Kishore Kumar was an intriguing phenomenon. He has been described in glorious terms by singers and composers of different eras. A colossus who was much ahead of his times, a maverick, an unpredictable genius, adept at adopting acutely contrasting shades, sad and joyful in a flash, a compelling and versatile individual who could conceive an idea and deliver it in style. How does one encompass his career that began as a non-descript singer, with little training, but assumed an iconic stature as he performed every role possible in a most competitive world of cinema.
“Door Ka Raahi” (DKR), hard to emulate, was a landmark in Kishore Kumar’s epic journey. The credit lines documented his contribution –– story, screenplay, music, producer and director. Of course he played the central role and sang some unforgettable numbers. Only, he refrained from experimenting with lyrics but he was profound in graciously acknowledging Shailendra for the theme song of the movie. DKR was so unlike a Kishore Kumar venture.
Long phases of despondency highlight the lesser known aspect of Kishore Kumar’s character – he could be serious and make you weep. For a man acknowledged for slapstick comedy he was amazingly committed in DKR to bring out the actor within. He held the centre-stage with sombre vibes that left you wondering if he was the same man who lit up the screen with “Main Hoon Jhum Jhum Jhum Jhum Jhumroo”. Here, he spreads melancholy with a heart-rending “Panthi Hoon Main Us Path Ka…”.
It is a story of a man who dedicates his life to serve the oppressed and the impoverished. His devotion is confronted at various stages, from a youth spent in search of meaning, guided by his guru, who had pledged his all to serve humanity. There are temptations galore but Prashant (Kishore Kumar) skirts past some and faces some firmly, conveying his message on the strength of compassion for friends and foes alike.
The Prashant that one sees on screen is not the Kishore Kumar known to us. An anti-thesis of what the legendary actor stood for even in real life. His antics on the sets and in the studios, escapades from his producers, directors and composers, left many a colleague in spots of concern. Few, however, would hold a grudge against a person who was simple, warm, sometimes eccentric but mostly friendly.
DKR is a tribute to Kishore Kumar’s awesome range. To direct himself and succeed did reflect on his brilliance when it came to tackling a challenge. There are situations when the garrulous Prashant of the initial sequences is lost in solitude, roaming in wilderness of anguish and pain as he embarks on his mission to bring joy to known and strangers. There are situations when he grapples with a demanding world and faces obstacles but the song “Jeevan Se Naa Haar O Jeenewale” beautifully sums up the Prashant that remained dear to Kishore Kumar.
DKR is about understanding one’s inner self and Prashant chooses the difficult path by helping others find joy and solace even at the expense of a caring Karuna (Bambi), who aspires to be his life partner. The emphasis is on reaching out to the masses and Prashant moves on with the sole aim of redeeming his relationship with the suffering people and redefining his pledge to his dying guru not to get entangled with the worldly charms. You may not be able to change your destiny but you can bring about a pleasant change to your life and that is what Prashant ensures. In “Khushi Do Ghadi Ki” Kishore Kumar relives the gloomy moments of “Jin Raaton Ki Bhor Nahi Hai” from “Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein”, two films and two songs that spoke for his remarkable style as a singer unparalleled.
DKR is all about Kishore Kumar. His overwhelming presence in every frame, as an actor on screen or the director behind it, is unmistakable. Was there a chapter of his life that lay hidden in this movie? An unfulfilled dream or an unfinished task? The essence of DKR is the message that his silence speaks so prominently through his work. The director in Kishore Kumar is the protagonist of this endeavour to carve a purposeful film. He succeeds in his effort with a flourish that was his domain as a singer and actor.
Prashant is a dying old man in the opening scene of the film, his life flashing by him, frame by frame, elucidating the essence of service to mankind. It was a film close to his heart and featured some fine actors –– Ashok Kumar, Abhi Bhattacharya, Iftekhar, Tanuja –– all playing small but significant parts. There are fleeting performances by Padma Khanna and Keshto Mukherjee too as Prashant meets them in his trail of pleasant and not so pleasant memories, the film summarizing his journey.
Genre: Social drama
Director: Kishore Kumar
Cast: Kishore Kumar, Tanuja, Ashok Kumar, Padma Khanna, Amit Kumar, Abhi Bhattacharya, Asit Sen, Iftekar, Hiralal, Ganga
Lyrics and dialogue: Irshad
Story, screenplay, music: Kishore Kumar
Box office status: Hit
