Haathi Mere Saathi (1971 film)

2021-05-23T23:21:52Z

2607:FEA8:235F:F3F1:59FD:1BE5:87A0:D1B7: /* Plot */Removed "thankfully" and changed the last line, can't thank a villain for the elephant having to sacrifice its life

{{Other uses|Haathi Mere Saathi (disambiguation){{!}}Haathi Mere Saathi}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Haathi Mere Saathi
| image = Haathi Mere Saathi.jpg
| director = [[M. A. Thirumugam]]
| producer = [[Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar]]
| screenplay = [[Salim–Javed]]
| story = Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar
| based_on = [[Deiva Cheyal]] (1967)
| starring = [[Rajesh Khanna]] [[Tanuja]] [[K. N. Singh]] [[Madan Puri]] [[Mehmood Junior]]
| music = [[Laxmikant–Pyarelal]]
| cinematography = K. S. Prasad
| editing = [[M. A. Thirumugam]] M. G. Balu Rao
| studio = Devar Films
| distributor = Devar Films
| released = {{film date|df=y|1971|5|1}}
| country = India
| language = Hindi
| gross = {{Estimation}} {{INR}} 16.35 [[crore]] ({{Estimation}} {{INR}} 470.88 [[crore]] as of 2019)
}}

'''''Haathi Mere Saathi''''' ({{translation|''Elephants Are My Companions''}}) is a 1971 Indian [[Hindi]]-language [[drama film]], directed by [[M. A. Thirumugam]], with screenplay written by [[Salim–Javed]] and dialogues by [[Inder Raj Anand]]. The movie has a [[Disney]]esque appeal with an Indian twist. ''Haathi Mere Saathi'' was the [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|biggest hit]] of 1971 going by box office collections, and was also critically acclaimed. The film stars [[Rajesh Khanna]] and [[Tanuja]].<ref name="DwyerInstitute2005">{{cite book|author1=Rachel Dwyer|author2=British Film Institute|title=One hundred Bollywood films|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u-9kAAAAMAAJ|access-date=25 July 2012|edition=reprint, illustrated|year=2005|publisher=BFI|location=Michigan|isbn=978-1-84457-098-0|page=258}}</ref> The film at that point in time was the biggest hit ever made by a [[Cinema of South India|South Indian]] producer in [[Hindi]].<ref name=success>{{cite web|title=the closest Hindi film to Disney.|url=http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-elephantine-hit/789638/|publisher=Screen India|access-date=25 July 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130202010330/http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-elephantine-hit/789638/|archive-date=2 February 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The story was written by producer [[Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar]] who is of Tamil origin and owned Devar Films in Tamil Nadu. Thevar also played a small cameo in the film. Directed and edited by Thevar's brother M.A.Thirumugham, it had music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and lyrics by [[Anand Bakshi]]. The film was also the first collaboration of Salim-Javed ([[Salim Khan]] and [[Javed Akhtar]]), who were officially credited as screenplay writers.<ref name=milestone>{{cite news|last=Rajiv|first=Vijayakar|title=The story was written in relevant way|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-elephantine-hit/789638/2|access-date=25 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=13 May 2011}}</ref> The film was based on [[Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar]]'s 1967 Tamil movie ''[[Deiva Cheyal]]''. After the success of this movie, Thevar remade it in Tamil again in 1972 as ''[[Nalla Neram]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Sandow and superstars|url = http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/sandow-and-superstars/article3678424.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 24 July 2012|access-date = 6 December 2015|issn = 0971-751X|language = en-IN}}</ref> This film is counted among the 17 consecutive hit films of Rajesh Khanna between 1969 and 1971, by adding the two-hero films ''Marayada'' and ''Andaz'' to the 15 consecutive solo hits he gave from 1969 to 1971.<ref>m.imdb.com/name/nm0004435/trivia</ref><ref>http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/eight-lesser-known-facts-about-rajesh-khanna-on-his-death-anniversary/story-eMKmVMlFkKlbSLqAFAf7qI.html</ref>

== Plot ==
Orphaned Raju ([[Rajesh Khanna]]), in the company of four elephants, has to perform with them at street corners, in order to survive. The back-story is that as an orphan, they have saved his life from a leopard. In time, he makes it big, and starts Pyar Ki Duniya (The World of Love), a zoo in which various wild animals reside along with his elephants, among whom Ramu is closest to him. Slowly he amasses a fortune, and is able to build his own private zoo, housing tigers, lions, bears, and of course the four elephants. He treats all the animals as his friends. He meets with Tanu ([[Tanuja]]), and both fall in love. Tanu's rich dad, Ratanlal (Madan Puri), is opposed to this alliance, but subsequently relents, and permits the young couple to get married. However, trouble looms soon after as Tanu feels neglected. Things worsen when their child is born, and Tanu, fearing physical harm to her child from the elephants, tells Raju to choose between the elephants and his family. When Raju chooses his lifelong friends over wife and son, Ramu decides to bring the estranged couple together, but to save the family and the child from the villainous Sarwan Kumar (K.N. Singh), he sacrifices his life.

