Rajshri Productions’ Jeevan Mrityu is well-known. It’s Rakhee’s Bollywood debut and the Rafi-Lata duet Jhilmil sitaron ka aangan remains a popular choice among radio stations. Based on Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, this 1978 hit had Dharmendra playing the in-disguise, retribution-seeking protagonist.
Known for their wholesome family movies, Jeevan Mrityu — a revenge drama — was an aberration of sorts for Rajshri Films. But even then violence was minimal in it. Perhaps the only other time the Barjatyas had produced a film with liberal use of violence is the now-cult 1977 spy flick Agent Vinod.
Coming back to Jeevan Mrityu, I end up watching it whenever it’s on air. In my recent viewing I noticed there’s a steady use of the colour pink in the film’s props. Along with Rakhee’s sarees in magenta and hot pink and Zeb Rehman’s mujra suit in blush, the film works with several rosy shades in everyday objects. So I made me a spot-the-pink game. Here are some worthy contenders.
1. The colour-coordinated lamps in Dharmendra’s humble home.
2. The extremely believable family-falling-into-bad-days-thus-raggedy-polka dots print curtains.
3. An unwell Jairaj’s bubblegum pink hot water bottle.
4. V Gopal catching a wink with his office file in pink.
5. Rakhee handing over Dharmendra this gigantic pink lunchbox.
And lest you confuse it for a sewing kit or garden pot, it screams…
Flashback Bollywood 