Babul (1950 film)

Plot

Ashok hails from a wealthy family and has a job as a postmaster, but it is clear that his job requires little hard labor, aside from sending an occasional telegram, leaving him time to enjoy his comforts cigarettes, painting and song writing . A girl named Bela, the poor and simple daughter of the former postmaster woos for his affections and is supported by her poor father who wants her married. Bela prepares Ashok's meals, teases and amuses him, and imagines of a happy marriage with Ashok who likes her but is not in love with her.

Bela has competition from the wealthy landowner Jamnadas's daughter Usha, who lives a lavish lifestyle in a hilltop mansion. Usha, drives a foreign car and seems more suitable for Ashok the young postmaster. They share a love of fine art and music, and Usha falls in love with his singing and arranges for him to give her music lessons on her grand piano in a boudoir adorned with fine art. Bela, heartbroken, in a fit of jealousy intervenes by lying to Usha that Ashok has already professed his love for her and is playing a double game. In a surprising display of class-transcending understanding, Usha agrees to renounce her love for Ashok in favor of Bela’s claim, and to accept a proposal from the aristocratic son of one of her father’s colleagues. As Usha’s wedding approaches, both she and Ashok become depressed and Bela has recurring nightmares of a black-veiled rider coming to carry her away.

Bela witnesses Usha's wedding while sitting in a tree, believing that shortly afterwards she would be married off to Ashok. But the tree branch that she is sitting on breaks and she falls to the ground, severely injured. As she is brought back to her father's home in this condition, Ashok arrives and promises her father he would marry Bela. As Ashok sits on Bela's bedside to comfort her, Bela dreams again that the black-veiled rider has come to get her and dies.

Cast

Music

The score and a soundtrack of fifteen songs was composed by Naushad and lyrics penned by Shakeel Badayuni. The songs were mostly about the joys and pains of love in the film is closely connected to the dialogue. The best known song in the film Chod Babul Ka Ghar (literally meaning Now you must leave your father’s house), is performed when a newly married girl departs from her maternal home and village. The lovesong Nadi Kinare (On the bank of a river) is performed by Ashok and Usha and a group of boatmen.

Cinematography

The film takes a theatrical form, largely attributed to the set of the film and script. Cinematographer Fali Mistry contributes much to the film with atmospheric lighting, especially during night scenes and is able to create an essence of darkness in the hill top mansion which adds to an element of suspense.