indian cinema heritage foundation

Ummeed (1941)

  • LanguageHindi
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An honest coolie will be a better match for my daughter than that idiot Anil, whose only qualification is that he is a son of a banker; thus maintained Kerorimal—a self-made man. 

Anil and Suman, the daughter of the said self-made Kerorimal, loved each other in spite of opposition. 

It is afternoon and Suman is dressing herself before a mirror, helped by her maidservant Leela. Suman is in a hurry because she has an appointment with Anil.

Kerorimal comes in but Suman slips away.

Suman meets Anil. They both go out boating. The boat turns upside down and so do the lovers. Fishermen fish these out. The lovers hurry towards Anil's car and ride away in changed garments of the fishermen. The car drives into the night and the Petrol Gauge shows no petrol. Morning dawns in. And as luck would have it a Reporter happens to come by.

Trying to steal into her compound in a fishy dress, Suman and Anil are caught by Kerorimal. To Anil the house of Suman is closed forever. 

Anil faces his enraged father who has some proof of the extravagance in which Anil has indulged lately. Anil is turned out, but more on account of a photograph that preferred to make its untimely appearance in the evening Paper.

While out into the street, Anil picks up friendship with Bulaki, a man with a funny outlook on life. 

Anil meets Leela. Why not make Leela a pawn into this game of Love? Anil must meet Suman. Anil poses as an out-of-job Car driver—Would not Leela speak to her mistress for him? Leela promises to do all she can. Anil forces out an appointment for the same night at 10 p.m. 

The same night, as appointed, Anil visits Leela and leaving her to cook, Anil slips to the room of Suman and concluding that visit, decides to look up Kerorimal, whom he finds snoring in bed. Anil leaves a letter in which he promises that he will certainly try to do something honest because he loves Suman. 

Next morning Anil and Bulaki face the rent collector to whom Bulaki has not paid for four months. Anil sides with Bulaki on the issue of rent and wants to be shown to the Landlord. 

Anil faces Bhagwandas, his father, who turns out to be the owner of the building. Anil is asked to come home. 

Suman deputes Leela to carry a letter to Anil. To Leela, Anil is Mohan Driver. Leela is surprised to find her Mohan driver in the house of Anil. Anil persuades her to give the letter to him as Anil Babu is asleep. Taking the letter and promising to be back in a few minutes with its reply.

Anil rushes out. Bhagwandas comes in and is surprised to find Leela who tells him that she has come with a letter for Anil. Anil at this moment also enters.

Bhagwandas to know all about this jumble and Anil must hide his real identity from Leela!

Kerorimal has already decided to marry Suman to Seth Trikumlal. With the help of Leela, Suman steals away from home, runs to Anil and from thence they both run to the Civil Marriage Court for the final seal. 

Kerorimal follows them thither Scenting that the situation is becoming rather out of control, Kerorimal does some acting and is able to fool Anil into an appointment for the next day, when a suitable date will be found for their marriage. Anil comes at the appointed hour Kerorimal hoots him out of the house.

Bulaki does not want Anil to play with an innocent heart and urges upon him to confess to Leela that it was all a show and since he has failed to get Suman, this show must end. Anil writes a letter of confession. Bulaki undertakes to deliver the same. Bulaki comes with the letter to Leela. Leela does not know how to read. 

Bulaki forces Anil to meet Leela as desired by her Anil meets Leela. She asks Anil to read her the letter which he had sent to her Anil, instead of making a clean breast of the whole show, reads to her another language - the language of Love. 

With the letter—Leela runs to Suman. Suman reads another language—an admission of love for Suman and thus the two erstwhile friends, Suman, amused at the escapade of her irrepressible lover and Leela amazed at the duplicity of her lover these TWO WOMEN FIND THEY LOVE THE SAME MAN ! 

COME SEE THE AMAZING CLIMAX FOR YOURSELF ON THE SCREEN!

(From the official press booklet)