Kala Pani (life imprisonment) is a 1958 Indian Hindi-language thriller film, produced by Dev Anand for Navketan Films and directed by Raj Khosla. The film’s music is by S. D. Burman, and the lyrics are by Majrooh Sultanpuri. Film based on A. J. Cronin’s ‘Beyond This Place’, this movie narrates the story of an untiring crusade for justice.

Kala Pani was the story of a young man who, upon learning about his father’s wrongful implication in a fifteen-year-old murder, vows to bring the true criminals to justice and release his innocent father from life imprisonment, with the help of a fearless journalist  and a prostitute, who is the eye-witness of the murder and have evidence against the criminals. Dev Anand star as the young man named Karan Mehra, while Madhubala and Nalini Jaywant play a fearless journalist Asha and a prostitute  Kishori  respectively. 

The movies starts when Dev Anand is highly disturbed to know the truth that his father is not dead but is under Kala Pani in Hyderabad Jail, accused of a murder of a ‘kothewali’. Dev Anand goes to meet him. Dev comes to know in the second visit that he claims to be innocent & is a victim of a circumstantial evidence. Dev then swears to get his father out of the jail & starts his own investigations. He meets with then inspector & also the press to check then papers. Karan sets out to gather proof of his father’s innocence so that he can reopen the case filed against him, and set him free.

A journalist Asha helps him to get his father justice. Asha tries to help him by printing about the prosecutor in the newspaper she works for. She is stopped by her editor, who says that she does not have proof to print anything against him. Karan sets out to gather proof of his father’s innocence so that he can get the case reopened, filed against him, and get him freed.

His meetings with Kishori are remarkable, not to mention their intense chemistry. Karan is a dashing young man wearing his heart on his sleeves. Kishori is a spell-bindingly beautiful woman, who has been soliciting clients till now on. Every song and thumka of hers has earned accolades. She is even more effective, in the song ‘Nazar laagi raja tore bangle par‘, (“I lost my heart in your abode, sir”). She realises soon that this man is not like her regular customers. There is some real charm in Anand’s debonair impersonation, especially in the song Hum bekhudi mein tumko pukare (“Distracted with love, I call to you,” sung by Mohammed Rafi), she reads his intensity of feelings and love. Her reward is Karan’s gratitude. She walks away from his life after tears of redemption wash her sins away. A beautiful role for the breathtakingly beautiful Nalini Jaywant.

The evil Rai Bahadur Jaswant Rai, the public prosecutor who twisted the law so that the innocent is victimised. Surely, Kishore Sahu does look every bit as menacing as his character is supposed to be. He is wicked, cunning and forever scheming.

Madhubala is earthshatteringly attractive. A hardworking and resourceful press reporter, Asha is the perfect unction to Karan. He tunned by her beauty and almost fumbles for words. There are those lovely intimate scenes where the two grow close to each other. After the misunderstanding is taken care of the  ‘Achaji main hari‘, a song that will forever be a golden classic. Not just for Madhubala’s captivating allure, and Dev Anand’s poker-faced humour, but also for the fact that reinstates that a tiny fight only strengthens love. The climactic Dilwaley ab teri gali tak, picturised on the glamorous Madhubala and a charming Dev Anand. Sapru lending those lecherous glances towards the damsel. Raj Khosla to come up with these fabulous tricks.

Dev Anand totally shorn himself of that stylish persona to play Karan. In fact, as the son hell bent on getting justice for his father, Dev Anand comes across as rugged, determined and strong. His performance is extremely balanced and restrained. He does not feel shy at shedding tears and romances Asha with a subdued magnificence.

The art direction is tacky, the cinematography (V. Ratra) merely functional.

The film became a huge critical and commercial success, with the leading actors earning high praises for their respective portrayals. Bhaichand Patel wrote, “Brilliant performances and songs are highlights of this film.” He commented on the performances of lead actors: “The facile charm toned down, the mannerisms off-loaded, Anand brings intensity and conviction to his role. Madhubala is effervescent, especially in the song sequence “Accha Ji Main Haari”.

At the 6th Filmfare Awards, Dev Anand and Nalini Jaywant  won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

Photos courtesy Google. Excerpts taken from Google.