Dastak (1970 film)

Dastak (transl. The Knock) is a 1970 is a Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Rajinder Singh Bedi in his directorial debut, based on his own 1944 radio play Naql-e-Makaani. Starring Sanjeev Kumar, and the newcomer, Rehana Sultan, the film tells the story of a newly married couple who, after moving into a flat formerly occupied by a prostitute, are subjected to social stigma and constant harassment in their new neighborhood.

Dastak features a celebrated score by Madan Mohan, with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri, which makes extensive use of classical ragas. Songs such as “Mai Ri, Main Kaa Se Kahoon” and “Baiyan Na Dharo”, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi, are regarded as masterpieces of Hindi film music. The film presents an expanded version of Rajinder Singh Bedi's radio play, Naql-e-Makaani (Moving to a New House), first performed on All India Radio, Lahore in 1944.

On release, the film was critically acclaimed, though not a commercial success. It won the National Film Award for Best Actor (Sanjeev Kumar) and Best Actress (Rehana Sultan), Mohan won his first National Film Award for it and the lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the film director-turned-editor of this black-and-white film, won a Filmfare Award, his second after Madhumati in 1958. Critics and scholars have since praised Bedi’s sensitive handling of the subject and the film’s exploration of social contradictions.