The moment Bollywood's celebrated actress Rekha is mentioned, the name of the legendary Amitabh Bachchan instinctively follows. On the silver screen, the Amitabh Bachchan-Rekha pairing was hugely popular, and the two worked together in several superhit films. The journey that began with ‘Do Anjaane’ (1976) continued through ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’ all the way to ‘Silsila’. During the same period, Rekha also delivered many memorable films alongside Jeetendra and Dharmendra. Her pairing with Jeetendra too was greatly appreciated by audiences. In the 1970s and 80s, Rekha worked with Dharmendra as well, and two of those films were especially memorable. One such film arrived on screen in 1979 under the title ‘Kartavya’.
Release and Production
‘Kartavya’ reached theatres on 11 May 1979. It was an action drama directed by Mohan Sehgal. The film's music was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and proved to be a tremendous hit. The lyrics were penned by Verma Malik and Kaifi Azar.
The Cast
Alongside Rekha and Dharmendra, ‘Kartavya’ featured Vinod Mehra, Nirupa Roy, Aruna Irani, Ranjeet, Utpal Dutt and Suresh Oberoi in important roles. The film was a remake of a 1973 Kannada film.
The Songs That Became Famous
The film had a total of five songs. The track ‘Chanda Mama Se Pyara Mere Mama’ was made in two different versions. The film's most popular song was ‘Chhaila Babu To Kaisa Dildar Nikla, Chor Samjhi Thi Main Thanedar Nikla’, sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
Another of Lata Mangeshkar's most memorable numbers was ‘Doori Na Rahe Koi, Aaj Itne Kareeb Aao, Main Tum Mein Sama Jaaun, Tum Mujhmein Sama Jao’. This song was filmed on Rekha and Dharmendra in a deeply sensual style.
Jeetendra Was First Offered the Role
Initially, Jeetendra had been chosen for this film, but the character carried a negative shade. Since Jeetendra did not want to lose his hero image, he walked away from the film. Vinod Mehra was then signed in his place. The film was packed with action, and several jungle sequences were thrilling to watch. It remains one of the few films in which Vinod Mehra played a negative role.
Who Performed How
Dharmendra dominated the entire film. The performances of Rekha, Aruna Irani and Ranjeet were excellent. Vinod Mehra too carried out his role well. However, Utpal Dutt felt like a misfit in the villain's role. The film was made on a budget of 2 crore, while its collection stood at 2.75. At the box office, the film turned out to be an average performer.
