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
Urduلاکھوں میں ایک
Directed byRaza Mir
Written byZia Sarhadi
Produced byAfzal Hussain
Raza Mir
StarringShamim Ara
Ijaz
CinematographyKamran Mirza
Edited byRehmat Ali
Music byNisar Bazmi
Production
company
United Workers
Release date
  • 28 April 1967 (1967-04-28)
CountryPakistan
LanguageUrdu

Plot

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.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Bari Mushkil Say Hua Tera Mera Sath Piya"Tanvir NaqviNoor Jehan 
2."Challo Achha Hua Tum Bhool Gaye, Ik Bhool Hi Tha Mera Pyar"Fayyaz HashmiNoor Jehan 
3."Dil Diya Dard Liya, Ankh Mein Aansoo Aye"Masroor AnwarMehdi Hassan 
4."Halaat Badal Nahin Saktay, In Rahon Mein Bhi Jeevan Bhar"Masroor AnwarNoor Jehan 
5."Ho, Sun Saajna, Dukhi Mann Ki Pukar, Hua Vairi Sansar"Masroor AnwarNoor Jehan 
6."Mann Mandar Kay Devta, Rakhio Laaj Hamari"Fayyaz HashmiNoor Jehan, Chorus 
7."Pyar Na Ho Jab Dil Mein To Jeena Hay Adhoora"Tanvir NaqviNaseem Begum, Ahmed Rushdi 
8."Sathi Kahan Ho, Awaz To Do, Pal Pal Mera Pyar Pukaray"Tanvir NaqviNoor 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]

Accolades

The film won in six categories at the Pakistani Nigar Awards:

Legacy and impact

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][9] Along with Saheli and Saiqa, Lakhon Mein Aik is considered as the best performance of Shamim Ara.[10]

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] and may be a source of inspiration for Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) and Veer-Zaara (2004).[11] The film was adapted by Sangeeta as a television series which aired on TV One.[12]

In an article of Express Tribune, Actor Jawed Sheikh recommended the film for its powerful performances and hit musical score.[13]

BBC Urdu included it among the "Top ten best films of the Pakistani cinema", selected by critic Aijaz Gul.[14] It was also included in another list by Gul which was published in "Asian Film Journeys: Selection from Cinemaya".[15]

References
  1. 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.
  2. Rao, Hamza (1 December 2017). "Seven unforgettable, daring Pakistani films". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. Bali, Karan (7 June 2015). "Lakhon Mein Aik (film review)". Upperstall.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  4. "Lakhon Mein Ek". pakmag.net. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  5. "Interview: The actor par excellence". Dawn. 20 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  6. 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.
  7. Filmman (13 May 1967). "Lakhon Mein Aik: An Off-beat Story". The Statesman. p. 10. Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  8. "Pakistan's "Oscars": The Nigar Awards". The Hot Spot Film Reviews. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  9. "Rahi vs Qureshi – The Changes That Came". magtheweekly.com. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023.
  10. Illustrated Weekly of Pakistan. Vol. 22. Pakistan Herald Publications. 1969.
  11. Ashok Raj (1 November 2009). Hero Vol.2. Vol. 2. Hay House India. ISBN 9789381398036.
  12. The Herald, Volume 40, Issues 6-7. 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023. {{cite book}}: |magazine= ignored (help)
  13. "10 movies Javed Sheikh wants you to watch". Express Tribune. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  14. "کیا آپ نے پاکستان کی یہ دس 'بہترین' فلمیں دیکھی ہیں؟". BBC Urdu (in Urdu). 5 September 2020. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  15. Rashmi Doraiswamy; Latika Padgaonkar, eds. (2010). Asian Film Journeys: Selections from Cinemaya. Wisdom Tree. ISBN 978-81-8328-178-2. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
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