. Satiq direct his Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) before making this elegiac movie which he credited to his long-term collaborator and scenarist, Alvi. Taken from a classic Bengali novel the story is set in the 19th C. zamindari milieu of the Choudhary househol. It is seen throught the eyes of the lower-class but educated Bhoothnath (Dutt) who arrives in colonial Calcutta looking for work (while British troops loot the shops). Through his city relative Bhoothnath finds accomodation in the Choudhary haveli (ancestral mansion) while working at the Mohini Sindoor factory, which allows the narrative to move from the aristocratically indolent world of the zamindars to the more prosaic one of the Brahmo Samaj. The plot has the hero being fascinated by the lady of the house Chhoti Bahu (M.Kumari), whose husband (Rehman) prefers the company of dancing-girlls and all-night drinking bouts. The film gradually gives way to a darker mood as the family loses its fortune and descends to ruin while Chhoti Bahu becomes an alcoholic. At times compared to Satyajit Rays Jalasaghar (1958) as a commentary on Bengals decaying feudalism, Dutts film is a romantic and somewhat nostalgic tale about a bygone era, presenting the past and the future through the contradictory attitudes of two female figures. Meena Kumaris skilful performance, eredolent with sensuality (e.g. the scene where she entices her husband to stay by her side through the song Na jao saiyan, sung by Geeta Dutt), is counterpointed by Waheeda Rehmans robust and girlish presence (esp. in the Bhanwara bada naddan number sung by Asha Bhosle). The film itself told entirely in flashback and the long shadows of history invade the images in sequences such as the Saakiya aan mujhe neend number (sung by Asha Bhosle) where all the dancers are seen in shadow while the singing courtsan (Minoo Mumtaz) is bathed in light. [Source: Encl] "Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam" is the story of Bengal at the turn of the 19th century, when the powerful Zamindar dominated the social life of the province. One such Zamindar family, that of the Chaudhuris, lived in a palatial mansion, "Badi Haveli". . Manjhle Bahu and Chhote Bahu were the two brothers who owned "Badi Haveli"-the anscestral property that had come down to them through earlier generations. Both, in keeping with the traditions of the family, were given to a life of lethargy and philandering, where wine flowed and the tinkling anklets of `nautch girls were preferred to the endearing smiles of the wives. Chhote Bahus wife, Chhoti Bahu, a middle class woman accepted by the landed aristocracy in marriage for her great beauty, could not, however reconcile herself to the libertine habits of her spouse. Deprived as she was of the love and presence of her husband, Chhoti Bahus spirit rose in revolt of `Badi Haveli effectively checked her from giving expression to it. . Even as the lords of Badi Haveli spent their nights in orgies of drinking and philandering and their days in flying pigeons and catching up on lost sleep, there arrived at the mansion a village simpleton, Bhoothnath, a relation of an employee of Badi Haveli-Master Babu. In search of a job, he soon found one in the Mohini Sindoor Factory as a clerk. In the factory, he came across Jaba, the sweet daughter of the owner, Subinoy Babu. The rustic habits of Bhoothnath touched the tender feelings of Jaba, in no time. . Having read that the application of `Mohini Sindoor would bring back for her the errant husband, Chhoti Bahu, sent for Bhoothnath to get her the Sindoor. Bhoothnath soon emerged as her confidante and sympathiser. . To bring her errant husband back to her, Chhoti Bahu, set an example of self-sacrifice that left everyone in Badi Haveli stunned with surprises. It will leave you too, stunned when you see "Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam". Check out this page for more updates on Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam.