Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo (1952) – Review

Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo (1952)

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Rating: Metascore: N/A

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Director: P.L. Santoshi
Actors: Sadhona Bose, Ranjan, Rehana

Santoshi Productions’ “Shinshinaki Booblaboo”, despite its immense dance ensembles, enchanting music and impressive settings, fails to leave the cinegoer enraptured because Santoshi, in an attempt to deliver a philosophic message, has departed from what is his forte and fails in his endeavour to happily marry tragedy and comedy.

Santoshi, Ramchandra and Rehana are long famous as the trio who gave us such outstanding musical comedies as “Shehnai” and “Sargam.” The audience has come to expect two hours of riotous fun, frolic and music each time they team. Santoshi has come to be recognized as a past-master in light comedy. No spiritual classics are expected of him. Santoshi has, however, now come to be stricken with a complex to present tragedy—and has failed.

“Nirala” was the first, “Shinshinaki Booblaboo” is his latest and sad misadventure. “Shinshinaki Booblaboo” (as catchy a title as any that can be carried for musical comedy) is a story of revenge which a girl (Shinshinaki) wreaks upon a tyrant who has killed her parents. That revenge is the sole purpose of her existence. For ten long years in jail, she swears revenge every morning. The grim story is very well presented on the screen till that moment with Baby Tabassum the picture of the revengeful girl, Shinshinaki. Cinegoers thus begin to hope for arresting developments in the style of “A Street Car Named Desire” or “A Place in the Sun”. Sadhona Bose, as the mother, lends grace and poignancy to the drama. Tiwari is every inch the tyrant. Prabhu is impressive and Baby Tabassum lives her role admirably. The camera, searching the shadows of the tyrant’s house, accentuates the grim struggle. The suspense rises till we reach the point where Baby Tabassum is dissolved into Rehana. Then all the grim determination of the revengeful girl is lost, for Rehana appears far too conscious of her charms. She fails dismally to fill the title.

As if this was not sufficient, Ranjan, ordinarily the embodiment of comedy, enters the arena as the lover. Santoshi becomes submerged in a quagmire of tomfoolery and the entire story, presented as a comedy but with a tragedy theme, fizzles out.

Even the “Anand Math”, which is supposed to be the home of nuns, becomes a rendezvous for lovers. In between these scenes are the humorous interludes with Radhakishan and Mumtaz Ali, who behave like Laurel and Hardy. The performance of these two Punsters is praiseworthy and whenever they appear they provoke boisterous laughter. But, while doing so, they kill the main sentiment of the film. Later their appearances irritate.

The drawbacks of this film are three : Rehana, Ranjan and Santoshi. They form the ideal trio for a rip-roaring comedy. But theirs is a hopeless attempt to depict tragedy. The grim scenes are well-conceived and skillfully written, but Rehana, through her bubbling frivolity, and Ranjan, through his monkey-tricks, water down the drama.

The technical and production values of the film are of a high order and the art director has tried to present a realistic vista of Bali. The photography, in movement and composition, speaks of the quality our technicians have achieved despite limited resources. The music is extraordinary and the orchestra, particularly in the sad song, is enchanting. So are the lavish dance ensembles which the director has presented with pleasing and unusual camera angles. What is faulty, of course, is the screenplay and Ramanand Sagar and Deben Mukerjee should bear the blame for this.

Year – 1952

Language – Hindi

Country – India

Producer – Santoshi Production

Director – P. L. Santoshi

Music Director – C. Ramchandra

Box-Office Status –

Cast – Sadhana Bose, Radha Krishnan, Rehana, Ranjan

Miscellaneous Information – Not Available.

Songs List