Kinara – A Film worth Watching

Kinara was a film created by a brilliant director, featuring talented actors and a melodious music composer — truly a film that must be seen.

All the songs in it were pleasant to hear and rich in meaning, but after Lata Didi’s (Lata Mangeshkar’s) passing, the song most often played was “Naam Gum Jayega,” an intense expression of emotion.

Released in 1977, Kinara was directed by Gulzar, starring Hema Malini, Dharmendra, and Jeetendra, with music composed by R. D. Burman.
The characters were — Hema Malini as Vasundhara, Dharmendra as Achyut, and Jeetendra as Indrajit.

Vasundhara is a classical dancer. She is in love with the poet Achyut, but after his accidental death, she becomes deeply traumatized and remains trapped in his memories, keeping an emotional distance from Indrajit. Indrajit, on the other hand, is sensitive and understanding — but the climax reveals that he himself was responsible for the accident.

The song “Naam Gum Jayega” appears at a moment when Vasundhara is lost in the memories of her past, and Indrajit is there, silently sharing and understanding her emotions. In this song, Jeetendra expresses deep feelings through subtle changes in facial expressions. Though the camera focuses on him only briefly, he successfully conveys the sympathy and understanding he feels.

The silent communication between Hema Malini and Jeetendra’s eyes is beautifully captured through Gulzar’s sensitive direction and camera work. Though Dharmendra doesn’t appear in this song, his role in the film was far removed from his usual action-hero image — it was a performance-driven role.

Hema Malini’s expressions form the soul of this song. Here, acting takes precedence over dance. Her expressions reflect the realization that fame, name, and beauty are transient.

The song was filmed at the Mandu Fort, making effective use of its open spaces, arches, distant hills, wide sky, and lonely pathways to mirror the mood of solitude and reflection in the song.

This song conveys a deep philosophical thought — that human existence is mortal, but memories are eternal. Enhanced by Lata Mangeshkar’s powerful and emotive voice, the song is not only melodious to the ears but also thought-provoking to the soul.

This song — and the film Kinara — must be experienced at least once.