Teesri Kasam (1966) Raj Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman

[Amba]

I'm surprised that there isn't a thread for this film already; it's easily one of the best Indian movies I've ever seen.

Raj Kapoor plays a bullock cart driver named Heeraman, who has experienced a string of bad luck; first he almost gets caught transporting contraband goods, then he receives a beating because he caused an accident while transporting bamboo. He finally receives a less troublesome assignment; he is to transport a nautanki actress, Heerabai (Waheeda Rehman) to a village fair, several miles away. During the course of their journey, a warm relationship develops between them; Heeraman treats Heerabai with awed reverence, while she is charmed by his simplicity. Eventually, they reach the fair, and there, over the course of a few days, Heeraman comes to the realization that there is a seedy side to Heerabai's profession.

The performances were uniformly excellent; this may well be my favourite Raj Kapoor performance, surpassing even Shri 420. Bollywhatters have noted before that Raj's sensibilities coarsened as he aged, but in the hands of a director other than himself, he was still capable of delivering a delicate, refined performance. Waheeda was wonderful as Heerabai; she was dignified and gracious, with a hint of steeliness, a welcome change from the stock courtesan character.

I liked that rural life was keenly and sympathetically observed in this film; at times, it reminded me of Pather Panchali (in fact, Satyajit Ray's cinematographer worked on this film, in his only foray into commercial cinema). The beautiful songs also added much to the ambiance. I especially liked "Lali lali doliya", which features a troupe of realistically scruffy yet adorable kids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jDzvDQUcSY

"Paan kaye saiyon hamaro" is one of several delightful nautanki performances; it's easy to see why nautanki theatre is considered an antecedent of Bollywood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLHXnbfp7Uo

[shalini]

The performances were uniformly excellent; this may well be my favourite Raj Kapoor performance, surpassing even Shri 420. Bollywhatters have noted before that Raj's sensibilities coarsened as he aged, but in the hands of a director other than himself, he was still capable of delivering a delicate, refined performance.

RK does indeed turn in a very endearing, subtle performance as the bullock cart driver – nicely balancing the simpleton aspects of the character with native shrewdness and maturity.  My one crib is that he was simply too old for the role. 

The beautiful songs also added much to the ambiance. I especially liked "Lali lali doliya", which features a troupe of realistically scruffy yet adorable kids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jDzvDQUcSY

It's my favorite from the film as well.  The beauty of the song (music, lyrics and singing) and the scene frequently brings tears to my eyes.  I don't know of any other Hindi film song that captures the simple joys of village kids in India with such authenticity and heart.  It's hard to overstate the contribution of the man who produced this masterpiece - legendary Hindi film lyricist, Shailendra.

[Amba]

It's hard to overstate the contribution of the man who produced this masterpiece - legendary Hindi film lyricist, Shailendra.

Shailendra fell into a depression due to the initial poor reception of Teesri Kasam, didn't he?    It's too bad he died before the film was given its proper due. 

[Amba]

My one crib is that he was simply too old for the role. 

I can see your point, but in a way, having a plump, aging man in the role of Heeraman underscored the character's vulnerability. I don't know if Raj could have pulled this role off successfully when he was younger; as much as I enjoy the young Raj's vagabond persona, there was always something studied about it.

[shalini]

Shailendra fell into a depression due to the initial poor reception of Teesri Kasam, didn't he?    It's too bad he died before the film was given its proper due. 

Sadly, yes.  In an interview sometime back, Shailendra's youngest son remarked that everyone made money off of Teesri Kasam - except his father.   Shailendra had a gift for expressing incredibly profound thoughts in simple, everyday language that enhanced the films he wrote for immeasurably.  I sincerely believe that much of the emotional and philosophical heft of Teesri Kasam comes from his song lyrics.

I can see your point, but in a way, having a plump, aging man in the role of Heeraman underscored the character's vulnerability. I don't know if Raj could have pulled this role off successfully when he was younger; as much as I enjoy the young Raj's vagabond persona, there was always something studied about it.

My recall of the movie is a little woozy, but my quibble over RK's age comes from the impression that in the movie he's supposed to be a young man?  If that is true, then I think RK was miscast, for he looks every bit the forty-something year old that he was at the time.  I completely agree with you however, that in terms of his performace as Heeraman, RK's age was an advantage.  His Heeraman is refreshingly free of the sanctimonious smugness that some of his other bumpkin portrayals (ex. JDMGBH) are infected with.

[jenni]

This is one of my favourite films. 

I also think that the naivete of Raj Kapoor's character is less affected and more natural than in some of his other roles and although he probably was too old I loved his performance and found it very moving.   I also enjoyed the complexity of Hirabai's character (a remaining trace of romance severely tempered by realism) and the development and gradual decline in the relationship of the lead characters - again as idealisation gives way to reality. 

So many lovely moments are captured in this film.

The music is beautiful, as is the cinematography.

And I love the bittersweet ending.

[Amba]

I also enjoyed the complexity of Hirabai's character (a remaining trace of romance severely tempered by realism) ...

Yes - I liked that Heerabai was reconciled to her fate, while still being free of the passivity and masochistic self-flagellation of certain other movie courtesans (cough, Pakeezah, cough). I also appreciated her professional pride in her artistry and her resistance to the men's attempts to either idealize or denigrate her.

