Bollywood Movie Inspired By Hollywood Movie
By: Sopan Mistry
Tags: Romantic Comedies, Hollywood, Bollywood, It Happened One Night, Chori Chori

Chori Chori

The Bride is going to her beloved’s house

The Bride is feeling shy under her veil

Let the bond of your love remain intact

Don’t forget me, Don’t forget me!

“Chori Chori” this movie was released in 1956. Directed by Anant Thakur. This movie is a romantic comedy, it has never lost its appeal until today. It is an unofficial remake of the English Movie “It Happened One Night.”

Music and Songs are the heart and soul of Hindi cinema. This movie is still popular today that is probably due to its music and unforgettable songs. Raj Kapoor and Nargis are in the lead role and the performance of all the actors is excellent, those days Bhagwan and Johny Walker though they were not lead actors, their popularity was amazing.

Kammo (Nargis) is a stubborn daughter of a milliner Girdharilal (Gope), Kammo wants to marry SumanKumar (Pran), who is after Girdharilal’s wealth and a known womanizer, is not approved by her father. But Kammo is adamant in her decision. She abstains from food and in anger, Kammo jumps out of the Ship into the water.

The news of her running away from home is announced on Radio Ceylon and published in the newspapers that anybody who finds her and brings home, will get a reward of Rs. 1.25 lakhs.

It is the uniqueness of Raj Kapoor that we hear the tune of his present or future movies in the background. Here too the song “ Mera Juta Hain Japani” can be heard, of his film Shree 420 (1955) after the Radio Ceylon broadcast, till Sagar (RajKapoor) is talking on the phone in Telephone Booth.

Sagar is a writer who is traveling to Banglore by Bus to meet his editor and on the same Bus, Kammo is traveling to meet SumanKumar.

The Bus is full of Passengers, Kammo forcefully manages to get a seat close to Sagar. The Bus takes a stop for passengers to eat snacks.

Once again music from the song “Na Samaje Woh Anari Hai” from his then -upcoming movie Anari (1959) plays in the background during Kammo and Sagar’s conversation after the Bus leaves.

Sagar sees the Newspaper and comes to know that Kammo has run away from home and realizes that it will be a good story. Incidentally, their Bus breaks down, and forcibly both have to stay in a guesthouse. However, the guesthouse owner Banwari’s condition was that only married couples can stay in his guest house. Sagar pretends that they are married and Kammo is his wife. But obstinate Kammo is not ready to share the room with Sagar. in this situation, Sagar makes a partition of Bedsheet.

During this whole journey, one thing leads to another, eventually, they come close and fall in love. In spite of this, a misunderstanding takes place, Kammo and Sagar get separated and she contacts her father and he unwillingly arranges the marriage of Kammo and SumanKumar. Sagar meets her father after Press Conference, asking him to pay the money he spent on his daughter. Girgharilal (Gope) gives a cheque of Rs. 1.25 Lakhs as the reward but Sagar refuses to accept the cheque. He only asks for Rs. 15 and 12 Annas. saying that he is a man of principle, and he would have even excused the person if he would have been poor. Did you see that in four days I have made your daughter straight which you could not do in twenty years!

This movie gained many accolades and Shankar Jaikishan even won Filmfare award for best music direction.

Later this movie inspired “Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin” which is a remake of Chori Chori. It is a scene by scene copy of this 1956 film. “Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin” is presented by Mahesh Bhatt starring Aamir Khan and Pooja Bhatt in 1991movie.

It Happened One Night

The stars are so close overhead you feel

you could reach up and stir around!

“It Happened One Night” the greatest romantic comedy movie was released on 22 February 1934, produced and directed by Frank Capra.

Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) spoiled daughter of a millionaire has arguments with her father (Walter Connolly), she wants to marry King Westley (Jameson Thomas) a rich man, but her father is not in favor of him, knowing the playboy image of King Westley. Her father tries to understand her, but it is in vain, and in anger, she suddenly jumps from the Ship into the water.

Then she heads to New York by Bus to reunite with King Westly. On the Bus ride, she meets Newspaper reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable).

Recently Peter has been fired from his job and he needs a story to get him a job again. Peter comes across the Newspaper learning that she has run away from home. He finds an exclusive story material in Ellie Andrews, ran away from home to meet her fiance, had always feared and tension in the mind of being caught any time by Police.

Peter helps Ellie with nearly everything, Chasing after her stolen bag, it may be sleeping on his shoulder or playing the role of husband and wife when detectives come in their room whereas Ellie hates him, though she has no option.

The best scene in the movie when a child’s mother is fainted due to hunger, her son is crying as they have no money for food. Peter is emotionally touched and handover money to the child though they are in the scarcity of money.

Obstinate Ellie is not ready to stay in the same room with Peter, so Peter makes a partition hanging rope and bedsheet and names it “Walls of Jericho” (Walls of Jericho, very ancient massive stone wall surrounding city of Jericho, built around 8000BCE).

Amidst all of this, Peter goes to his office to get some money with the intention that he will return before Ellie wakes up. The guesthouse owner’s shouting wakes her up and she finds that Peter along with his belongings is not there. Eventually, a misunderstanding between Peter and Ellie, separates them. Ellie contacts her father and he arrives with a convoy of cars.

Later, Peter meets Ellie’s father and as a matter of principle asks for the money of $ 39.60, which he has spent on his daughter. Her father gives him a cheque for $ 10,000 as a reward but he tears it and asks for a cheque for only $39.60.

Ellie’s father reveals that Peter loves her. Another great heartwarming scene is at the wedding in the end. He permits Ellie to abandon the ceremony and says that the car is waiting outside for her to join Peter.

Gable and Colbert had flawless on-screen chemistry. Even side actors such as Roscoe Karns who played Oscar Shapley did a wonderful job This movie won five academy awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Writing Adaption. This is known as the “Big Five” and was the first film to make this accomplishment.