Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo (1952)

Synopsis

The film’s plot revolves around Shin Shinaki (Rehana) who dreams of killing the man, Taishi, who had killed her parents. When the villain dies, she transfers her vengeful energies on to the man’s son. The story involves a fortune­teller, Chiang, who only surfaces publicly one day per year. The other key figure is her lover, the bandit Boobla Boo (Ranjan), who eventually falls in with her plans…

Other Info

Rehana in Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo (1952). Photo courtesy of Memsaab.

This orientalist fantasy with one of the most peculiar film titles was based on the modern dance ballets Sadhona Bose had been associated with on stage. Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo was one of the first films experimenting with jazz and Latin American rhythms by P.L. Santoshi’s regular composer, C. Ramchandra.  Classic songs include Yeh khilti kali koi lai… Han dai taka lai (Lata and C. Ramchandra) in a kind of question-answer mode using a fast-paced chorus, Shin’s number Aae baba yeh hansi baba yeh khushi baba (Lata) and her duet with Boobla, Kuch chahelen ho, kuch charchein ho (Lata and Kishore Kumar).

This film was the unlikely first victim of the central government’s authority to overrule the censor board, an action enabled by the Indian Cinematograph Act passed that year. Given a Universal certificate by the censors, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banned the film because of its ‘low moral tone’ and because it `throws the glamour of romance and heroism over criminal characters, treats sacred subjects irreverently and is, in consequence, opposed to the interests of public decency and morality’. The ban was later revoked but ruined the film’s commercial chances.

Trivia

Lyricist/Director P. L. Santoshi who directed this film was so infatuated with Rehana, that one cold night he spent the entire night outside her door. Rehana did not reciprocate his feelings. The disheartened and dishevelled Santoshi went home and penned one of his most memorable songs based on this experience – “Tum kya jaano, tumhari yaad mein hum kitna roye, hum kitna roye” (Do you know how many tears I shed remembering you… ), one of the finest thumris sung by Lata.

Cast and Production Credits

Year – 1952?, Genre – Fantasy, Country – India, Language – Hindi, Producer – P.L. Santoshi,  Director – P.L. Santoshi , Music Director – C. Ramchandra, Cast - Sadhona Bose, Rehana, Ranjan, Veera, Baby Tabassum, Radhakrishen, Mumtaz Ali, Tiwari, Samson, Indu Paul, Shama Gulnar

Fantasy