ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

Twilightfa Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

bnanno This film opened to poor showings in the first few weeks. Then Meena Kumari died and it just brought the crowds rolling in. Songs on All India Radio, especially Inhi LogoN ne were played so often that I was sick of them at the time, despite recognising their beauty! Yes, it did take all those years to make. This was because the marriage was a very unhappy one and Kamal Amrohi also had difficulty finding the money to make the film; looking at the sumptous sets and costumes, not surprising!! Not only does Meena Kumari age and fall ill but listen carefully to Lata's voice. Inhi logoN ne has her 50's younger voice while songs that were re-recorded like Chalo dildar chalo show clear development. I only wish someone would find the Ghulam Mohammad songs that weren't included in the film, because of changing fashions that called for fewer though slightly songs and publish them. Lata in a recent interview (2007) rated Ghulam Mohammad as one of the best composers she had ever worked with, apart from Madan Mohan (a great personal friend). Notice also that you hardly see the actors at all in the Chalo dildar songs, very unusual. There is only a brief shot of Raj Kumar from the middle distance and you only see the back of the supposed Meena Kumari. Kamal Amrohi made a virtue out of necessity and focused on the stars and moon. Any other film, this song would have had close-ups of both of them.As for this being the finest film ever, I would beg to differ. It means you have missed a lot of Indian cinema, in no particular order, films like Barsaat (old), Devdas (older versions), Bandini, Do Bigha Zameen, Garam Hava, Dastak, Guddi, Aan, Pyasa, Kagaz ke Phool, Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam, Kabuliwallah, Abhimaan, Guide, Sujatha, Bombay ka Babu, Daag, Parineeta (old), Umrao Jaan, etc. etc. And if you valued music more than story the list would simply grow with beautiful scores from Barsat Ki Raat to Naya Daur, Teesri Manzil, Mahal, Aag, Jugnu, Anand, Mera Naam Joker: the list is really endless!So enjoy Pakeezah but don't miss out on any of the above...

Umar Mansoor Bajwa This movie is one among the very few Indian movies, that would never fade away with the passage of time, nor would its spell binding appeal ever diminish, even as the Indian cinema transforms into the abyss of artificially styled pop culture while drill oriented extras take to enhancing the P.T. styled film songs.The cinematography speaks of the excellent skills of Josef Werching that accentuate the monumental and cinema scope effect of the film in its entirety.Gone are the days of great cinema, when every scene had to be clipped many times and retakes taken before finalizing it, while meticulous attention was paid in crafting and editing the scenes. Some of its poignant scenes are filled with sublime emotional intensity, like the instance, when Meena Kumari refuses to say "YES" as an approval for Nikah (Marriage Bond) and climbs down the hill while running berserk in traumatized frenzy. At the moment, Raj Kumar follows her, and a strong gale of wind blew away the veil of Kumari and onto the legs of Kumar........Kamal Amrohi shall always be remembered with golden words in the annals of Indian Cinema's history for endeavoring to complete this movie in a record setting 12 years. He had to manage filming of some of the vital songs without Meena's close ups, because Meena Kumari, the lady in the lead role was terminally ill and fighting for her life in early 1971.

AfroDiaSiac Besides the fact that it was one of the few movies that I ever shed a tear over (bye-bye manhood), this is one of the most beautifully crafted Indian films that has ever been made. From the finely crafted sets, to those haunting looks Meena Kumari gives, no one can ever forget it. The music of Pakeezah is amazing, all the more if you can understand the sublime poetry, and is definitely one of those "OMG, 5 minutes another song" movies. You get the feeling of how trapped Sahibjaan is in among all the amazing jewelery she wears and fountained court yard she casually walks past.A parody of all the dreams you've ever had..........

Ace_of_Hearts Pakeezah is a story of family, of values, of pride, but mostly of love. It is a story of the love between two people. And the misguided love of fathers for their sons. Or is it love?SPOILERSWhen the son of a rich man falls in love with a prostitute, he looks beyond her past and marries her. But as loving as he is, that is how stubborn and unforgiving his father is. He rejects his new daughter-in-law who as a broken woman, takes up residence in a cemetary where she lives for only one purpose. To give birth to her child. After the child, a girl, is born, she dies and the child is brought up by her mother's sister who runs the brothel where her mother used to work. The girl, Pakeezah, ends up dancing in this brothel just as her mother before her. One day while travelling by train a stranger, Salim, accidentally wanders into her compartment. He is immediately enchanted by this wonderful creature though mostly by her feet (fetishist?). He writes her a note and she instantly falls in love with the man who wrote this note. Ironically as fate would have it, Salim is the nephew of Pakeezah's father. History is about to repeat itself. Or is it?A story about an impossible love. A story about destiny. Pakeezah is considered by many to be a cinematic masterpiece. As a novice to classic Bollywood movies it's difficult to put this film in its context. Comparing it to other movies, however, I can't help but wonder whether its fame is a hype or not. Undoubtedly it's a beautiful story. But it's also extremely long and at times tedious. A story strung together by unrealistic coincidences. Maybe this is a sign of destiny at work. Or perhaps it is a sign of a weak script!I'm glad I watched it, but I infinitely enjoyed movies such as Bobby (with Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia) and Kudrat (with Hema Malini and Rajesh Khanna) more and those are also classics in their own right.Pakeezah despite any flaws it might have remains interesting if not for its story then for its history. Pakeezah took fourteen years to complete. Its production was thwarted by the passing of Meena Kumari who plays the main role. Another actress was sought to finish filming this movie and she was meticulously weaved into the story. On another interesting note, some might have noticed that Meena Kumari always hides her left hand. The reason for this is that she was very conscious about the fact she didn't have a pinky finger. Finally, a word about the music. The songs in Pakeezah are absolutely beautiful and they alone already make this movie worthwile.***/5 stars