Decoding Kati Patang (1971)


Movie no – 15/100

June 8, 2018

After watching a movie with two superstars, Aamir and Salman, the next movie that I picked for my project stars Bollywood’s first superstar, Rajesh Khanna. Directed and produced by Shakti Samanta, ‘Kati Patang’ is a 1971 family drama and thriller, based on a novel by the same name written by Gulshan Nanda. The movie with Asha Parekh and Rajesh Khanna in the lead, was a musical drama, with dollops of melodrama and a generous pinch of suspense.

Madhuri (played by Asha Parekh) runs away from the wedding her rich maternal uncle arranges for her. She meets her boyfriend, Kailash (played by Prem Chopra), and realizes that his motive to marry her was purely for her uncle’s wealth. Dejected, she returns to a desolate house to find her uncle dead, presumably out of shock and the shame that his niece inflicts on him. Cursing her fate, she bumps into her childhood friend, Poonam – a young widow with a baby, who is on her way to meet her in-laws for the first time. In a tragic train accident, Poonam passes away after pleading Madhuri to assume her identity and meet her father-in-law, Diwan Dinanath (played by Nazir Hussain). Stuck in a storm on her way to her marital home, she meets a forest officer, Kamal Sinha (played by Rajesh Khanna), who happens to be her ‘husband’s’ childhood friend. Kamal is instantly attracted to the mystery surrounding Madhuri, while she helps him get over his sad past where his bride deserted him on the day of his wedding. (Not too difficult to connect the dots). The rest of the movie is about how Madhuri survives all the scheming and plotting, in the backdrop of a murder.

Image result for kati patang

Watching a movie which was made for the sensibilities of the audiences 40 year ago can sometimes become a test of patience. But Kati Patang had quite a fast pace, almost managing to maintain your attention. The typical misunderstanding and miscommunications which were sort of the norm, back in the day, seem enjoyable even if the curiosity might make you pull your hair! One of the biggest assets of the movie was its music by R.D Burman, with songs for various moods – a romantic song, a festival song, a song for a jilted lover and a song full of remorse! Also, full points to the make-up artist and costume designer for creating an unintentionally funny vamp, Shabnam, played by Bindu.

Coming to the performances, Asha Parekh plays Madhuri/Poonam with conviction and displays uneasiness and vulnerabilities of a woman being blackmailed and burdened by her past. She is torn between the guilt of being a widow and developing an affinity towards her ‘late husband’s’ best friend. Apart from uttering cryptic dialogues and being intrigued by Poonam’s strange behavior, Rajesh Khanna as Kamal looks debonair in his funky overcoats and plays the perfect support to Poonam. Prem Chopra plays the quintessential Bollywood villain, something he was known for.

While referring to its Wikipedia page, I learnt that this movie was second among the 17 films that saw Shakti Samanta and Rajesh Khanna collaborate – which were a part of his journey to superstardom. While the suspense may not seem completely convincing in the current age and time, it is nonetheless a great watch, just for its leads and the music.


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