7/10
Just when tears turned into flowers...
6 February 2011
Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool has a very good story, and Satyen Bose makes it into a very engaging movie. The movie is not without its flaws, but it is an overall enjoyable and well-made picture. The film's first half is far more interesting and convincing because it deals with different social and cultural values and presents a rather inspiring portrayal of youth. The second half is more of a mini-thriller and the characters are turned upside down to create a story of revenge.

Ashok Kumar stars as Vidyanand, a respected college principal who has a very special bond with one of his students, Chandu, who considers him a role model. A few years later Vidyanand is convicted and prisoned for no fault of his own, and once he released, he is totally determined to take revenge on all those who destroyed his reputation. What he does not know is that his old student Chandu is now an honest and strong-willed policeman.

The film's concept is based on an ironic paradox which has often been used as a conflict in Hindi movies, and it's handled well in this movie. The second half suffers from some dramatisation of the story. I for one was not particularly convinced by Vidyanand's sudden transformation. It's hard to believe a man of such high moral values and principles, who has taught his students to fight for justice and not war, would now be so decisive about taking revenge. The fact that he did not want to keep contact with his wife was also quite strange.

Ashok Kumar as Vidyanand is excellent at first, gets a bit let down by the script in later portions, but ultimately recovers and leaves a mark. Pran is hilarious and wonderful as his loyal friend Shambhu Mahadev Rao. Nirupa Roy, who was at her late thirties at the time, already started playing women much ahead of her years, and sadly so. She is cast as Vidyanand's supportive wife Sumitra. Deb Mukherjee is okay as Chandu, and Helen is smashing hot as Neelam.

Despite the aforementioned flaws, the film does get better later on, some of the suspense sequences work, and the ending is totally great (you just have to see it). The film's music is quite good, and one song that I found outstanding is "Mehrban Mehboob Dilbar", brilliantly performed by Asha Bhosle. Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool is not a perfect film but it is enjoyable and entertaining, and it successfully conveys its message, showing the two faces of justice. I like it, I recommend.
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