Lakhon Mein Aik
Lakhon Mein Aik (pronounced [laːkʰoːn meːn eːk]; transl. One in a million) is a 1967 Pakistani romantic musical film directed by Raza Mir and written by Zia Sarhadi. Set 20 years after the partition of India, the film stars Shamim Ara and Ijaz as star-crossed lovers. It was released on 28 April 1967 and became a commercial success, winning six Nigar Awards including Best Actress for Shamim Ara.
| Lakhon Mein Aik | |
|---|---|
Poster | |
| Urdu | لاکھوں میں ایک |
| Directed by | Raza Mir |
| Written by | Zia Sarhadi |
| Produced by | Afzal Hussain Raza Mir |
| Starring | Shamim Ara Ijaz |
| Cinematography | Kamran Mirza |
| Edited by | Rehmat Ali |
| Music by | Nisar Bazmi |
Production company | United Workers |
Release date |
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| Country | Pakistan |
| Language | Urdu |
Plot
This article needs an improved plot summary. (March 2022) |
In 1947, following the partition of India, communal riots emerge in Kashmir. A Hindu family tries to flee to India but is accidentally separated from their young daughter, Shakuntala. Shakuntala and a Muslim boy Mahmood fall in love but then they are separated and feel agony while they are separated.
Cast
Production
In Bollywood, Zia Sarhadi was known for his films Hum Log (1951) and Foothoath (1953). After his migration to Pakistan, he wrote the story of Lakhon Mein Aik, based on a cross-border romance.[1] Raza Mir directed the film who co-produced it also with Afzal Hussain. Cinematography was handled by Kamran Mirza, and editing by Rehmat Ali.[4] Mustafa Qureshi made his debut with this film. He was approached by Mir to play the villainous role in the film, when Mir spotted him during the filming of Aag Ka Darya (1966).[5]
Themes
Lakhon Mein Aik is set 20 years after the partition of India which happened in 1947, though historian Karan Bali notes that the events of 1947 "play a key role in kick-starting the doomed Indo-Pak love story". He also considers that though Pakistani people view the film as unbiased and balanced, from an Indian perspective it "does not really appear quite as so" since the majority of Muslim characters are portrayed as sympathetic, and "every Hindu, barring the heroine and her father, is seen as negative or evil".[6]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Nisar Bazmi.[4]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bari Mushkil Say Hua Tera Mera Sath Piya" | Tanvir Naqvi | Noor Jehan | |
| 2. | "Challo Achha Hua Tum Bhool Gaye, Ik Bhool Hi Tha Mera Pyar" | Fayyaz Hashmi | Noor Jehan | |
| 3. | "Dil Diya Dard Liya, Ankh Mein Aansoo Aye" | Masroor Anwar | Mehdi Hassan | |
| 4. | "Halaat Badal Nahin Saktay, In Rahon Mein Bhi Jeevan Bhar" | Masroor Anwar | Noor Jehan | |
| 5. | "Ho, Sun Saajna, Dukhi Mann Ki Pukar, Hua Vairi Sansar" | Masroor Anwar | Noor Jehan | |
| 6. | "Mann Mandar Kay Devta, Rakhio Laaj Hamari" | Fayyaz Hashmi | Noor Jehan, Chorus | |
| 7. | "Pyar Na Ho Jab Dil Mein To Jeena Hay Adhoora" | Tanvir Naqvi | Naseem Begum, Ahmed Rushdi | |
| 8. | "Sathi Kahan Ho, Awaz To Do, Pal Pal Mera Pyar Pukaray" | Tanvir Naqvi | Noor Jehan, Mujeeb Alam |
Release and reception
Lakhon Mein Aik was released on 28 April 1967 and became a commercial success.[4][2] Filmman of The Statesman said it "does make a departure from the general run of Urdu films but somehow clings to the hackneyed twists and turns.[7]
Awards
The film won in six categories at the Pakistani Nigar Awards:
- Best Actress for Shamim Ara[8]
- Best Supporting Actor for Saqi[8]
- Best Sound
- Best Camera work
- Best Female Singer for Noor Jehan[8]
- Best Lyricist for Fayyaz Hashmi.[3][8]
Legacy and impact
The cross-border romance theme of Lakhon Mein Aik later inspired the Indian filmmaker Raj Kapoor with the idea of the film Henna (1991).[3] The film was adapted by Sangeeta as a television series which aired on TV One.[9]
Lakhon Mein Aik was the debut film of Mustafa Qureshi, it launched his career in Urdu films after which he went on to become a famous star of the Punjabi films.[5][10]
BBC Urdu included it among the "Top ten best films of the Pakistani cinema".[11]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Rabe, Nate (27 August 2017). "Sound of Lollywood: In 'Lakhon Mein Aik', a reminder of the unhealed wounds of 1947". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ^ a b Rao, Hamza (1 December 2017). "Seven unforgettable, daring Pakistani films". Daily Times. from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Bali, Karan (7 June 2015). "Lakhon Mein Aik (film review)". Upperstall.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ^ a b c "Lakhon Mein Ek". Pakistan Film Magazine website. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Interview: The actor par excellence". Dawn. 20 January 2013.
- ^ Bali, Karan (13 August 2017). "Pakistani Cinema Had Its Own Way of Looking at Partition Too". The Wire. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ^ Filmman (13 May 1967). "Lakhon Mein Aik: An Off-beat Story". The Statesman. p. 10. from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d . The Hot Spot Film Reviews website. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ "The Herald, Volume 40, Issues 6-7". The Herald. Pakistan Herald Publications. 2009.
- ^ "Rahi vs Qureshi - The Changes That Came". Mag - The Weekly. 7 December 2018.
- ^ "کیا آپ نے پاکستان کی یہ دس 'بہترین' فلمیں دیکھی ہیں؟". BBC Urdu. 5 September 2020.
External links
- Lakhon Mein Aik at IMDb