Mr and Mrs 55 – 05

Feature film clip

Dir: Guru Dutt
Producer: Guru Dutt Films Pvt. Ltd.
Screenplay: Abrar Alvi
Editing: Y.G. Chawhan
Cinematography: V.K. Murthy
Music: O.P. Nayyar
Art: D.R. Yadhav
Cast: Madhubala; Guru Dutt; Lalita Pawar; Johnny Walker; Yasmin; Kumkum; Tuntun; Cuckoo; Moni Chatterjee; Al Nasir; etc.
Distributors: Ultra Distributors Pvt. Ltd.

synopsis: Anita (Madhubala) is a normal urban young girl, with visions of love and romance, yet restrained by her aunt Sita Devi, an avowed man-hater and a crusader for Women's Rights and the impending legalisation of the Divorce provision. However Anita's deceased father stipulates in his will that Anita will inherit his fortune only if she marries within a month of turning 21. Sita Devi decides to contrive a marriage "contract" with a willing and preferably poor man, who would agree to divorce for a payment, so that Anita gets both her wealth and her independence. She hires Preetam (Guru Dutt), a struggling cartoonist, to marry Anita, unaware that the two had met and Preetam was already in love with her. When Anita finds out he is her hired husband, who has agreed to marry for financial gains, he falls in her eyes. Preetam, frustrated at not being able to see Anita after the marriage, carries her off to his brother's house in a nearby village. Anita is deeply influenced by Preetam's sister-in-law, a perfect traditional Indian housewife, yet is extricated by her aunt and brought back to the city. Feeling that Anita doesn't reciprocate his feelings, Preetam fabricates evidence against himself so that his divorce with Anita will come about easily and decides to leave Bombay. Preetam is much maligned in court but by now Anita realizes how much she loves him. She defies her aunt and rushes to the airport to stop Preetam from leaving. Anita and Preetam are reunited.

Guru Dutt

DVD

1955

The Media Lab

AVI

Hindi

The aunt, Seeta Devi pulls Anita to the marriage registrar's desk. The registrar asks Anita if she had consented to the marriage under force or duress. Anita briefly looks at her aunt before saying no. Preetam is asked if he had gone through the clauses. Then Preetam is asked to say aloud that he accepted Anita Verma as his lawfully wedded wife. Anita angrily goes through her lines as well, and asks rapidly where to sign. As the two sign the document, the saxophone can be heard to play in the background score underlining the comic, yet "Western" theme of the proceedings of a "civil marriage". As the witnesses sign, Preetam follows Anita out of the chambers even before the stunned registrar had been able to congratulate them on their marriage.

DVD

01:07 mins

AVI

Guru Dutt Films Pvt. Ltd.

Guru Dutt