Anand (Hrishikesh Mukherjee, 1971)

by Sanchit Jain

Anand (d. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, 1971) follows the final months of the life of Anand (Rajesh Khanna). Arriving in Mumbai and in the lives of Drs. Bhaskar Banerjee (Amitabh Bachchan) and Prakash Kulkarni (Ramesh Deo), Anand is shown to be a lighthearted and cheerful man, willing to talk to and befriend anyone.

The movie begins with the framing narrative – Bhaskar wins a literary award (a familiar format that we also see in Deewar) for a book he has written. He emphasizes that the book simply comprises the recordings of the last few months of Anand’s life. The book is titled ‘Anand’. The audience is made to wonder what the Anand in the movie title signifies. Is the movie about the novel, through which we are introduced to Anand? Is it about Anand himself? Or is it about the more abstract notion of happiness? There is no singular answer. The character Anand occupies the protagonist’s role and is thus integral to the narrative. But the movie is also about the joy (Anand) he spreads. Finally, the narrative is interspersed with scenes of Bhaskar writing the diary that ultimately becomes his book. In doing so, Bhaskar transforms Anand’s life into a text from which we can all draw lessons. It also immortalizes his character and ebullient optimism.

We are simultaneously introduced to Anand and his fatal disease (lymphosarcoma of the intestine). The ending of the movie seems to be known to all, even if minor characters like Suman (Seema Deo) harbor the hope that Anand will survive, primarily through faith. In a sense, this narrative mirrors one of the most fundamental conventions in Hindi cinema. The audience knows the general ending or resolution of most movies, but they insist on watching them. Why? What matters is the journey – and this is exactly why one must watch Anand as well. There is much to learn from Anand’s journey to the end.

The movie is no more than 122 minutes (the editing is tight and neither half feels stretched). In this time, we are shown Anand befriending strangers on the road (using the hilarious Murarilal ploy), attempting to romance young women, singing heartfelt songs and cracking jokes, making himself and everyone around him laugh. Anand summarizes his philosophy in his dialogue, “Agar zinda rehna zaroori hai, toh aadmi haste zinda rahe.” While watching the movie, one recalls the saying that laughter is the best medicine. Repeatedly, Bhaskar recognizes this in Anand’s personality – he identifies his strength in his ability to laugh and make others laugh with him.

Crucially, this ability of Anand’s transcends class (he touches the life of Bhaskar’s servant), culture and religion. Coming from Delhi, he moves a Maharashtrian couple (Prakash and Suman), a Punjabi wrestling master (Dara Singh) and a Bengali doctor (Bhaskar), thus overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers. In accepting the character of the stern matron (a Christian) as his mother, that of Issa Bhai (a Muslim played by Johnny Walker) as his teacher and that of Suman (a Hindu) as his sister, Anand overcomes the barrier of religion that has so often divided India. Anand plays a unifying role that is critical, given the sociopolitical tumult of the 1960s (with two wars and Nehru's death).

In situating Anand in a world of medical professionals, the movie is clearly thinking about the means of bettering someone’s life. The doctors offer one method: the discipline of medicine. Interestingly, we first see Bhaskar disillusioned with medicine because it can’t cure large systemic problems like poverty or caste issues. But the true insurmountable challenge for Bhaskar is Anand’s case. Other patients are minor characters that have no true ailments, but who want medicine and will not leave until these desires are satisfied. Even if Anand wanted medicine, however, he would not be able to get it. As Issa Bhai says, there is one disease without cure – cancer. The irony is not lost on the audience. In fact, this heightens the audience’s and characters’ sympathy towards Anand. It also raises the question of the purpose of medicine. The movie seems to make the statement that there are limits to what medicine can do. If someone is terminally ill, medicine cannot help. And in that situation, one must search for other means (perhaps laughter) of improving one’s condition.

The characters in the movie have been carefully constructed. Rajesh Khanna plays Anand masterfully, never allowing for the audience to doubt the genuineness of Anand’s desire to spread joy. There are times when the character requires Khanna to be vulnerable and express sorrow. Anand’s life has seen much sorrow, including the trauma of Partition. The movie lauds his reaction to such sorrow, as is seen when Issa Bhai appreciatively observes, “Dukh apne liye rakh, anand sabke liye.” Anand’s vulnerability is best seen in the song, ‘Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli.’ In this song, Anand ruefully expresses the truly puzzling nature of life, which refuses to give him health, as he seems to deserve more than anyone else. As is fitting given the somber mood of the film, there are no fantastical song sequences.  Amitabh Bachchan embodies the timidity and reluctance of Bhaskar’s character well, despite a few awkwardly stiff scenes. The female characters of Suman and Renu (Sumita Sanyal) are under-utilized but effective.

The ending of the movie is especially poetic. Anand passes away, while we hear the recording of Bhaskar’s poem ‘Maut Tu Ek Kavita Hai.’ Bhaskar walks in on already dead Anand and begs him to speak, at which point Anand’s final recording plays. The recording of Anand’s voice emphasizes what the movie attempts to say: death can come at any time and so what matters is not the quantity but the quality of one’s life. And with that, the tape, like Anand’s life, and the movie and novel on his life, ends.

When Bhaskar hears Anand sing the melancholic 'Kaheen Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye,' he remarks that the song is "beautiful, but sad." And this sums up the movie perfectly. "Beautiful, but sad."