indian cinema heritage foundation

Baap Re Baap (1955)

  • GenreComedy
  • FormatB-W
  • LanguageHindi
  • Run Time130 min
  • Length3878.27 meters
  • Number of Reels14
  • Gauge35 mm
  • Censor RatingU
  • Censor Certificate NumberB-13944
  • Certificate Date13/09/1955
  • Shooting LocationKardar Studios
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Raj Kumar Ashok Sagar, son of a wealthy zamindar, has returned from abroad after seven years. His parents are over-protective and try to smother him at the slightest excuse. When he gets sick they invite a rogue’s gallery of hacks to diagnose him and forcibly keep him confined to bed. He escapes to the balcony where he sees a beautiful woman singing in the moonlight. He is instantly enamoured and later finds out she works in their compound. Her name is Kokila and she lives with her aged mother in a hut near their mansion, picking flowers for her every day. She is initially wary of Ashok’s advances but soon grows fond of him. But the road to their union is filled with obstacles, chief among them their difference in social and economic status. One day they both promise to commit suicide if their love does not reach fruition.

Meanwhile Raja Moti Sagar, Ashok’s father, has started looking for a bride for his son. Colonel Jung Bahadur who is their friend often comes to visit them with his wife and daughter Rupa. Mrs Jung Bahadur wants to get Rupa married to Ashok in order to secure his vast fortune, but her husband does not agree. He does not approve of Moti Sagar fashioning himself as a king. This difference leads to many hilarious arguments between him and his wife. Ashok, though, has no desire to marry Rupa and always looks for ways to avoid meeting her. Raja Moti Sagar gathers information about eligible brides from all over India and sends his secretary Saligram to enquire after them.

Saligram is aware of the blossoming romance between Ashok and Kokila. Ashok sees this as an opportunity to nip the wedding preparations in the bud and goes off with Saligram to see the prospective brides. He puts on various disguises and muddles up all the meetings with his antics.

Displeased with this failure, Raja Sagar invites all the women and their families to his house. They all come from different backgrounds and do not share languages or cultures. Ashok uses this to cause more bedlam between them. The whole arrangement descends into chaos and falls apart. But at his moment the Bahadurs arrive with their daughter Rupa, finally having set their differences aside. Ashok’s wedding is swiftly fixed with Rupa and he is left pondering a way out.

One night Ashok attempts to sneak out to meet Kokila but is found out by his father. An infuriated Moti Sagar expels Kokila and her mother from the compound and burns down their hut. Seeing no other recourse, Ashok pretends to be willing to marry Rupa just to be able to get out of the house. He hoodwinks both parties and goes off to meet Kokila only to find them leaving the compound. Kokila implores him to give up on their impossible dream. A heartbroken Ashok threatens to commit suicide, only to be saved by the appearance of his mother. Unlike his father, his mother has no problem accepting Kokila and swiftly gets their marriage conducted. Despite his protestations, Raja Moti Sagar is left with no choice but to accept his wife’s decision.

 

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