[yves]

A very beautiful film, full of delicate poetry and melancholic poignancy. What's particularly moving is the interconnectedness of the main story, that of Hiraman and Hirabhai, and the tale which Hiraman recounts to her traveller, which acts as a subtle commentary on what's happening between the two. Such profound creativity is sadly missed in recent Bollywood creations. Or is it because I don't see enough?
If some of you are interested do have a look here, and tell me about your thoughts!
cheers

[Amba]

A very beautiful film, full of delicate poetry and melancholic poignancy. What's particularly moving is the interconnectedness of the main story, that of Hiraman and Hirabhai, and the tale which Hiraman recounts to her traveller, which acts as a subtle commentary on what's happening between the two.

The folktale/song was a lovely element in the film - it perfectly mirrored the lack of sexual/personal autonomy of the main characters. It's rare to find songs that are so perfectly integrated into the narrative.

[yves]

Yes - I liked that Heerabai was reconciled to her fate, while still being free of the passivity and masochistic self-flagellation of certain other movie courtesans (cough, Pakeezah, cough). I also appreciated her professional pride in her artistry and her resistance to the men's attempts to either idealize or denigrate her.

Hmm... Reading through the thread, I stumbled on this declaration, Hirabai being reconciled to her fate. I'd say that she isn't so much "reconciled" to it than she is forced to accept it, because of her family, who depends on her for a living. What she would like would be to live with her newly-found guru! She's clearly upset that this dream isn't possible, and that she has to return to her dancing. Indeed she takes pride in her dancing, and finds there a personal achievement. But that doesn't balance her profound need for a radical change in her life,I think. All along the way with Hiraman, she starts realizing how different her life could be, if she could live with him. She bathes in the river when she learns about the story of the virgins bathing in that particular spots: she doesn't want to disappoint Hiraman, of course, but doesn't she also want to wash awaythe sins of her profession, and become a virgin once again for him?

[Amba]

Hmm... Reading through the thread, I stumbled on this declaration, Hirabai being reconciled to her fate.

Maybe "resigned" would be a better word to use than "reconciled". I don't think Hirabai ever seriously entertained the idea that she could marry Hiraman though - she's too much of a realist for that. All her actions were undertaken to preserve his illusions about her, not to enable them to be together. 

She bathes in the river when she learns about the story of the virgins bathing in that particular spots: she doesn't want to disappoint Hiraman, of course, but doesn't she also want to wash awaythe sins of her profession, and become a virgin once again for him?

I had to watch that scene again to make sure, but Hiraman actually told her not to bathe in a certain spot, because that was where Mahua the boatwoman was abducted. Of course, Hirabai's fate parallels Mahua's - like her, she's "sold" to men, and she's prevented from being with the man of her choice. 

[yves]

Hi Amba,
No, you're right of course, Hira bai would never think of marrying Hiraman... But certainly if she could have abandoned her sad life, and lived with him (on what basis will remain unknown), she would have done it. Or perhaps, as you point out, her realism makes her take whatever joy there was to be taken during the short time she spent with him (much like what Francesca does with the three days Richard gave her, in The Bridges of Madison County, by Clint Eastwood), but she knew that she was tasting a limited spell of happiness, and having tasted it, because she needed it, she tried her best to protect Hiraman from suffering from her having given him any false hopes...

You say "All her actions were undertaken to preserve his illusions about her, not to enable them to be together": yes, and then again, there are moments when a delightful ambiguity reigns supreme: I'm thinking about that moment when she asks him to come in her tent, and stay with her, while she's cooking. We can see her smile of pleasure at being with him, and his embarassment at being asked to come for no real reason (how is he going to explain this to his macho cronies?). If she had wanted to avoid all creation of false hope, wouldn't she have refrained from calling him? In fact, she doesn't calculate all that; she desperately needs that fulfilment, and even if she knows it will not last, she can't rightly tell him she's just using him for the pleasure of satisfying her yearning, can she?

As for the bathing scene, you're right again, but she does bathe, a bit further away: so perhaps we can say that she bathes nevertheless, because something in Mahu's story has struck her as applying to her? Don't forget thatthe fil doesn't just show a parallel between their two lives: Mahua's story is told Hirabai: and it acts as a revelation for her; Mahua's story becomes Hirabai's lost dream, and tragic prophecy.

[latishya]

You say "All her actions were undertaken to preserve his illusions about her, not to enable them to be together": yes, and then again, there are moments when a delightful ambiguity reigns supreme: I'm thinking about that moment when she asks him to come in her tent, and stay with her, while she's cooking. We can see her smile of pleasure at being with him, and his embarassment at being asked to come for no real reason (how is he going to explain this to his macho cronies?). If she had wanted to avoid all creation of false hope, wouldn't she have refrained from calling him? In fact, she doesn't calculate all that; she desperately needs that fulfilment, and even if she knows it will not last, she can't rightly tell him she's just using him for the pleasure of satisfying her yearning, can she?

I have just watched this astonishingly good movie and agree with the above. It fits with a comment from an IMDb user that I liked, too: "in the rustic number Laali Laali Doliya Mein sung by a bunch of children running after the cart - without a word spoken the lead pair conveyed how they longed to be the Dulhaniya and Sajna!"

this film was intelligent and thoughtful, tender and achingly sad with simply gorgeous songs and the stunning Waheedaji proving she is so very much more than just a divinely beautiful face. I will give it 9.5/10 only because I was secretly hoping that Hiraman would become her kept man.

[yves]

Waheedaji is so very much more than just a divinely beautiful face. I will give it 9.5/10 only because I was secretly hoping that Hiraman would become her kept man.

Yes, she is so much more than that, but how right you are to write "a divinely beautiful face"...

And I think that the movie's particular charm is precisely to deprive us romantics of the facile ending that you were (and all of us) hoping for. Thanks to the separation, the film remains in our hearts as so much more poignant than if the happy ending had occurred, don't you think?