Caravan (1971 film)

1971 Indian film

Caravan

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Nasir Hussain
Written by| Nasir Hussain
Screenplay by| Sachin Bhowmick
Produced by| Tahir Hussain
Starring| Jeetendra
Asha Parekh
Cinematography| Munir Khan
Edited by| Babu Lavande
Gurudutt Shirali
Music by| R. D. Burman

Production
companies

Nasir Hussain Films
T.V. Films

Distributed by| Sky Entertainment (DVD since 2002)

Release date

* 29 October 1971 (1971-10-29)

Running time

| 161 min
Country| India
Language| Hindi
Box office| est. ₹353 million ($44 million)

Caravan (Hindustani pronunciation: [kɑːɾʋɑ̃ː]; Karwaan;[1] transl. Travellers) is a 1971 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film directed by Nasir Hussain and produced by his brother Tahir Hussain, under the Nasir Hussain Films and T.V. Films banners. The film stars Jeetendra and Asha Parekh. Three Hussain fixtures were involved in the music production: composer R.D. Burman, lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri, and singer Mohammad Rafi. The film's plot was loosely inspired by Girl on the Run (1953).[2]

Caravan was a superhit domestically in India. It found even greater success abroad in China when it released there in 1979, becoming the highest-grossing foreign film in China. The film is estimated to have sold over 300 million tickets in Asia, mostly in China. Adjusted for inflation, it is still one of the highest grossing Indian films of all time.

## Plot

[edit]

The film is about a young woman, Sunita and her father Mohandas, who finds out that his trusted employee, Rajan, has been embezzling money from him. He confronts him but Rajan attacks him, flinging him out of the window of the multi-storye building, but the police think the death was accidental. This leaves the coast clear for Rajan to wed Mohandas' only daughter, Sunita. Sunita is distraught and ends up married to this "wrong" man, Rajan. Shortly after the wedding, Sunita finds out the truth. She thinks that Rajan has conspired with his girlfriend Monica to murder her. So she runs away to find her father's old friend in Bangalore, who may be able to help. On the way, she experiences an accident and ends up with a band of performing gypsies. She meets caravan van-driver Mohan and is attracted to him. Sunita does not know that she has put herself in danger again - this time at the hands of knife-thrower, Nisha, who loves Mohan, and will kill anyone who gets in her way. To make matters worse, Rajan has not given up his search for Sunita.

## Cast

[edit]

* Jeetendra as Mohan
* Asha Parekh as Sunita / Soni
* Aruna Irani as Nisha
* Mehmood Jr. as Monto
* Helen as Monica
* Krishen Mehta as Rajan
* Ravindra Kapoor as Johny
* Madan Puri as Mithalal Tota
* Sanjana as Tara
* Manorama as Mrs. Tota
* Anwar Ali as Bhola
* Murad as Mohandas
* Dulari as Mohan's mom
* Shivraj as Karamchand

## Production

[edit]

The film was largely a Khan–Hussain family production, directed by Nasir Hussain (father of future filmmaker Mansoor Khan) and produced by his brother Tahir Hussain (father of future superstar Aamir Khan), under the Nasir Hussain Films banner.

The film's plot was loosely inspired by the 1953 film Girl on the Run, a little-known crime drama set against the backdrop of a carnival burlesque show, which was changed to a gypsy show in Caravan.[2]

## Soundtrack

[edit]

Caravan

Soundtrack album by

R. D. Burman

Released| 1971
Genre| Film soundtrack
Language| Hindi
Label| Odeon Records

The soundtrack of the film is one of the hit compositions by R. D. Burman. The lyrics of the songs are provided by the veteran poet Majrooh Sultanpuri.

Title | Singer(s) | Notes

|
|

"Ab Jo Mile Hain To"  | Asha Bhosle | Picturized on Aruna Irani, Jeetendra & Asha Parekh
"Chadti Jawani Meri Chaal Mastani"  | Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi | Picturized on Jeetendra & Aruna Irani
"Daiya Yeh Main Kahan"  | Asha Bhosle  | Picturized on Asha Parekh
"Dilbar Dil Se Pyare"  | Lata Mangeshkar  | Picturized on Aruna Irani
"Goria Kahan Tera Desh"  | Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhosle  | Picturized on Jeetendra and Aruna Irani
"Hum To Hain Rahi Dil Ke"  | Kishore Kumar | Picturized on Jeetendra
"Kitna Pyara Wada Hai"  | Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi  | Picturized on Jeetendra and Asha Parekh
"Piya Tu Ab To Aaja"  | Asha Bhosle, R.D. Burman  | Picturized on Helen
Asha Bhosle won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award

