Preetam

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Verdict: Hilarious, slapstick comedy
If a commedian had dominated a film single-handely, Bhappie Sonie Productions "PREETAM" is an outstanding example. As in his home production "Padosan" (1968), funster Mehmood plays another Tamil-speaking character -- a hair-cutting barber. Unusually, two songs (both rendered hilariously by the classcist Manna Dey) being with Tamil words written by Rajendra Kishen have been picturised on Mehmood. The funster's first scene in his shop "chopping off most of the hair" of a patron who had come just to have his moustache and beared trimmed when his beloved Naaz grieves that her father had fixed her marriage to another person and then suddenly pointing to her barber-lover's mistake creates a gawky reaction from Mehmood. He quickly asks her to get some glue from the shelf which he pours on his patron's head; collects all the chopped off hair and massages them back on the poor victim's head. As usual, he makes a hilarious combination with long time colleague Dhumal. The scene where Dhumal overhears Mehmood's conversation with Naaz telling her that he'd visit her in the night is hillarious. Dhumal asks Naaz to shirt her room as he's unable to sleep and then changes into female garb witing for Mehmood. When his daughter's lover enters the bedroom and gets under the sheet, there' s tremendous tussle as Mehmood screams "Aiyo, aiyo." When the characters come to lightm they've changed their clothing. It might sound vulgar, but it's simply hilarious. Then there is jail break scene featuring Mehmood. When the funster is found to have an expensive necklace in his possession (given to him by a bandit patron), her's arrested. But the Inspector Anwar Hussein is certain that this "stupid" barber would not have
stolen the necklace. He arranges for Mehmood's jail escape. The commedian scales over the prison wall only to jump into a truck that is entering the prison. What a scene of hilarity.. There are more these rib-tickling scenes in a film whose main plot is about a child adopted by his mother's brother (Raj Mehra) on her death bed. The lad grows up as Shammi Kapoor and is immensely attached to his brother Vinod Khanna. Shammi falls in love with heroine Leena Chandavarkar in a rough and tough way as is his method, while Vinod falls for a shady Helen. The latter is actually "put up" by Bushan Tiwary (Shammi's father in the film). A dacoit who's been in jail wants to wreak vengence on his brother-in-law Mehra. There are sudden twists and turns amidst Mehmood-Dhumal commical interludes before the film ends by the 17th reel. Director Bhappie Sonie, whose forte is slapstick comedy as seen in his previous film "Tum Haseen Main Jawan" shows his prowess behind the camera. Obeseity propbably cost both the producer-director and hero Shammi Kapoor. Despite a sterling performance, Bhappie does not have a well-delienated script for his "Brahmachari" hero. Unfortunately, paired with a heroine one-fourth his physique, Shammi is unable to evoke the mirth in his song
sequences which he was capable of in his peak. Raj Mehra and Sulochana perform with their usual credibility. But it's Mehmood who steals the scenes in this film. Shankar-Jaikishan's musical score in racy and ear-catching while it happened to be the last time a Shammi fan probably saw Rafi playback for the rebel star though the maestro did sing just two more songs for Shammi in later years.
In all a comical film to make one forget his/her worries, Preetam also shows how a serious theme can be dovetailed into a comical farce -- linking the commedian with the main plot.

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