indian cinema heritage foundation

Mehbooba (1954)

  • LanguageHindi
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Although Mother and Love are two inseparable words, yet Jamila, a mother loved her son to the point of madness. All her being was concentrated in the existence of wher son Rashid. She wanted to see her son to achieve greatness and respect. Khalil, father of Rashid was a good citizen. He had left the house in Rashid's infancy and Jamila's youth was wasted in patiently waiting for his return. Meanwhile, Rashid grew up to be a young man and in the end his father, Khalil did return but as a greatest bandit of the country.

He was anxious to see his son, a young man now. but Jamila did not wish her son, on whom she had centred all hopes, to know that he was the son of a bandit. Khalil returned with all his hopes crushed. Days passed, and Rashid fell in love with a gypsy girl, Mehbooba. Under the starry sky they vowed to love each other eternally. Arsalan, also a gypsy, espied the two and the fire of jealousy inflamed him to murder his rival, Rashid. Before he could do so he himself was dead and the innocent Rashid held responsible for his death. Jamila gave Rashid a letter to the ruler of Beirut, pleading for her son, Rashid turned into a gypsy and fled away. Khalil persuaded Jamila to live in the bandit's cave, for she was now all alone. Mehbooba was arrested in connection with the death of Arsalan, but with the help of her companion, Shamru, she managed to escape from the jail.

She scoured the country and town for her lover, Rashid and in the end reached the very place from where Rashid in search of his "TAVEEZ" had gone to chase the dacoits. It was the cave of Khalil and Khalil had almost destroyed his own son, whom he mistook for an intruder, had not Jamila intervened and prevented her husband form doing his son to death. It was not disclosed to Rashid that the man ready to kill him was his own father.

Rashid left to see the ruler of Beirut. There he had to stay in a cafe, whose owner as soon as he found Rashid incapable of paying his bills let out his room to Mehbooba and Shamru, who had come to Beirut in search of Rashid. Rashid managed to enter his room after leaping a wall, and thus was united once again with his beloved.

On the recommendation of Khalil, Rashid was appointed the Chief Revenue Officer of the place by the ruler of Beirut, and with the help of his father, Khalil, Rashid obtained revenue from those bandits who had never paid any. Khalil in order to save his son from an attack by a bandit killed one of them. Rashid obeying the law arrested his father and confined him into prison. The whole town began to talk about the young officer, his courage and devotion to duty. Rashid and Mehbooba now lived together a happy existence.

Jamila after hearing of her son's exploits, joined them. But the presence of Gypsy Mehbooba irked her. She could not make this vagrant girl her daughter-in-law. It was her fondest wish that her daughter-in-law should from a big family. Mehbooba could not tolerate this hatred and she left the house, without informing Rashid of her plans. Rashid in turn leaving his pleading mother, left the house in search of Mehbooba. Jamila met Khalil in the prison and related to him the disappointing turn the events had taken.

How this story of Duty and Love came to an end you will see in........MEHBOOBA.

(From the official press booklet)