My first movie on TV

Now that really sounds like a kid’s essay topic – but hey – after decades, I actually saw the first movie I ever saw on TV back in 1973 in our neighbor’s house – “Albela” – quite a musical treat. Back then, we sat in a darkened room, with the little black and white TV in focus, waiting for Doordarshan to fill our lives with the joy of a movie right in our living room! Okay – neighbor’s living room. That TV set was the pride and joy of four or five families. I had gone to my guardian, Mrs Kumud’s house for the weekend – and hence the unexpected excitement of being introduced to the small screen. Those days, I remember, they also aired H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man. It is fascinating to see how technology has changed from then to now. Now, if you want to study film production to make movies like these you can easily find information via accredited online colleges.
 

Those were truly lovely memories. I remember I knew all the songs by heart and would keep humming them all the time. It is a charming 1951 movie. Here’s how the story goes:

Day-dreamer and Artist, Pyarelal, (played by Master Bhagwan) lives a poor lifestyle in Bombay with his retired dad; housewife mom; married brother, Mohan and his wife, Malti; and unmarried sister, Vimla.

It is now time for Vimla to get married, her dad has saved a thousand Rupees, while Mohan has made arrangements for six hundred more, and Pyarelal is asked to arrange for four hundred. Instead Pyarelal brings home one hundred rupees, informing his family that he has been fired from his job, and will be unable to raise any more money. An argument ensues, and Pyarelal is asked to leave. He leaves, swearing only to return when he is a famous and wealthy man.

He meets with pretty actress, Asha (Geeta Bali), both fall in love with each other, and he starts acting in the theater, and achieves quick success. He starts sending money and gifts home to his parents, and hopes that they will be pleased with his success. Then one day when he feels that he has achieved his goals, he returns home – only to find out that the money and gifts he has been sending home are missing; his mom has passed away; his dad and sister are missing, believed to be begging in the streets; his sister’s marriage has been canceled; his brother cannot support himself; and his sister-in-law, has a dark deep secret that she cannot tell anyone.

Of course, everything works out happily in the end. The movie is full of melodious songs and very enjoyable from start to finish. Here’s one of the fun songs in the movie:

The three of us watched it together, and I kept reminiscing about how I used to be teased about my “first movie on TV” by my uncles, all the time, as though I actually had a copyright to the movie! 🙂

And how can I ever forget our evergreen family song – the one I sang to Vidur every night in bed? The first time he heard it on TV, about 8 years ago – he was sure I was singing it! How sweet! Here it is:

“Lekar suhaane sapnon ki kaliyan – aake basaade vidur ke palkon ki galiyaan”

Sigh. How the years go.