Ratnadeep 1979 | Dramatic Movie | Hema Malini,Dheeraj Kumar, Girish Karnad

Director:Basu Chatterjee
Producer:Jagannath, R. Kannan
Music:R. D. Burman
Main Cast:Hema Malini, Dheeraj Kumar, A. K. Hangal, Girish Karnad
Genre:Drama
Release:Dec 21, 1979

Synopsis: Girish Karnad (Madan) works as an Assistant Station Master in a remote railway station by name Tarapore. He is tired of living in that village and finds life very monotonous. The Station Master’s daughter is in love with him and wishes to marry him. But Madan is reluctant, because if he marries her he has to continue with his mundane existence in Tarapore. Madan applies for leave.One day a train arrives with a dead sadhu’s body. Madan refuses to get the dead body down at his station. But the train passengers refuse to travel further with a dead body. Madan is forced to get the dead body down with his belongings. His workers mention that the dead man resembles him. He looks at the body and realises that his workers were right, the dead body albeit with a beard, does resemble him. But Madan is in no mood to dwell in this matter as he is eager to leave Tarapore. Soon his reliever arrives and takes charge of Tarapore station.Madan declares to the new entrant that he would never return to such a boring existence again. The Station Master’s daughter comes to bid goodbye to him. When she is about to leave Madan notices a package on the table and asks her to take it. She replies it was not hers.Madan opens the package and realises its the dead Sadhu’s papers. The Sadhu belonged to a well known Zamindar family. His dairy describes the details of the family. Madan decides to visit the family. But as continues to read the diary, and realises the Sadhu was a rich man, Madan’s mind begins to change. Now he begins to practise the dead man’s signature, practises his handwriting and gradually changes himself as he becomes the man in the picture. He informs the family that he is arriving. At the Raja’s house we are introduced to his young wife.His wife who has led a widows life for the past 7 years was two months pregnant when her husband left the palace. Her son is now 7 years old. The family is happy with the Raja’s return. Madan becomes Raja Hari Prasad. However Raja’s brother in law Dheeraj is the only one suspicious of Hari Prasad. He sets out to Haridwar to enquire about Raja Hari Prasad. Sadhus at Haridwar admit that the Sadhu has indeed stayed with them for years.Madan as Hari Prasad is happy with the adulation and continues to cheat everybody. But somehow he does not cheat his wife. But his wife, longs for his company. She reminisces the good olden days. Madan tells her he is in some penance and cannot touch women, even his wife. She respects his commitment. She notices he is always making excuses to avoid her company. One day when Madan gets a chance to visit the city, he decides to escape. He collects all the cash from the safe and leaves on the pretext that he has some bank work. But his child accompanies him. However, his plan fails and Madan returns to the Palace. Madan realises that he is falling in love with the Rani.On the fateful day- mother of the Raja (Sulochana) gives her daughter in law a Rantadeep and asks the latter to perform the puja of her husband. It is then Madan -unable to cheat on her reveals her that he was not her husband. Hearing that the man who is standing in front of her was an impostor not her husband Rani falls accidentally causing fire .Madan tries to help her. Though she is in a state of semi – consciousness she vehementaly refuses to be touched by him. She yells “No! No! Please do not touch me.” The entire family get to know that Madan is an imposter. Rani confesses before her mother in law that the impostor did not touch her. Watching the impostor leave she dies. When her body is cremated Madan watches from behind a tree. When he tries to touch the ashes the words No! No! Do not touch lingers in his ears. He leaves without touching her ashes.