Teen Bahuraniyan also scores much above the routine family dramas of those times, as it strongly points towards the artificial society, in which ‘the other’s life’ always seems to be rosier and blessed in comparison, leading to all the unnecessary issues. As a result, the wise old man has to think of a courageous and unorthodox way to teach a lesson to his family members, and the film tries to convey the same to its viewers.
Sharing a few worth appreciating moments in its story progression, as the three sons and their wives try to portray a false image of themselves with all the new attires, jewellery, electronic gadgets and furniture bought on credit and instalments, the father tries to stop them from committing such blunder. Objecting to their father’s intrusion, the sons question him, “Do you know what is meant by Instalments, father?” To this, the wise old man replies, “Do you know what is meant by Insolvent, son?”
In an enjoyable song, Rajendranath imagines himself singing and dancing with Shashikala in different fantasy situations, looking at the pictures displayed in her home. In another sequence, a thief mistakenly enters her house but leaves after getting an autograph and gifting a Parker pen.
A significant film in the career of Shashikala, Teen Bahuraniyan also points towards the stature of the actress in that period, when the makers could have easily opted for a bigger star playing herself, adding a desirable commercial value to the project. But their bold and unusual choice of casting Shashikala instead conveys a lot about her presence in Hindi cinema and the confidence directors had in her abilities.
The film also deserves praise as a social entertainer, because the script never gets into any negative zone in terms of family relationships defying the obvious. Despite having their differences, the entire family remains strongly bonded and the inhabitants never think of hurting the other in any manner. That also remains the reason Teen Bahuraniyan stays relevant even after half a century of its release in the present millennium.
Supporting the fact, its official Marathi remake got released in 1990 and the most famous song of the film Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya became the title of a Hindi film, over three decades later in 2001. So, if you haven’t seen Teen Bahuraniyan yet, then watch it this weekend as a befitting tribute to the talented Shashikala, playing herself on screen as ‘Sheela Devi’.
(The writer is a critic-columnist, an explorer of cinema and author of ‘Did You Know’ series on Hindi films also active at bobbytalkscinema.com)
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