Jahan Ara (film)


Jahan Ara is the 1964 Indian Hindi debut film of director Vinod Kumar. The film stars Mala Sinha, Bharat Bhushan, Shashikala and Prithviraj Kapoor in lead roles. The film is a historical romance based on the life of Jahanara Begum Sahib, played by Sinha. It was the first time this character was portrayed on-screen.
The movie did not do well at the box office.

Plot

Mirza Yusuf Changezi and Jahan Ara have been good friends since childhood. Things are not quite the same as they grow up, as Jahan Ara's father is none other than Emperor Shah Jahan, and men are not permitted to meet with the princess under any circumstances. However, Jahan and Mirza do meet secretly and promise to marry each other. Misfortune visits the emperor, when his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, passes away. The emperor gets deeply devastated, and, still mourning his wife's death, he pledges to build a memorial in her name. At her deathbed, Mumtaz makes Jahan promise that she will take care of her father, which she promises to do. This responsibility makes her sacrifice her love for Mirza, who is heartbroken and continues to believe that Jahan will sooner or later reunite with him.

Cast

The soundtrack of the film contains songs composed by Madan Mohan, while the lyrics are by Rajinder Krishan. The songs of the film became popular and still remain so. The album made an attempt of reviving singing career of Talat Mahmood over rising career of Mohammad Rafi.
Besides these songs, there are two more songs which were not released in the film. The song "Tum Juda Hokar Hame Kuch Aur Paare Ho Gaye" by Talat Mahmood was released on the CD Tere Bagair by his son Sanjeev Kohli. Another song "Kabhee Aankhon Mein Teri" sung by the four sisters Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar was neither filmed nor released on disc. Arguably, it might be the only song sung by all the Mangeshkar sisters.