Just watched the movie on DD Bharati. What a beautiful movie made by Rajinder Singh Bedi. Both the the Hero and the Heroine had to live very hard life due the circumstances and situations they have to face. Harikesh Mukherjee had beautifully this Black and white. Credit goes to Rehana Sultan acting for the first time and legendary Sanjeev Kumar. Equally beautiful Songs written by Hasrat Jaipuri and Music by Madan Mohan the King of Ghazals. Must watch if you get a chance.
4 Reviews
Dastak is one of the real gem of Hindi Parallel Cinema
bhaskar-bjha26 March 2011
Dastak (the knock) is one of those rare movies of Indian Film Industry whose story is as relevant today as when it was first performed in a All India Radio play "Naql-e-Makani" (moving to a new house) in 1944, and again when it was adapted in this film in 1970 by its original playwright Rajinder Singh Bedi, the finest writer of Urdu fiction.
Making a directorial venture with this film Bedi sahib depicted the experiences of a newly married lower middle class couple whose respectability and integrity was tested time and again by their neighborhood, when they unknowingly moved into an apartment formerly occupied by a prostitute. From this film the Mr. Bedi brilliantly portrayed the psychology of a man whose honesty and morality, which are the only assets he possess, is in question, a woman whose integrity and character is painted by the sexual brush, due to which she feels like an imprisoned bird, and a bourgeois society whose benchmark of morality is based on a person's external appearances and environment and have no more space for internal standards of respectability.
This film not only tries to express the psychology of such complex nature but also tries to test the limit of the one's border of tolerance after which one could collapse and departs from one's own standard of morale and principles to save one's hard real life.
I very much like this film not only for its story (if you like, you could buy a Paper book novel of the same name from Hind Pocket Books and will have same profound effect if you read it), but also for sheer acting prowess of Sanjeev Kumar who as always gave his finest shot as Hamid and Rehana Sultana who, despite being a débutant in this film, beautifully characterized the role of restricting, stultifying and imprisoning Salma whose life as housewife was marred by the "Prostitute" label she got from the greedy neighborhood.
Another highlight of this film is its soul-touching songs which are, I think, is the finest creations of Madan Mohan Sahab's as a musician and Majrooh Sultanpuri's as lyricist, and Lata Mangeshkar's & Mohd. Rafi sahib's as singers. Because as you listen to each song you will literally feel the pain or pleasure of character for whom these songs were written. Whether the private moments of love through "Bainya Na Dharo"(don't hold my hand) and "Tumse Kahoon Ek Baat Paro Si" (Let me tell you a word as light as feather) or the silent cry of "Mai Ri Main Kaa Se Kahoon Peer" (Oh Mother ! who should i tell my pain) or the agony of a woman whose honor is bleeding, "Hum Hain Mataye Koocha Bazaar Ki Tarah" (We are like an item-on-sale in the street).
Moreover, Kamal Bose too had done a great job with its B/W cinematography. So the great Hrishikesh Mukherjee as Editor.
All in all I give it 10/10 for its traumatic yet beautiful story, excellent piece of work from a Rajinder Singh Bedi, unforgettable songs and more than impressive acting by its lead actors. I would highly recommend it if you like serious film.
Though it was way ahead of its time in treatment and statement explicitly, the film had very implicit meaning. Dastak is a classic in its own term.
Making a directorial venture with this film Bedi sahib depicted the experiences of a newly married lower middle class couple whose respectability and integrity was tested time and again by their neighborhood, when they unknowingly moved into an apartment formerly occupied by a prostitute. From this film the Mr. Bedi brilliantly portrayed the psychology of a man whose honesty and morality, which are the only assets he possess, is in question, a woman whose integrity and character is painted by the sexual brush, due to which she feels like an imprisoned bird, and a bourgeois society whose benchmark of morality is based on a person's external appearances and environment and have no more space for internal standards of respectability.
This film not only tries to express the psychology of such complex nature but also tries to test the limit of the one's border of tolerance after which one could collapse and departs from one's own standard of morale and principles to save one's hard real life.
I very much like this film not only for its story (if you like, you could buy a Paper book novel of the same name from Hind Pocket Books and will have same profound effect if you read it), but also for sheer acting prowess of Sanjeev Kumar who as always gave his finest shot as Hamid and Rehana Sultana who, despite being a débutant in this film, beautifully characterized the role of restricting, stultifying and imprisoning Salma whose life as housewife was marred by the "Prostitute" label she got from the greedy neighborhood.
