Khazanchi (1941 film)



Khazanchi is a 1941 (pre-partition) blockbuster, directed by Moti B. Gidwani, starring M. Ismail, S. D. Narang, Ramola Devi, Manorama and Durga Mota in lead roles. M. Ismail played the title role of a cashier. The movie was the highest-grossing Indian film at the time of its release and the highest-grossing Indian film of 1941. This film also made Shalwar kameez dress, worn in the film by the lead actress very popular. The film was remade in Tamil as Moondru Pillaigal (1952).

Synopsis
Khazanchi is a murder mystery. Shadi Lal is a Khazanchi (Cashier) in a bank in Lahore. His son Kanwal wants to marry Madhuri, the daughter of a rich man, Durga Das.



A wicked wealthy, Ajmal, also wants to marry Madhuri. One day, Shadi Lal goes to Bombay for some bank work and the news comes from the city that Shadi Lal has murdered an actress and stolen her jewellery and money.

A clever woman, Tarawati, tricked Shadi Lal in a night club and stole his money, but her two accomplice men murdered her while snatching the money from her and when intoxicated Shadi Lal wakes up, he finds himself with her dead body and his money stolen. Seeing this, he runs away and on the next day, the newspaper headlines say: Khazanchi killed actress. He spends some very bad days of his life during this period.

Later, he gets caught and his son, Kanwal (an advocate now), fought the case from his side. Meanwhile, the newspaper reporter stumbles upon important facts regarding the stage actress' murder and got kidnapped by the villain, but manages an escape and reaches the court, revealing the truth. Thus Shadi Lal gets acquitted.

Cast

 * Ramola Devi as Madhuri
 * S. D. Narang as Kanwal
 * M. Esmail as Shadilal
 * Manorma as Asha, Shadi Lal's daughter and Kanwal's sister
 * Madan Puri as Kanwal firend
 * Janki Dass M.A. as (Ram Das)
 * Ajmal as (Ramesh)
 * Durga Mota as (Durga Das)
 * Khairati as ( Maddan ) Durga Mota house servant
 * Nafees
 * Kamla
 * Fazal Shah
 * Dev Datt

Music
The music director Ghulam Haider made an experiment by combining popular Raags of Indian classical music with Punjabi folk music and revolutionalized the film music industry. The film songs were hits. The playback includes Shamshad Begum and Ghulam Haider.