## Box office

[edit]

Caravan was declared a "Super Hit" domestically according to Box Office India.[3] The film grossed ₹36 million[4] ($4.81 million)[5] in India. It was the sixth highest-grossing film of 1971 at the domestic Indian box office.[4] Adjusted for inflation, the film's domestic box office gross is equivalent to ₹5.09 billion in 2017.[n 1]

Overseas, Caravan released in China in 1979 and became a blockbuster there, surpassing Raj Kapoor's Awaara (1951). Caravan became the highest-grossing foreign film ever in China up until then, with 88 million box office admissions in its initial run. It reportedly sold a total of nearly 300 million tickets including re-runs, the highest for any foreign film ever released in China. At an average ticket price of CN¥0.20,[7] the film grossed an estimated CN¥60 million, equivalent to $39 million[8] (₹317 million).[9] Adjusted for inflation, this is equivalent to $132 million (₹8.59 billion) in 2017.

In total, the film grossed an estimated ₹353 million ($44 million) in Asia. Adjusted for inflation, this is equivalent to ₹13.68 billion in 2017, or ₹19.19 billion (US$230 million) in 2023.

In terms of footfalls, the film sold an estimated 19 million tickets in India,[4][10] and nearly 300 million tickets in China, for an estimated total of nearly 319 million tickets sold in Asia.

## Legacy

[edit]

Along with Awaara and Noorie (1979), Caravan left a strong impression on Chinese audiences in the 1980s. It took decades before Tahir Hussain's son Aamir Khan later had a similar impact in China,[11][12] with films such as Lagaan (2001),[13] 3 Idiots (2009), PK (2014), and Dangal (2016).[11][12][14] During his visit to China, Aamir Khan said his father's film Caravan is still fondly remembered there.[14]

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

19th Filmfare Awards:

Won

* Best Female Playback Singer – Asha Bhosle for "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja"

Nominated

* Best Supporting Actress – Aruna Irani
* Best Music Director – R. D. Burman

## See also

[edit]

* List of highest-grossing Indian films in overseas markets

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Inflation rate from 1993 to 2017: 21.38 times
* Aankhen's domestic nett of ₹128.45 million in 1993 is equivalent to ₹2,745,845,840 in 2017.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Balial, Nandini. "Lata Mangeshkar: A 10-Song Primer | Tributes | Roger Ebert". rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
2. ^ a b Parekh, Asha; Mohamed, Khalid (2017). Asha Parekh: The Hit Girl. Om Books International. p. 120\. ISBN 978-93-86316-98-1. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
3. ^ "Worth Their Weight in Gold! (70′s) | Box Office India : India's premier film trade magazine". Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
4. ^ a b c "Box Office 1971". BoxOfficeIndia.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
5. ^ "Official exchange rate (INR per US$, period average)". World Bank. 1971. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
6. ^ "Top Adjusted Nett Grossers 1993". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
7. ^ Link, Perry (2000). The Uses of Literature: Life in the Socialist Chinese Literary System. Princeton University Press. p. 204\. ISBN 9780691001982. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
8. ^ "Official exchange rate (CNY per US$, period average)". World Bank. 1979. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
9. ^ "Official exchange rate (INR per US$, period average)". World Bank. 1979. Archived from the original on 24 October 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
10. ^ Mittal, Ashok (1995). Cinema Industry in India: Pricing and Taxation. Indus Publishing. pp. 71 & 77\. ISBN 9788173870231. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
11. ^ a b "Dangal underlines popularity of Indian films in China". China Daily. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 5 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
12. ^ a b "Aamir: I couldn't really enjoy the food in China". Rediff. 21 May 2015. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
13. ^ Anil K. Joseph (20 November 2002). "Lagaan revives memories of Raj Kapoor in China". Press Trust of India. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
14. ^ a b "Aamir Khan's Father's Film Caravan Still Remembered in China. Now, it Loves PK". NDTV. 11 June 2015. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Caravan at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Nasir Hussain

* Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957)
* Dil Deke Dekho (1959)
* Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)
* Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963)
* Baharon Ke Sapne (1967)
* Pyar Ka Mausam (1969)
* Caravan (1971)
* Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973)
* Aangan (1973)
* Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977)
* Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981)
* Manzil Manzil (1984)
* Zabardast (1985)

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