Aaya Toofan (1964)
Article 5462 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 2-18-2008 Posted 5-27-2017
Directed by Mohammed Hussain and Kedar Kapoor
Featuring Rajkumari Chanda, Anwar Hussain, Mallu
Country: India
What it is: Indian fantasy

An evil magician attempts to spirit away a princess with the help of genie, but the genie is defeated by a man named Deepu. However, when the King discovers that Deepu is the son of an old enemy, he holds a grudge and makes him an enemy, despite the fact that Deepu wishes to marry the princess.

There’s something about watching foreign movies that can give you a real sense of a different culture, and Bollywood movies are striking examples of that. Their movies are very long, full of songs, and quite unique. This one starts out a little like JACK THE GIANT-KILLER, turns into something of a sword-and-sandal movie, all the time with songs and dancing. The dancing is unique and very interesting, but sometimes I wonder why they bother trying to translate the lyrics of the songs in the subtitles, as they’re more confusing than illuminating. The title means something about a “stormy life”, which I gather from the lyrics of the song that continually repeats the phrase.

As I watch more Bollywood movies, I’ll have a better feel for how to critique them; this one is a little too new for me to say anything really worthwhile about it.

***NOTE This review was written years ago and held in reserve until it entered my hunt list. Since it never did, I’m posting it now. It may actually have been the first Indian movie I’d seen.