Under weekly film screenings, a Hindi film Anuradha was screened at Abhirang Auditorium, Bharat Bhavan here on Sunday. The weekly film screenings are being organised under Chhavi series of classical cinema at Bharat Bhavan.
Starring Balraj Sahani and leela Naidu in the lead characters, the movie is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The movie was released in 1960.
While talking to The Pioneer, in-charge of Chhavi, Narendra Rai said, “We always try to screen movies with which the audience can relive their past and the young audience could witness the existence of good movies. Anuradha is one of those movies and moreover it is considered to be Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s first movie.”
The story of the film revolves around a couple who try their best to save their marriage. After Nirmal’s mother passes away, Nirmal (Balraj Sahani) decides to study medicine, become a doctor, and live in a small village to help patients who are unable to travel great distances to see a medical professional. Nirmal starts his practice in Nandgaon.
He meets with Anuradha Roy (leela Naidu), a well-known Radio Singer and stage dancer. He treats her injured ankle, both fall in love, and gets married, against the Anuradha’s wealthy dad’s wish. Both re-locate to Nandgaon where Anuradha gives up her singing and becomes a housewife. later, Anuradha’s former beau, Deepak, the England-returned man re-enters her life.
He witnesses that she is being neglected by her overly busy husband, asks her to return back to singing, and go and live with her dad. At first she refuses and asks him to leave, then relents when she sees that Nirmal has indeed been neglecting her, even on their wedding anniversary.
She then informs Deepak she is ready to move out. That night when Nirmal returns home, Anuradha informs him about her decision to leave him, and then what happen next formed rest of the story.
The movie watchers of the city once again enjoyed the magic of Hrishikesh Mukherjee on the big screen.