5 Lesser-Known Feelgood Films To Cheer Up Your Diwali

Arguably this is  the worst Diwali in the history  of  our civilization. A  virus has created  worldwide havoc leaving us bereft and bewildered. Time to  escape into the wonderful world  of  movies . Here are the  5 sunshine spreaders that  you’ve probably missed while  watching the  obvious  suspects.

1.     Pyar Kiye Jaa(1966):  For decades we’ve been  spoonfed  into believing that the  best Kishore Kumar comedies are Chalti Ka Naam Gadi  and Padosan. Not true not true!  In fact  Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi is more a film about starcrossed  love than  laughter.  But we’ll let that be.Let’s celebrate another Kishore Kumar comedy called  Pyar Kiye Jaa where his  chemistry with  Mehmood and the  irreplaceable Om Prakash  brings the roof down each  time. Made equally successful into  Tamil, Telugu and  Kannada Pyar Kiye Jaa has  a peppy upbeat score  by Laxmikant-Pyarelal toplined by the track  Sune le pyar ki dushman duniya sung by  four greatest voices  of Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle,  Kishore Kumar Manna Dey. Watching  Kishore  Kumar  and Shashi Kapoor doing the  twist  to  this  zingy  number is  paisa-wasool mutiplied  by  2.

2.     Naram Garam(1981):  Haven’t we celebrated  Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s other comedies like Chupke  Chupke and Gol Maal for more time than warranted. The  unhealthy reverence  for certain sacrosanct  institutionalized  artistic  relics  is baffling. Now try Hrishida’s Naram  Garam  a  far heftier comedy than the  revered ones,  with Swaroop Sampat playing the  object of many an adoring man’s attention. Among its  highpoints are  R D Burman’s utterly  charming  songs and an endearing  performance by Shatrughan Sinha as  a goon who goes  to evict the comely Ms Sampat only to fall for her charms.Just the  thought  of  seeing the  film again makes me  smile.

3.     Hamari Bahu Alka(1982):  Enough on mirthful merits  of  Basu Chatterjee’s Chotisi Baat, Chit Chor and  Shaukeen. What  about this  woefully neglected comedy about an autocratic father (Utpal Dutt) who won’t let his son(Rakesh Roshan)  get intimate  with his wife(Bindiya Goswami)? Besides being smartly written with one-liners that come and go  with  disarming  celerity this is also  Basuda’s sexiest comedy  with  a stand-out performance  by Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s favourite  actor Utpal Dutt.

4.     Pratiggya(1975): When it comes to Dharmendra’s  comic  timing  we  rave   about Chupke  Chupke  and  Sholay.What about this  underrated  performance as  a drunken disorderly  vagabond who poses as a  cop in a village  terrorized by a dacoit? Dharmendra  is  every bit  as  funny here as  in the  other films. His  Significant Other Hema  Malini sparkles as  his love  interest.

5.     Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi(1974): Wacky as  only  Kishore Kumar can  be. He  plays a bored millionaire who  resolves to  give  away all his wealth  to the  man with the longest beard  in the world. Hair Hair Mahadev!