Aarti (1962)

Aarti: Directed by Phani Majumdar. With Ashok Kumar, Meena Kumari, Pradeep Kumar, Shashikala. Aarti (Meena Kumari) is a dedicated and hard-working doctor, who believes that her skills should be used for the welfare of patients only. In contrast her fiance, Dr. Prakash (Ashok Kumar) believes in the opposite. Then one day, Aarti’s is saved from drowning by a poor, unemployed youth, Deepak (Pradeep Kumar), and both eventually fall in love. Although her dad is opposed to her having any relationship with Deepak, they marry, and Aarti moves in with Deepak and his family: his brother, Niranjan (Ramesh Deo), Niranjan’s wife, Jaswanti (Shashikala), three of her children; and Deepak’s dad (Gajanan Jagirdar). Dr. Prakash is enraged and humiliated, and vows to avenge this. He gets married to Ramona, but is unable to get Aarti from his mind, and he keeps in touch with Aarti, and does succeed in bringing a discord in their marital life, so much so that Deepak asks Aarti to leave, and she moves in back with her dad. Then Deepak has an accident, and Dr. Prakash is the only surgeon who can operate on him, and he agrees to do so on condition that Aarti surrenders herself to him forever.

“This was an excellent film which was very poetic if very episodic, and is also inexplicably very much neglected. Amidst all the worthy philosophy and fluffy poetry there is some pointless slapstick which personally spoils the overall impression, and probably generally loses it points too.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLady doctor of the poor (Meena Kumari) falls in love with and marries similar male doctor Pradeep Kumar while the passionate chain-smoking snobby doctor Ashok Kumar who also loves her schemes to cause trouble and strife between the husband and wife. Itu0026#39;s long-suffering angelic Meenau0026#39;s film from start to finish, I lost count of how many pearly words of wisdom she gave out to all; if everyone could behave like that there wouldnu0026#39;t be any trouble, illness, or any films either. With plenty of scope for tragedy here she bears all the negativity around her with fortitude, in the process striking many iconic poses and when together with Pradeep they look a strikingly handsome couple. Emotionally-charged Ashok has a lot of things to say too, but usually the kind to make you boo and hiss – knowing him as a bit of a healing heel, whou0026#39;d really want him as their brain surgeon?! I agree with the previous commenter who covered everything superbly – and the best song was definitely Latau0026#39;s Kabhi To Milegi which was so good it was reprised throughout, although the remaining seven songs by Roshan and Sultanpuri sung by Lata, Rafi and Asha were also sublime.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI should warn that attention is required because the ending is swift and after two and a half hours all the details are swept up in minutes! The film is a tonic, a real treasure indeed and would bear repeated viewing – though unfortunately not many people seem to agree.”