Kati Patang

Kati Patang
Kati Patang theatrical poster
कटी पतंग
Directed by	Shakti Samanta
Produced by	Shakti Samanta
Written by	Vrajendra Gaur Gulshan Nanda
Starring	Rajesh Khanna Asha Parekh Prem Chopra Bindu Nazir Hussain
Music by	Rahul Dev Burman
Cinematography	V. Gopi Krishna
Edited by	Govind Dalwadi
Production company	Naini Lake Nainital Club Natraj Studios Ranikhet
Distributed by	Shakti Films United Producers Asian Television Network
Release dates	29 January 1971[1]
Country	India
Language	Hindi
Box office	₹3,80,00,000[2]

Kati Patang (Cut Kite) is an 1970 Indian film produced and directed by Shakti Samanta. It was a box office success.^[3] The film stars Asha Parekh as a woman pretending to be a widow, and her ensuing trials and tribulations opposite Rajesh Khanna. The film was actually an adaption of the novel named Kati Patang written by Gulshan Nanda. The film's story, written by Gulshan Nanda, was also based on the novel I Married a Dead Man, by Cornell Woolrich and had been previously made into a picture titled No Man of Her Own (1950) starring Barbara Stanwyck. The novel was also later filmed in Japanese as Shisha to no Kekkon (1960), in Brazilian as the TV miniseries A Intrusa (1962), in French as J'ai épousé une ombre (I Married a Shadow) (1983), and by Hollywood as Mrs. Winterbourne (1996).^[1][4][5]The film is among the 17 consecutive hits Rajesh Khanna gave between 1969 and 1971.This is the second film of the four films which Asha Parekh-Rajesh Khanna pair did together.^[6] As per review by newspaper Hindu, 'on screen, Rajesh Khanna never appeared to be lip-syncing. So convincing were his expressions. His presence, backed by the music, remained the main source of strength for a movie’s success'.^[7]

The movie also stars Nasir Hussain, Bindu, Prem Chopra, Daisy Irani and Sulochana Latkar. The film was the second in a string of nine movies in which Samanta and Khanna collaborated. Music was composed by R.D. Burman and was a huge hit. "Ye shaam masthani" and "Pyar deewana hota hein", sung by Kishore Kumar were particularly famous. The performance of Asha Parekh and Rajesh Khanna were praised by the audience and critics alike.^[8]

The film was remade in Tamil as Nenjil Oru Mull (1981) and in Telugu as Punnami Chandrudu (1987) with Sobhan Babu.This film is counted among the 17 consecutive hit films Rajesh Khanna between 1969 and 1971, by adding the two hero films Marayada and Andaz to the 15 consecutive solo hits he gave from 1969 to 1971.^[9]

Plot

Madhavi (Asha Parekh) is an orphan living with her maternal uncle, who arranges her marriage with someone she does not know. Blinded in love with Kailash (Prem Chopra), she runs away from the marriage procession. She discovers Kailash in the arms of Shabnam (Bindu). Heartbroken and dejected, she returns to her uncle, who committed suicide from the setback. Madhavi realizes that she has no one in life, so she decides to leave town and head somewhere. She meets her childhood friend Poonam who tells her about her husband's untimely demise in an accident and she is on her way, along with her baby boy Munna, to stay with her in-laws whom she has never met before. Poonam manages to compel Madhavi to accompany her as her plight is pitiful.

En route, Poonam and Madhavi chit-chat until the train derails. Madhu and Poonam end up in a Government hospital. Poonam has lost her limbs. She knows that time is up, so takes an oath from Madhu that she will assume Poonam's identity, bring Munna up and continue for her in-law's house. Madhu had no choice but to obey. On the way, the cabbie attempts to rob her until Kamal (Rajesh Khanna), a forest ranger rescues her and gives her shelter until the skies are clear the next day. She soon learns that Kamal is the very man she was about to marry.

Madhavi leaves Kamal's home in shame and reaches Poonam's in-laws. Her father-in-law, Dinanath (Nazir Hussain) and mother-in-law (Sulochana) accept her and let her stay there. Kamal keeps visiting the house as he was the son of Dinanath's best friend. As he keeps visiting, he realizes that he is in love with Poonam.

'Madhavi's' jinxed fate has brought Kailash to Dinanath's house. He is after their money and is very close to reveal Madhavi's identity. To be successful, he impresses all the members of the house but Poonam takes a resentment to him. Dinanath soon realizes Poonam's true identity and asks for the truth. When he realizes what the matter really is, he accepts Madhavi and makes her the guardian of the Dinanath property which will be inherited by Munna. Before the new dawn would rise, Dinanath is poisoned by Kailash, which he mixes in his milk. Mrs. Dinanath accuses Poonam for what has happened and she is jailed.

Now Shabnam enters the life of the Dinanaths claiming that she is the real Poonam. Mrs. Dinanath in rage sends her away and is ready for no story. Kamal takes a dislike towards Madhu, learning the truth. And soon he realizes what the truth is and gets Shabnam and Kailash arrested for their evil intentions and Madhavi is freed. When Kamal searches for Madhu, he realizes that she has left without any notice and left a letter for Kamal, stating that she is going out of his life and so, he should not try to find out her.

Kamal starts searching for her and finds her trying to jump from a cliff, stops her by singing a song. They hug - The end

Cast

• Asha Parekh as Madhuri 'Madhu' / Poonam
• Rajesh Khanna as Kamal Sinha
• Prem Chopra as Kailash
• Bindu as Shabnam 'Shaboo'
• Nazir Hussain as Diwan Dinanath
• Kumari Naaz as Poonam (uncredited)
• Sulochana Latkar as Mrs. Dinanath
• Satyen Kappu as Dr. Kashinath

Shakti Samanta has said that he cast Asha Parekh, because he was "confident" that he could extract a "convincing performance from her." He had cast her in his earlier film, the underrated Pagla Kahin Ka.^[10] She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award, the only win for the film.

Music

The music was composed by Rahul Dev Burman, and the lyrics were penned by Anand Bakshi. Kishore Kumar sang four songs for Rajesh Khanna, while Mukesh got to sing a number for the latter - a rare combination. Asha Bhosle performed "Mera Naam Hai Shabnam" in the talk-sung style of Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady (and thus often incorrectly dubbed "the first Hindi rap number").

Soundtrack

Box office

The film was successful,^[11] and it became the sixth highest earning Bollywood film of 1970.^[12]

Awards and nominations

1972 Filmfare Awards

• Filmfare Best Actress Award: Asha Parekh

Nominations

• Filmfare Award for Best Director - Shakti Samanta
• Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Rajesh Khanna
• Filmfare Award for Best Story - Gulshan Nanda
• Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist - Anand Bakshi - "Na Koi Umang Hai"
• Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer - Kishore Kumar - "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai"^[13]

References

• http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/blast-from-the-past-kati-patang-1971/article6506448.ece

External links

• Kati Patang at the Internet Movie Database