Khamoshi is a 1970 black-and-white Hindidrama film directed by Asit Sen, starring Waheeda Rehman and Rajesh Khanna. It is especially remembered for its songs with excellent music by Hemant Kumar and some excellent lyrics by Gulzar in songs such as "Tum Pukar Lo... Tumhara Intezaar Hai" sung by Hemant Kumar, "Woh Shaam Kuch Ajeeb Thi" by Kishore Kumar and "Humne Dekhi Hai In Aankhon Ki Mehekti Khushboo" sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Though what really made this film stand out was the B&W cinematography by Kamal Bose, who won the Filmfare Award for his work in the film and critical acclaim received for Rajesh Khanna's performance. The film is considered Waheeda Rehman's finest acting feat, as she carries the entire film through her powerful yet understated acting; she received a Filmfare nomination for it. Box-office wise as it was Average success. The film was shot in Calcutta. The film is based on the Bengalishort story titled Nurse Mitra by noted Bengali writer, Ashutosh Mukherjee and is a remake of director Asit Sen's own Bengali film, Deep Jwele Jaai, starring Suchitra Sen. The Bengali original proved to be a hit at the box office, especially at the urban centres. Impressed by the story line, producer Vuppunuthula Purushotham Reddy and director G. Ramineedu remade the Bengali film into Chivaraku Migiledi, which was a blockbuster.
Background
Director Asit Sen acted in the original Bengali film Deep Jwele Jaai in a role which was essayed by Dharmendra in Khamoshi, where the movie-goers could not recognise Asit Sen, because it was a dark scene marked with the baritone voice of Hemant Kumar. Later, he revealed himself in an interview in the 1990s. After his success in the off-beat films Mamta and Anokhi Raat, Sen, wanting to make it big in Bombay as well, decided to remake his Bengali hit. Actress Waheeda Rehman suggested the name of actor Rajesh Khanna, having been impressed by his work in Aakhri Khat. She said that her own performance came "nowhere near that of Suchitra Sen." She credited the director for helping her a lot during difficult scenes. Waheeda Rehman said in an interview that she could not meet the standards set by Savitri in Chivaraku Migiledi for the character.
Plot
Colonel Sahab, a world war II veteran doctor, is head of psychiatry ward. Nurse Radha in the same ward is heart-broken after a civilian patient, Dev Kumar, whom she cured by pouring out her love and affection, left the hospital. She had been unable to keep her heart separate from her professional work and had fallen in love with that patient. Now Arun Choudury, a writer and poet enters as a patient, suffering from acute mania after being rejected by his lover, Sulekha, a singer. After refusing to take care of him initially, Radha later relents. While caring for Arun, she reminisces about her past and tells a story of how she took care of injured brave army soldiers when she was posted in Ladakh during the Sino-Indian war of 1962. Gradually, Arun is cured but Nurse Radha, yet again is emotionally involved with her patient. Unable to deal with her complex feelings, Radha becomes emotionally deranged. Ironically she is admitted to the same room of the ward. Colonel Sahab regrets that while he always saw a devoted nurse in her and omitted to see the woman inside her. Arun promises to wait for her recovery.