Another highlight of this film is its soul-touching songs which are, I think, is the finest creations of Madan Mohan Sahab's as a musician and Majrooh Sultanpuri's as lyricist, and Lata Mangeshkar's & Mohd. Rafi sahib's as singers. Because as you listen to each song you will literally feel the pain or pleasure of character for whom these songs were written. Whether the private moments of love through "Bainya Na Dharo"(don't hold my hand) and "Tumse Kahoon Ek Baat Paro Si" (Let me tell you a word as light as feather) or the silent cry of "Mai Ri Main Kaa Se Kahoon Peer" (Oh Mother ! who should i tell my pain) or the agony of a woman whose honor is bleeding, "Hum Hain Mataye Koocha Bazaar Ki Tarah" (We are like an item-on-sale in the street).
Moreover, Kamal Bose too had done a great job with its B/W cinematography. So the great Hrishikesh Mukherjee as Editor.
All in all I give it 10/10 for its traumatic yet beautiful story, excellent piece of work from a Rajinder Singh Bedi, unforgettable songs and more than impressive acting by its lead actors. I would highly recommend it if you like serious film.
Though it was way ahead of its time in treatment and statement explicitly, the film had very implicit meaning. Dastak is a classic in its own term.
An unusual story
kramachandran14 October 2016
A very finely made movie with an unusual story line. Gripping, suspenseful showing the dark side of life in Bombay - now Mumbai. Real movie with real characters with a touch of unreal-ness that cuts a movie apart from its contemporary run of the mill ones. The actors have played their parts to a T. Wonderful acting by Rehana, Sanjeev and everyone else. The music by MM lends a mysterious touch to the dark world of the protagonist. The depth of characters is relatively superior to the ones depicted in the movies of its times. Rajinder Singh Bedi translates the power of his pen into a celluloid masterpiece as only a writer can do. This movie is as good as it can get for the story line.
Incidentally, this movie won the national award for the best music. A fit addition for a connoisseur's collection. Powerful direction from the first time director Rajinder Bedi.
Incidentally, this movie won the national award for the best music. A fit addition for a connoisseur's collection. Powerful direction from the first time director Rajinder Bedi.
Forgotten Classic which is still relevant
nadkarnisumeet30 August 2020
Dastak review :
Sanjeev Kumar and Rehana Sultan are Muslim couple who rent out a flat previously occupied by a notorious prostitute. They are harrassed by their previous tenants' customers as well as the hostile neighbourhood. The housing problems faced by certain communities is still a relevant issue. Nowadays, even non vegetarians are denied accommodation in some societies.
Dastak boasts of an outstanding performance from then Debutant Rehana Sultan who won a National award for it. In the same year, she played a prostitute in BR Ishaara's successful 'Chetna' with Anil Dhawan. Infact, Chetna became highly controversial for her bare scenes and she got typecast in bold roles which limited her range as an actor. She later married her director BR Ishaara.
Sanjeev Kumar, great actor that he was, pitched in a restrained act as Rehana's husband. Kamal Kapoor appearance in the climax is shocking to say the least.
Today, Dastak is forgotten classic. But it certainly deserves a revisit. For it's still relevant theme and top class acting.
Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.
Sanjeev Kumar and Rehana Sultan are Muslim couple who rent out a flat previously occupied by a notorious prostitute. They are harrassed by their previous tenants' customers as well as the hostile neighbourhood. The housing problems faced by certain communities is still a relevant issue. Nowadays, even non vegetarians are denied accommodation in some societies.
Dastak boasts of an outstanding performance from then Debutant Rehana Sultan who won a National award for it. In the same year, she played a prostitute in BR Ishaara's successful 'Chetna' with Anil Dhawan. Infact, Chetna became highly controversial for her bare scenes and she got typecast in bold roles which limited her range as an actor. She later married her director BR Ishaara.
Sanjeev Kumar, great actor that he was, pitched in a restrained act as Rehana's husband. Kamal Kapoor appearance in the climax is shocking to say the least.
Today, Dastak is forgotten classic. But it certainly deserves a revisit. For it's still relevant theme and top class acting.
Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.
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