Year: 1964

Director: R.K. Nayyar

Cast: Sunil Dutt, Leela Naidu, Rehman, Ashok Kumar, Motilal, Shashikala

 

B.R. Chopra’s 1963-film Gumrah, which was based on the theme of adultery, proved a major success at the box-office and 1964-film Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke almost seems like a follow-up with a similar cast (Sunil Dutt, Ashok Kumar and Shashikala), similar music  (Ravi as the composer) and similar adultery-based theme. To add more spice, the story had also borrowed elements from the real life Nanavati murder-case which made the headlines in those days.

 

Unfortunately the handling of this film leaves much to be desired. While telling a story of a married woman (Leela Naidu) falling prey to her husband’s (Sunil Dutt) best friend’s (Rehman) advances and then the irate husband trying to get even with the immoral friend , the director R.K. Nayyar seems totally unsure of his position. He takes resort to making all sorts of moral excuses on behalf of the wife and the husband in order to keep their images squeaky clean. The murder mystery, the court-room drama and the final resolution, nothing really seems convincing.

 

In the end, this unsure direction coupled with poor writing, tacky melodrama and loud performances make this film a disappointing fare. Ravi’s music is the only thing that makes positive impression with immortal classics like Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke, Aaj Yeh Meri Zindagi and Yeh Khamoshiyan Yeh Tanhaaiyan.