Chaahat (1971 film)

Plot

Ashok whose mother died soon after delivery, which is considered a bad omen. Ashok's father happens to be an edict of alcohol and more concerned with himself than the child, in due course remarries. Ashok loves the stepmother so much, that his love and affection is reciprocated by the step-mother unlike others. Ashok in a course of time gets a step brother Arun. Both the children love each other, surprising all people around in spite of being step brothers. Geeta, a girl in the neighbourhood, is a constant visitor giving company to both Ashok and Arun. Arun's mother has a brother, always teasing Ashok and trying to poison the mind of his sister, but Arun's mother invariably rebukes her brother and take sides with Ashok, whom she loves more than her own son. As usual, the father happens to come home late in the night completely drunk, tipsy and even rowdy, Very often he assaults his second wife, whenever she cautioned him about his behaviour so that both the children may not get prejudiced against him. The children, of course, watched the fathers behaviour, realise the miserable plight of their mother and many a time, Ashok gets upset and asks his mother why she does not protest, and the mother pacifies him to keep cool. One night, when the father returned drunk and belabours the mother Ashok comes out of his room and stands between them and protests against the Father. Father gets furious against the impertinent son Ashok and in trying to hit the boy slips down the stairs and succumbs to his injuries, Both mother and son get stunned at the suddenness of the fatal accident. However, the mother gives a different report to the police to save Ashok, saying that her husband had an accidental fall being drunk and tipsy before anybody could help him. But Ashok starts developing a complex that he has really killed his own father. Both the children grow up and the girl Geeta too, and they are always seen together as three inseparable friends. Geeta loves Ashok and he becomes aware of it, but they do not recognise the fact that the younger brother Arun thinks that Geeta loves him only. Geeta affection and tenderness towards Arun is misconstrued as love and he believes that Geeta also loves him and he has no idea that Geeta loves none else but Ashok. Both the families of Ashok and Geeta go for a change to a hill station and Geeta is accompanied by her cousin sister so that Arun could fall in love with her. Deepavali festival comes in between and the same is celebrated with all pomp and grandeur and as luck would have it, a cracker lit by Ashok explodes on Arun's face, and when taken to the hospital, he was declared to have lost his eyesight. This is the second incident in the family, makes Ashok responsible and he looks completely shattered and bewildered. Ashok all the same devoted more time towards his blind brother to keep him ever cheerful and gay, he employs an Ustad to teach to play instruments and takes him for other functions to keep Arun busily occupied. One day, Ashok comes to know of the most shocking truth that Arun loves Geeta. Arun even asked Ashok to negotiate with Geeta's parents for the alliance. Ashok is in a dilemma as he and Geeta love each other How then could he approach Geeta's parents for his brother But being forced by circumstances, decides to sacrifice. Ashok probes the subject to Geeta, who is equally shocked and expresses that she could never marry Arun, whom she considered as her brother. Ashok gets adamant and disappointed with Geeta and asks her never to visit his house again and consider him dead as far as she is concerned. Ashok tells Arun different stories about Geeta that she is seriously ill and could not propose, and a day comes when Ashok announces Geeta to be dead thinking that time alone will heal the temporary wound that is created by news of Geeta's death. Ashok companies Arun to parties- pate in all function throughout India to keep him away from Geeta. However, Geeta could not guess the reason for the absence of Ashok and Arun from the house. She confesses with the mother who is equally stunned at Ashok fostering the lie not to shock his brother Arun whom, Geeta never loved. She insists on Geeta meet Arun and make a clean breast of the entire situation and avoid further complication and Geeta manages to meet Arun. Arun gets surprised that his brother should have told him Geeta was dead. He never could know why Ashok had to tell him a lie. Arun charges Ashok and now even believes that Ashok deliberately killed his father and at the same time, made blind. Unfortunate as it is Ashok had no answer.

Cast