== Cast ==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Rajesh Khanna]] as Raj "Raju" Kumar
* [[Tanuja]] as Tanu
* [[David Abraham Cheulkar|David]] as Johnny Chacha
* [[Sujit Kumar]] as Gangu
* [[K. N. Singh]] as Sarvan Kumar
* [[Madan Puri]] as Ratanlal
* [[Mehmood Junior]] as Chhote / Jhamurey
* [[Abhi Bhattacharya]] as Mr. Kumar
* [[Kumari Naaz]] as Paro
* [[Jayakumari]]
* [[Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar|Chinnappa Thevar]] in a cameo appearance
{{div col end}}

== Soundtrack ==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! # !! Title !! Singer(s)
|-
| 1
| "Chal Chal Chal Mere Saathi"
| [[Kishore Kumar]]
|-
| 2
| "Dhak Dhak Kaise Chalti Hai Gaadi"
| [[Lata Mangeshkar]], Kishore Kumar
|-
| 3
| "Duniya me rehna hai to kaam kar pyare"
| Kishore Kumar
|-
| 4
| "Sunja Aa Thandi Hawa"
| [[Lata Mangeshkar]], Kishore Kumar
|-
| 5
| "Dilbar Jani Chali Hawa Mastani"
| [[Lata Mangeshkar]], Kishore Kumar
|-
| 6
| "Nafrat Ki Duniya Ko Chhod Ke"
| [[Mohammed Rafi]]
|}

== Development ==
[[Javed Akhtar]] on being questioned as to how the film came about, said "One day, he [[Rajesh Khanna]] went to [[Salim Khan|Salimsaab]] and said that Mr. Devar had given him a huge signing amount with which he could complete the payment for his bungalow Aashirwad. But the film was a remake [of ''[[Deiva Cheyal]]''] and the script of the original was far from being satisfactory. He told us that if we could set right the script, he would make sure we got both money and credit. "I can't do such a terrible script," he said. "And I can't leave it because I need the money!'".<ref name="Hit classic">{{cite news|last=Rajiv|first=Vijayakar|title=Thanks to Rajesh Khanna|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-elephantine-hit/789638/3|access-date=25 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=13 May 2011}}</ref>

== Box office ==
''Haathi Mere Saathi'' was the [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|highest-grossing Indian film]] of 1971. In India, its [[net income]] was {{INR|35 million|link=yes}} and its total [[List of highest-grossing films in India|domestic gross]] was {{INR|70 million}}<ref name="boi" /> ({{US$|9.34 million|link=yes}}), equivalent to {{US$|{{Inflation|US|9.34|1971}} million}} ({{INR|3.65 billion}}) with inflation.{{efn|name=Gross|''Haathi Mere Saathi'':
* India: {{INR|70 million}}<ref name="boi">{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=177&catName=MTk3MQ==|title=Box Office 1971|website=[[Box Office India]]|date=20 October 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020094955/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=177&catName=MTk3MQ==|archive-date=20 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> (US$9.34 million){{efn|7.4919 Indian rupees per US dollar in 1971<ref name="sauder">{{cite web|title=Pacific Exchange Rate Service|url=http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/etc/USDpages.pdf#page=3|website=[[UBC Sauder School of Business]]|publisher=[[University of British Columbia]]|page=3|access-date=21 November 2017}}</ref>}} in 1971 (equivalent to {{US$|{{Inflation|US|9.34|1971}} million}} or {{INR|3.65 billion}}<ref name="exchange17">{{cite web|title=Yearly Average Rates (65.11 INR per USD)|url=https://www.ofx.com/en-gb/forex-news/historical-exchange-rates/yearly-average-rates/|website=[[OFX (company)|OFX]]|date=31 December 2017|access-date=9 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713183556/https://www.ofx.com/en-gb/forex-news/historical-exchange-rates/yearly-average-rates/|archive-date=13 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> in 2017)
* Soviet Union: 8.7 million [[Soviet ruble|SUR]]{{efn|34.8 million Soviet tickets sold,<ref name="soviet" /> average Soviet ticket price of 25 [[Soviet ruble|kopecks]])<ref name="moscow7">[https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/podzim2015/FAV291/um/Roth-Ey-Moscow_Prime_Time.pdf#page=7 ''Moscow Prime Time: How the Soviet Union Built the Media Empire that Lost the Cultural Cold War'', page 48], [[Cornell University Press]], 2011</ref><ref name="routledge">[https://books.google.com/books?id=bJnAAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA357 ''The Routledge Handbook of the Cold War'', page 357], [[Routledge]], 2014</ref>}} (US$11.54 million,{{efn|0.7536 Soviet rubles per US dollar in 1974<ref name="russia">{{cite web|title=Archive|url=http://cbr.ru/currency_base/OldDataFiles/USD.xls|website=[[Central Bank of Russia]]|year=1992}}</ref>}} {{INR}}93.5 million){{efn|8.1016 Indian rupees per US dollar in 1974<ref name="sauder" />}} in 1974<ref name="soviet" /> (US${{Inflation|US|11.54|1974}} million or {{INR}}3.72 billion<ref name="exchange17" /> in 2017)
}}

