Hamraaz: A prophecy of Vimi's real-life tragedy

India Today

13 hours ago

As part of our Retro Review series, we revisit 'Hamraaz', a film that mirrors the tragic life of its leading lady, the beautiful Vimi.Film: Hamraaz (1967)Cast: Sunil Dutt, Raaj Kumar, Vimi, Balraj Sahni, Mumtaz, Madan Puri, Manmohan KrishnaDirector: BR ChopraMusic/Lyrics: Ravi, Sahir LudhianviBox-Office Status: Super HitWhere to Watch: YouTubeWhy to Watch: For its breezy transition from a romance to a relationship triangle, and finally a whodunitMoral of the Story: Trust your spouse even if they are trying to hide secrets (because sometimes the past is complicated)advertisementActor Vimi was a mesmerising enigma. Her beauty was so striking it could have launched a thousand ships, yet her expressions were wooden, likely due to her inexperience as an actor.In 'Hamraaz', her debut film, Vimi was tasked with a complex role, portraying a whirlwind of emotions. Over the first two hours, her character Meena falls in love, elopes, loses her husband to war, mourns a stillborn child, remarries, discovers her child is alive, and almost reunites with her first husband, miraculously returned from the dead.
Yet, through these trials, Vimi's performance remains restrained, relying on her graceful presence. Her sole achievement is her statuesque presence, standing with the frozen aura of a divine sculpture. If only Vimi had navigated life with similar stoicism, we might have seen more of her.
Photo credit: IMDb
advertisementIntroduced to BR Chopra through connections, including the film's composer Ravi, Vimi, a mother of two, and a part-time singer, was cast as the lead in 'Hamraaz' against prevailing Bollywood norms. The film became the highest-grossing movie of 1967, and Vimi emerged as a fashion and style icon. Bold and beautiful - she famously posed in a bikini - Vimi seemed destined for stardom.But her life unraveled swiftly. Her next two films flopped, her husband, whom she married against her family's wishes, abandoned her, and Vimi spiraled into darkness, struggling with loneliness, failure, alcoholism and financial hardship. She died in 1977, alone in a hospital, leaving behind a tragic legacy.'Hamraaz' echoes a similar tale of love, loss and death, like a prophecy of Vimi's tragedy. It is an eerie foreshadowing of her own descent into heartbreak and obscurity.THE PLOT'Hamraaz' opens as a breezy romance set against the lush meadows of Darjeeling, beneath a turquoise sky, immortalised by Mahendra Kapoor's 'Neele Gagan Ke Tale.' Meena (Vimi), falls for the dashing Captain Rajesh (Raaj Kumar), who slays it in stylish caps, goggles, and army uniform.Defying her father's disapproval of an army officer as a son-in-law, Meena marries Rajesh in secret. But their bliss is short-lived; the next day, Rajesh is called to war. When his name appears on the list of the fallen, Meena collapses - a classic Bollywood cue for a doctor to announce the imminent arrival of a stork, miraculously after just a night of matrimony.advertisementHope arrives with Kumar (Sunil Dutt), a stage artist leading a troupe to rally support for the Indian army. Smitten with Meena, he expresses his intent to fall in love and worship her, aptly conveyed by a rare Mahendra Kapoor song in low notes.Meena is hesitant but is softened by three breezy songs and her father's insistence. Meena weds Kumar, hiding her past to start anew in Bombay. For four years they live happily, without being bothered by storks. Alas, Vimi, thy destiny is tragedy.Her secrets unravel with the appearance of a child thought dead and a mysterious figure in two-tone shoes. As Meena scrambles to protect her past, she meets a tragic end, with Kumar as the prime suspect. Who killed Meena? What's the secret behind the shoes? The film resolves these mysteries, ending with a hint of new romance for Kumar.THE GOOD, BAD AND UGLYIn its first half, 'Hamraaz' glides like the Darjeeling toy train through picturesque locales, propelled by Ravi's timeless music, Sahir Ludhianvi's philosophical poetry, and Mahendra Kapoor's soaring voice. Sahir, ever the magician, casts his spell with profound words, especially 'Na Munh Chhupa Ke Jiyo,' a stirring anthem of resilience through life's trials. Set against the backdrop of the 1962 war, the song serves as a rallying call for Meena, and India, to discard setbacks and face life with vigour.advertisementThe Chopra brothers, BR and Yash, were masters of pace, ensuring sharp narrative transitions. After five songs in an hour, 'Hamraaz' shifts from a musical to a lost-and-found plot, then a mystery, and finally a whodunit.Despite its energy, the murder plot stumbles with glaring holes. Characters make illogical leaps, like assuming a death without evidence, and the police investigation, led by Balraj Sahni's gravitas, feels absurdly simplistic, as if the writer ignored basic investigative logic and relied on the credulity of the audience.
Photo credit: IMDb
Despite plot holes that could have accommodated Kumar's lavish sets, the film's chaotic pace, its music, and Dutt's dynamic energy keep audiences engaged. In the films of the '60s, it was almost customary to showcase a bare-chested Sunil Dutt (rewind to 'Waqt', another Chopra classic).advertisementIn 'Hamraaz', Dutt's shiny bod, its modesty preserved by a minimalist trunk, is on display for a full five minutes. To heighten the film's allure, BR Chopra skillfully weaves in a side plot. Mumtaz, with her captivating charm, romances Dutt on stage in figure-hugging black-and-white dresses, delivering a masterclass in fashion. However, this subplot falters slightly, veering into shrill and moralistic territory with sermons on spousal loyalty drawn from Shakespeare's Othello.The soul of 'Hamraaz' is the debonair Raaj Kumar. His regal presence and scotch-soaked gravelly voice are straight up lit, radiating killer vibes. Tragically, his screen time is scant and scattered, with not a single line to showcase his iconic dialogue delivery. Only Chopra could have revealed the raaz (mystery) - spoiler alert - of obscuring Raaj Kumar's face for much of the second half, zooming in instead on his dual-tone shoes. This tired suspense tactic, already used in the horror mystery 'Bees Saal Baad', feels like a cheap trick at the cost of Raaj Kumar.advertisementTHE VERDICTDespite these flaws, 'Hamraaz' is a typical Bollywood beast, steered by Ravi's melodies, Sahir's poetry, and Chopra's pacey direction. Its genre shifts and a stellar cast make it a wild ride that could have been more fun if it were shorter.The memory that haunts, though, is Vimi's life: a star who shone briefly in 'Hamraaz', only to be extinguished by flops, abandonment, and addiction. In the end, the film is a requiem for Vimi, a bitter reminder that sometimes, the reel tragedy pales next to the real one.