Khwaja ki Diwani

I rather like finding obscure movies and writing about them- the act establishes some documentation of these clunkers, which would be correctly designated for the rubbish bin otherwise. Where else would you find screen caps of a balding Tariq leering at a Madhubala look-alike--- only at Apni of course, gentle reader :)


India, as we know, is a country w/ a high religious quotient. Yet it is by some strange inverse-ness that Bollywood consistently produces appalling religious cinema- regardless of the religeon itself, all such Bollywoof offerings are cartoonish and irreverent, a fact that I have failed to find an anomaly to.

Title: Khwaja Ki Diwani
Year: 1981
Cast: Tariq, Bharat Bhushan, Veena

I think the producer was in love with the fact that the female lead was the spitting image of Madhubala (truly spot-on). Aside from this single "Believe it or not" fact, there is nothing else of substance in the movie.

Bharat Bhushan and Veena bring gravitas as the old Muslim couple who are devotees of Khwaja Muin-uddin Chishti. They are true believers and therefore their one goal in life is to make it to Mecca, and they are actively working towards it. The faux-Madhubala is their daughter, who Tariq is courting. And yes, they also have an annoying little boy who later goes blind to conveniently help the plot along.

Long, everlastingly painful closeups of Ajmer Sharif and other Islamic places of worship are used as fillers and comprise about 40% of the movie.

Bharat dies while Tariq is away- of course the women and blind kid cannot fend for themselves, and are therefore semi-adopted by a Christian goon (a tried, tested and boring way of introducing secularism :S).

Raza Murad (the goon) is however is a good goon (rofl), and takes the family to Mumbai to have the mother treated for Cancer and the son treated for blindness, all while keeping intact the faux-Madhubala's honor from the local goon :S

In Mumbai, after many painful and pointless plot twists, the family finally gets back together at the Haji Ali dargah, Mumbai, where Veena and the little boy both regain their health.

It ended-thank the Lord for small mercies. May I say: Yagh. And double Yagh. Severe brain damage- but all in the name of documenting forgotten Bollywood- aagh.

Pros:

1- Veena was getting older, but full of grace; she pretty much carries the movie on her shoulders- trouble is, there was nothing much to carry.

Cons:

1- Tariq was getting older as well: losing hair and generally looking very lecherous- almost Shakti Kapooor- status. Faux-Madhubala didnt deserve that, even though she couldn't act to save her life.

2- I understand religious reverence, but that isn't translated cinematic ally by painfully long shots of places of worship.

3- The local goon who played the villain of the piece was just really annoying- instead of menacing which I guess they intended him to be.

4- While the cons are endless, the camera work (this ISN'T cinematography) is the worst I have probably ever seen. It is impossible to believe this was filmed as late as 1981.