Jurmana (1979)

This is another dramatic feature by the great Hrishikesh Mukherjee. It is not among his finest, but it is very interesting and moving nonetheless. Raakhee stars as a simple girl who catches the eye of Amitabh Bachchan. He plays a mini-negative role of a young Casanova who does not take women seriously and who decides to win over Rama. Rama is once found at his home by her father and is subsequently thrown off home. She ultimately finds refuge in the house of a kindhearted young man named Nandlal. An accident involving the train with which she left her home happens after she has already got out of it and makes everyone believe she is dead. In the meanwhile she becomes a famous singer, still believing her father does not ever care for her alleged loss.

Jurmana is entertaining for the most part, though at some points I felt the story took itself too seriously considering there was not much for. The story was nice but the script had several holes. I, for instance, could not understand why a father would throw his daughter just because she visited another man's house. Rama's return home when her father is already blind and all the melodrama involved was also a bit cliché, though it does move you in later portions. Having said it all, Jurmana is just fun to watch like possibly every other film by Mukherjee. It flows well, it is well acted and the music is simply wonderful. RD Burman scores again - this soundtrack is beautiful. Lata Mangeshkar sings the songs for Raakhee - "Aye Sakhi Radhike", "Chhoti Si Ek Kali", "Sawan Ke Jhoole" - amazing classics!

Jurmana is Raakhee's film and she does a very good job in carrying the film on her shoulders as Rama. As always she skillfully creates a screen persona of a dignified and simple woman. Amitabh Bachchan does not have that great a role in my view and not that much screen time either. He does well in whatever he is given, but is not given more than just a role of a man who matures as he falls in love, which is typical. Vinod Mehra is excellent as Prakash, Farida Jalal is effective as Laila and Asrani surprises as he is cast against type in the role of Nandlal. Jurmana is an enjoyable fare despite the mentioned flaws. It is a Mukherjee classic, a lesser-known one but one should enjoy watching this with his family for its main star cast and music.