Sawan Ki Ghata (1966)

Gopal and Seema, childhood friends are separated. Rana, Seema's father and Gopal's foster father made an agreement that would spare Gopal's life and provide great wealth to Rana. This is a love story of Seema and Gopal, and Saloni who loves Gopal in a simple minded way. It is a story of deceit, greed, wealth, manipulation and wealth related arrogance in rural India. Gopal challenges the established powers in his community and suspects Seema of collaborating with the enemy. Will Gopal learn the truth of his birth and ancestry? How will this situation of Gopal being loved by two women resolve? While the usual elements of Bombay filmi formula are present, the story line is quite refreshingly different. Acting is largely restrained with a few moments of high drama. Life on a tea estate in the sixties is quite well represented, the socio economic and political imperatives of a highland village are well developed and social values of the time are well represented. All in all, Sawan ki Ghata is not quite a typical formula film and it is worth watching.