It's very much one of Raj Kapoor's films – not only starring in it he produced, directed and even edited this one. There's his usual awkward slapstick amidst all the tragedy on display, resulting in a very episodic film, full of good things and interesting but also as corny and dull as you can imagine too.
Classic Hindi love triangle – beetle-browed Gopal (Rajendra Kumar) and bagpipe-loving Sunder (Kapoor) love Radha (Vyjayanthimala), Radha has utter antipathy to Sunder and loves Gopal and vice versa but Gopal also has an all-consuming man-love for Sunder (and vv) and wants to stand aside to let him have Radha instead. In the main it's all done well even though it's been done much better many times before and since, but the cast were saddled with some enormous plot-holes, mood-swing non sequiturs and just plain silly bits. For example when Sunder is a pilot in the cockpit of his military airplane and noisily taxi-ing off with Vjyayanthimala running after it to shout after him that she didn't love him is either hilarious or hideous depending on your mood. At one point he's presumed dead and Gopal and Radha start to make romantic hay, but Sunder returns so hem it 's a case of Return To Sunder and to begin being a good wife naturally. What makes it all bearable is the lovely music by Shankar-Jaikishan and the singing by Lata of course, and also the wonderful scenery and photography: at times, very arty. As for Vyjayanthimala's "enticing" dance in the hotel in Paris, well, give me her rather more dignified performance nine years before in Devdas any time. But she does manage to strike an astonishing number of beautiful and iconic poses throughout the picture - she couldn't help it - none more so than during Rafi's Ye Mera Prem Patra and Lata & Mukesh's O Mere Sanam.
Overall, it's very easy to watch but perhaps just as easy to criticise. On the other hand it also contains the one of the best if not the best denouement of the triangle angle I've ever seen.
Classic Hindi love triangle – beetle-browed Gopal (Rajendra Kumar) and bagpipe-loving Sunder (Kapoor) love Radha (Vyjayanthimala), Radha has utter antipathy to Sunder and loves Gopal and vice versa but Gopal also has an all-consuming man-love for Sunder (and vv) and wants to stand aside to let him have Radha instead. In the main it's all done well even though it's been done much better many times before and since, but the cast were saddled with some enormous plot-holes, mood-swing non sequiturs and just plain silly bits. For example when Sunder is a pilot in the cockpit of his military airplane and noisily taxi-ing off with Vjyayanthimala running after it to shout after him that she didn't love him is either hilarious or hideous depending on your mood. At one point he's presumed dead and Gopal and Radha start to make romantic hay, but Sunder returns so hem it 's a case of Return To Sunder and to begin being a good wife naturally. What makes it all bearable is the lovely music by Shankar-Jaikishan and the singing by Lata of course, and also the wonderful scenery and photography: at times, very arty. As for Vyjayanthimala's "enticing" dance in the hotel in Paris, well, give me her rather more dignified performance nine years before in Devdas any time. But she does manage to strike an astonishing number of beautiful and iconic poses throughout the picture - she couldn't help it - none more so than during Rafi's Ye Mera Prem Patra and Lata & Mukesh's O Mere Sanam.
Overall, it's very easy to watch but perhaps just as easy to criticise. On the other hand it also contains the one of the best if not the best denouement of the triangle angle I've ever seen.