| Anand Ashram | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Shakti Samanta |
| Written by | Shakti Samanta Kamleshwar(dialogue-Hindi) Prabhat Roy(dialogue-Bengali) |
| Screenplay by | Shakti Samanta |
| Story by | Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay |
| Produced by | Shakti Samanta |
| Starring | Ashok Kumar Uttam Kumar Sharmila Tagore |
| Cinematography | Aloke Dasgupta |
| Edited by | Bijoy Chowdhary |
| Music by | Shyamal Mitra |
Production company | Shakti Films |
| Distributed by | Shakti Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 141 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Hindi Bengali |
Ananda Ashram(Hindi:Anand Ashram, English:The Ashram of joy) is a 1977 Indian bilingualromantic drama film made inBengali andHindi language simultaneously, co-written and directed byShakti Samanta. Based on a story by film director and novelist,Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay,[1] it starsAshok Kumar,Uttam Kumar,Sharmila Tagore,Moushumi Chatterjee andRakesh Roshan (making his debut in Bengali cinema) in lead roles.[2][3] The same story was earlier filmed as 'Doctor' in 1940 starred byPankaj Mullick,Ahindra Choudhury and Bharati Devi.[4]
Dr. Amaresh lives with his wealthy father, a Thakur, in a small town in India. While the Thakur would like to get Amaresh to marry a woman from an equally wealthy family, he has fallen in love with a poor woman named Asha, and would like to marry her. The Thakur is displeased, and asks Amaresh to leave his house, never to return. A few months later, Thakur's employee, Girdhari, informs him that he has found an abandoned child by the river bank, and would like to adopt him. Initially, the Thakur does not want anything to do with the child, but when he sees it for the first time, he decides to let Girdhari have his way. Years later, young Samaresh has grown up under Girdhari and Thakur's care, and travels abroad to study in order to be a doctor. When he returns, he decides to work with a chemical company. His travels take him to meet a beautiful woman named Sumita, her father, and an elderly man named Doctor. Samaresh is perturbed by this doctor, who seems to know him very well, and wants him to leave his job at the chemical company, and start practicing medicine in the small town where they live. What Samaresh does not know that this doctor is none other than his biological father, Amaresh. What both don't know is what steps the Thakur will take when he finds out that Samaresh is none other than his grandson.
After the success ofAmanush in 1975,Shakti Samanta used almost the same cast for Ananda Ashram.Ashok Kumar was a notable addition to the cast, and this film marked the only collaboration between Uttam Kumar and Ashok Kumar.
This film also shot inSandeshkhaliSundarban like Amanush and theNataraj StudioBombay. There was a scene inAnand Ashram where Uttam Kumar would come down from a high hill, speak a dialogue with the heroine. So then Uttam Kumar already had two heart attacks. Uttam Kumar rose to a high place at that age with great difficulty. Then the director Shakti Samant understood the mistake and apologized. He says to changing the set. But Uttam Kumar said nothing. The with that body, he ran down the two-storey hill again and did it ok in one shot.[5] DirectorPrabhat Roy (also the assistant director in the film) remembered the dedication of Uttam Kumar which is bring him to the top and different to the other artists.
During the film productionMohunbagan Footballers in Mumbai at that time to play theRovers Cup Final of 1977. On the evening, footballers turned upon the set to watching the shooting. Uttam Kumar always being a Mohunbagan fan. Uttam Kumar said to the footballersYou should have to win the final and return to Kolkata with the trophy. Mohunbagan really become champions and kept good words of Uttam.[6]
| Ananda Ashram | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film score by | ||||
| Released | 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||
| Studio | Shakti Films | |||
| Genre | Feature Film Soundtrack,Bengali Ghazals | |||
| Length | 23:01 (hindi) | |||
| Label | Sa Re Ga Ma | |||
| Producer | Shakti Samanta | |||
| Shyamal Mitra chronology | ||||
| ||||
The film had music byShyamal Mitra, with lyrics byIndeevar
| Song | Singer (s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| "Sara Pyar Tumhara" | Kishore Kumar,Asha Bhosle | 3:58 |
| "Tere Liye Maine Sabko Chhoda" | Kishore Kumar | 4:01 |
| "Raahi Naye Naye Rasta Naya Naya" | Kishore Kumar | 3:40 |
| "Tum Itni Sundar Ho" | Yesudas,Preeti Sagar | 3:55 |
| "Safal Wohi Jeevan Hai" | Shyamal Mitra | 3:38 |
| "Jab Chaho Chali Aaoongi" | Lata Mangeshkar | 3:49 |
In the article of 2015The Hindu wroteIt is Uttam Kumar’s commanding performance that leaves an impression on the viewer, especially the latter stage of his character when he carries himself with distinction. At no point does he indulge in histrionics. The director in fact does not allow anyone to drift from the balanced narration.[7]
The songs of the film become blast hits and again the reunite of Uttam and Kishore Kumar and there combination is huge popular in 1970s after the significant success of Amanush. The songs become evergreen and got the cult status.[8]
The Bengali version was released on the occasions of Durga Puja in Bengal. Unfortunately the Hindi version faired averagely at the box office but Bengali version become a blockbuster as expected and Kumar puja track record. The film saw the run 26 weeks constantly in theatres and become highest grossing Bengali film in 1977. This film become one of Kumar's most successful films ever.[9]