Oonche Log

Oonche Log poster for sale.

Featured here is an actual surviving vintage Bollywood poster of the old 1965 Hindi film written and directed by Phani Majumdar that starred Ashok Kumar, Raaj Kumar and Feroz Khan in key roles.

Produced by Sathyam-Nanjundan and released under the Chitrakala (Madras) banner, Oonche Log (1965) also starred K.R. Vijaya (debut), Kanhaiyalal, Tarun Bose, Kumud Tripathi & Radheshyam in supporting roles.

Filmed partially in Ooty, Oonche Log (1965) was based on a stage play called Major Chandrakanth written by K. Balachander. The film told the story of Major Chandrakanth (Ashok Kumar) who has been blinded during the time he served in battle. He lives with his two sons – police inspector Shrikant (Raaj Kumar) and army cadet Rajnikant (Feroz Khan). Rajnikant falls in love with Bimla (K.R. Vijaya) during his cadet training in Madras and makes her pregnant. When Bimla confronts him, he fears revealing the truth to his father, who has already fixed his marriage with the daughter of his friend and neighbor Master Gunichand (Kanhaiyalal). Rajnikant asks Bimla to abort the child. She is unable to bear the trauma and commits suicide by consuming poison. Bimla’s brother Mohan (Tarun Bose) vows to avenge her death and kills Rajnikant in the train. After the murder, Mohan unknowingly takes refuge in major Chandrakanth’s house and confesses that he is a professor who is on the run for killing the man who destroyed his sister’s life. The major has compassion on Mohan and gives him a place to hide in the attic of his house and makes every effort to keep his police inspector son Shrikant from finding him. However, the truth is soon revealed as the major receives a telegram informing him about his younger son Rajnikant’s murder. He realizes that he has been harboring his son’s murderer but at the same time is ashamed that his son has destroyed the life of an innocent woman. Inspector Shrikant soon finds out the truth and arrests Mohan for the murder and his father major Chandrakanth for harboring a murderer.

Printed and circulated during a subsequent release run of the film (somewhere in the late 1960s), this Oonche Log poster was designed and printed for publicity of the film in north Indian theaters but never ended up being used.

This old Bollywood poster was originally designed in hand painted oil on canvas format by a Bollywood poster art studio in Delhi and features striking artwork.

A large illustrated close up of lead actor Ashok Kumar is seen depicted in fiery brush strokes in hues of yellow, orange and purple. Smaller hand drawn sketches of actors Raaj Kumar and Feroz Khan are seen in boxes on the left.

Typography used in this Ashok Kumar poster is entirely in Devanagari Hindi, with the title illustrated in white that stands out against a black background.

The soundtrack album of Oonche Log (1965) was composed by Chitragupta, while lyrics were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. It featured the super hit song “Jaag Dil-e-Deewana” sung by Mohammed Rafi.