Mandwa to screen ‘Diya Aur Toofan’ today

Islamabad

Lok Virsa Mandwa Film Club is bringing 1969 film Diya Aur Toofan for screening on today (Saturday) at 5 p.m.

The launching, production and release of ‘Diya Aur Toofan’ was a big news in 1969 which seemed impossible for film trade to digest and there were reasons for it, Rangila was a low grade comedian and was now producing directing an Urdu feature film just beyond his means, let alone releasing it nationwide, Rangila made the impossible possible and jolted the film trade with the biggest shock of their life that year.

Coming to the ruthless and harsh fact and reality of the film trade, Rangila produced, directed, acted and sang in the film. Since the going was rough and an uphill battle, he did not go for the superstars or melody queen Noorjehan for the playback or the most expensive composers like Nisar Bazmi, Khursheed Anwar, Master Inayat Hussain, Rashid Attrey and Sohail Rana. The film was an attempt of a poor struggling comedian who wanted to make it against all odds. The guess is that the cast including Ejaz, Naghma, Haider, Maunawar Zareef and the rest must have worked at minimum remuneration or may be even gratis. Same goes for composer Kamal Ahmad and the rest of technicians and crew members.

The film begins with Rangila looking into the mirror and we cut to the close shot of a horse. This is the first laughter which is followed by endless hilarious moments, some of them now may not sound so funny.

Naghma leads the cast with Ijaz in young to old roles. The drama revolves around them together in the beginning but Ijaz meets an accident and disappears from the screen for a long time, in fact too long. He reappears towards the end just for a happy reunion. A large portion of the film is based on gags and comic acts of Rangila, Munawar Zareef and Khalifa Nazeer, much of it ripped off from Three Stooges plus bits from Laurel and Hardy. Rangila and Munawar Zareef made a good comic couple, so much so that they actually made a film together titled Rangila Aur Munawar Zareef.

Composer Kamal Ahmad who too must have come at a dirt cheap rate, has composed some of the good songs by Mehdi Hassan, Mala and Rangila. ‘Mera Mehbooba’, ‘Meri taqdeer yeh to bataa’ and ‘Gaa merey manwa’ have not lost the melody and the magic over the last forty-five years.

‘Diya Aur Toffan’ clicked extremely well at the box office and became an instant hit nation. For the next four years, Rangila minted gold and became a name to be reckoned and then the downfall came but that is not part of the success story here from ‘Diya Aur Toofan’.