Dastak

Awards

Album Awards:
• 1970 - National Film Awards - Best Music Direction (Songs) - Madan Mohan

Trivia

Album

• This was writer, producer Rajinder Singh Bedi's directorial debut. He adapted his radio play "Naql-E-Makani" for the film's script.
• This was actress Rehana Sultan's debut Hindi film. She was not Rajinder Singh Bedi's first choice. He had considered Aruna Irani and Leela Naidu before her. Bedi ruled out Irani since she had become typecast in supporting roles by then. He did not go with Naidu since he felt that she would not fit the role of a middle-class Muslim girl. Bedi decided to cast Rehana Sultan in the role after he saw a short film featuring her at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), where she was a student. Since she had already graduated by then and returned to her hometown Allahabad, the director sent word asking her to return to Bombay for this film. Such was his faith in her that he signed her without an audition. He even turned down Mumtaz who offered to do the film without a fee. Rehana Sultan's performance in the film was widely appreciated. Satyajit Ray is said to have sent her a congratulatory note for it. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress for the film.[1]
• Madan Mohan won his only National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Songs) for this film. He felt that the award had come very late in his career and was initially planning to not go to Delhi to accept it. Sanjeev Kumar, who had won the National Award for Best Actor for the same film, finally convinced him to accept the award. The two of them got the same kind of tuxedo tailored for the award function.[2]
• Madan Mohan reportedly did not take a fee for his work in this film because of his regard for the film's heroine Rehana Sultan.[MR3]
• Hrishikesh Mukherjee supported his old associate Rajinder Singh Bedi by editing his first film as a director. Bedi had been part of Mukherjee's writing team in many films right since his first Hindi film "Musafir" (1957).[3]

Song

• Maai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon - Since Lata Mangeshkar was unwell at the time, Madan Mohan recorded this song in his own voice in order to facilitate the shooting of the song sequence. His version was not part of the film album. Years later, music label HMV included it in a tribute album for the music director.[4][5]
• Hum Hain Mata-E-Koocha-O-Bazar Ki Tarah - This ghazal had a couplet that featured lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri's name - "Majrooh likh rahe hain woh ahal-e-wafa ka naam / Hum bhi khade hue hain gunahgaar ki tarah".

1. ^ In focus: When Rehana Sultan got knocked out
2. ^ Salt-and-pepper memories with Sanjeev Kumar
3. ^ Musafir (1957)
4. ^ Madan Mohan official website
5. ^ Maai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon (Male)