The film was an [[List of highest-grossing Indian films in overseas markets|overseas blockbuster]] in [[List of Soviet films of the year by ticket sales|the Soviet Union]], where it sold 34.8{{nbsp}}million tickets in 1974.<ref name="soviet">{{cite web|url=http://kinanet.livejournal.com/1469857.html|title=Зарубежные популярные фильмы в советском кинопрокате (Индия)|author=Sergey Kudryavtsev|author-link=Sergey Kudryavtsev (film critic)|date=3 August 2008}}</ref> The film's overseas [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] gross was 8.7{{nbsp}}million{{nbsp}}[[Soviet ruble|руб]] ({{US$|11.54 million}}, or {{INR|93.5 million}}), equivalent to US${{Inflation|US|11.54|1974}} million ({{INR|3.72 billion}}) with inflation. The film's total worldwide gross (including India and the Soviet Union) was {{INR|{{#expr:7+9.35}} crore}} ({{US$|{{#expr:9.34+11.54}} million}}), equivalent to {{US$|{{#expr:56+57}} million}} ({{INR|{{#expr:365+372}} crore}}) in 2017.{{efn|name=Gross}}

== Awards ==
Earlier titled ''Pyar Ki Duniya'', the film also won a special award from the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for lyricist Anand Bakshi. Its music on HMV (as Saregama was known then) won a Silver Disc for its sales, making it the first-ever Indian gramophone record to do so.<ref name="Sarkar1975">{{cite book|author=Kobita Sarkar|title=Indian cinema to-day: an analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KgUwAAAAMAAJ|access-date=25 July 2012|year=1975|publisher=Sterling Publishers|location=Michigan|page=167|isbn=9780883865972}}</ref>

== Reception ==
Times of India noted that 40 years down the line, ''Haathi Mere Saathi'' remains unmatched in its enduring magic, and Hindi cinema has yet to make another children's feature to match its stature and success.

== Quotes on the film ==
In an interview, Tanuja said, "I showed them the film when Kajol was six and Tanishaa around three years old, and for two weeks Kajol did not speak to me!! "Mummy, you killed the elephant! Because of you, he had to die!" screamed Kajol! "And Tanishaa was annoyed too!" Tanuja loved working with the elephants after some initial apprehensions. "They really began to like me, especially the she-elephant who played Ramu. There is a sequence where he had to push me through a door and fight a snake that was about to bite the baby, but the elephant had got so fond of me that he refused to do so! Finally, they had to shoot separate close-ups of the elephant and my back and of me falling down!"<ref name="Hit movie">{{cite news|last=Rajiv|first=Vijayakar|title=The Elephantine hit|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-elephantine-hit/789638/5|access-date=25 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=13 May 2011}}</ref>

On its 40th anniversary on 5 May 2011, Pyarelal recalled, "Laxmi (Laxmikant) and Devar got along fabulously well! Devar had an innate music sense and a feel for rhythm, and he loved our title-track. But the tussle came up over the sad song, "Nafrat Ki Duniya", which was the only song sung by (Mohammed) Rafisaab in the film. I recall voicing my doubts. But Laxmi, the director and Rajesh Khanna were staunchly in favour of keeping that song. And the audience cried with the song and Anand Bakshisaab's lyrics."<ref name="Tanuja loved">{{cite news|last=Rajiv|first=Vijayakar|title=The elephants after some initial apprehensions.|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-elephantine-hit/789638/6|access-date=25 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=13 May 2011}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0272118|Haathi Mere Saathi}}

{{Salim-Javed}}
{{Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar}}

[[Category:1971 films]]
[[Category:1970s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Laxmikant–Pyarelal]]
[[Category:Hindi films remade in other languages]]
[[Category:Indian children's films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Salim-Javed]]
[[Category:Elephants in India]]
[[Category:Films directed by M. A. Thirumugam]]
[[Category:Films about elephants]]

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Haathi Mere Saathi (1971 film)