Khushboo (1975): A Fifty-Year Reflection on Gulzar’s Intimate Classic

In 1975, Gulzar — already a rising voice of sensitivity and introspection in Hindi cinema — had three of his finest works releasing, including Mausam that fetched Sharmila Tagore the National Award for best actress; and the influential Aandhi, which remains to this day one of the finest ‘political’ films in Hindi cinema. 

 

The other major film that Gulzar directed in 1975 was Khushboo, which has come to be cherished as one of his finest works. Based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Bengali novel Pandit Mashay, Khushboo distilled the poignant essence of human relationships, duty and emotional longing into a tender cinematic experience. Today, half a century later, it stands tall not just as an adaptation but as a meditation on patience, perseverance and unspoken love, showcasing Gulzar’s unmatched literary sensibility and cinematic grace.

 

Khushboo tells the story of Kusum (played by Hema Malini) and Brindavan (Jeetendra), whose childhood betrothal is disrupted by circumstances and time. After years apart, with life having shaped them differently, they meet again — not as the innocent children they once were, but as mature individuals weathered by responsibilities and sorrow. Kusum, now a strong yet vulnerable woman, has dedicated her life to her family, while Brindavan returns as a doctor whose professional and personal journeys have left him isolated.

 

The core of Khushboo lies in its unhurried exploration of unfulfilled promises, societal obligations and the rediscovery of affection. It is less about romance in the conventional sense and more about the slow blooming of trust and tenderness, mirroring the deeper textures of Sarat Chandra’s writing.

 

Adapting Sarat Chandra, whose works (Devdas, Parineeta, Swami) are soaked in emotional depth and societal observation, was no easy task. Yet Gulzar — himself a poet and writer of immense stature — approached Pandit Mashay not with the aim of merely retelling it, but of capturing its inner spirit.

 

Gulzar did not create a loud, melodramatic adaptation. Instead, he respected the subtleties and silences that Sarat Chandra excelled in. He transplanted the story to a rural North Indian setting, adjusting cultural specifics while keeping intact the emotional universality. His screenplay allowed the characters breathing space; and the rustic milieu, the temple bells, the flowing river and the fields all became an extension of the characters’ inner states. Gulzar’s adaptation focused on the small, meaningful moments — Kusum’s quiet resilience, Brindavan’s understated regret — creating a deeply moving, almost lyrical cinematic experience.

 

Importantly, Gulzar also sharpened the female perspective of the story. Kusum, as rendered by Hema Malini, is not just an object of longing; she is a woman of agency, dignity and quiet strength, aligning with Gulzar’s career-long portrayal of strong women characters. Hema Malini, known more at the time for her glamorous image, delivered one of the most nuanced performances of her career in Khushboo. She brought to Kusum a simmering vulnerability that never tipped into helplessness. Her body language, dialogue delivery and silent glances conveyed what many verbose performances often failed to do. 

 

Jeetendra, too, stepped out of his dance-centric ‘Jumping Jack’ persona, delivering a performance marked by restraint and gravity. As Brindavan, he captured the weight of guilt and missed opportunities, and an earnest desire for reconciliation. Interestingly, both stars were at the time rather arbitrarily dismissed as ‘non-actors’, who delivered some of their most accomplished performances in films by Gulzar, thus proving his ability to extract meaty performances that went against the grain of the stars’ image: Parichay and Kinara with Jeetendra, the latter also starring Hema Malini. 

 

The supporting cast — including Asrani, Farida Jalal, Durga Khote and Leela Mishra — enriched the rural setting, creating a believable social fabric that made the world of Khushboo so tangible and immersive.

 

Khushboo has stood the test of time primarily for its music. Its soundtrack is inseparable from its soul, and it remains one of RD Burman’s most delicate and heartfelt works. Departing from his more contemporary, peppy image, RD created a musical landscape that was rooted in folk melodies and simple orchestrations, blending perfectly with the film’s setting. The songs penned by Gulzar  — among his most evocative lyrical works — are seamlessly woven into the narrative. 

 

‘O Majhi Re’ by Kishore Kumar remains an iconic song, its metaphor of the boatman and the river symbolising separation and longing. Few songs have captured the aching distance between two hearts as poignantly. Lata Mangeshkar has two distinctly different songs: ‘Bechara Dil Kya Kare’ conveys Kusum’s emotional turmoil and innocence with heartrending simplicity, while ‘Do Naino Mein Aansoon Bhare Hain’ is a tender expression of sadness and acceptance. These are melodies that carried the emotional burden of the story forward without ever becoming overwrought. The Khushboo soundtrack is often cited today as a testament to RD Burman’s versatility and to Gulzar’s unmatched ability to translate emotions into poetry.

 

Gulzar’s direction in Khushboo is characterised by its minimalism and deep humanism. He avoided loud flourishes, choosing instead a restrained style that let the characters’ inner journeys shine through. Cinematographer K. Vaikunth’s naturalistic visuals captured the lushness of the countryside, the dusty roads and the quiet homes, creating a tactile world where time seemed to move slowly, and every small event carried emotional resonance.

 

Sound design played a critical role: the rustling of trees, the chirping of birds and the distant sound of temple bells contributed to the mood, creating an immersive soundscape that emphasised the theme of waiting and longing. The unhurried editing, in sync with the spatial and temporal world of the film, allowed emotions to breathe. Scenes were not rushed; silences were respected, allowing viewers to feel the texture of each moment.

 

Fifty years later, Khushboo is remembered as one of the finest examples of Hindi cinema’s ability to artfully merge literature with film. It has influenced generations of film-makers who aspire to tell intimate, character-driven stories. It also set a precedent for literary adaptations in Hindi cinema that honoured the original text’s spirit while creating something distinctly cinematic.

 

Gulzar’s signature style, blending poetry, realism and deep emotional intelligence, found one of its earliest expressions in Khushboo, a style that he would refine and carry forward in the films to come. Furthermore, the film’s portrayal of a strong woman who chooses family and self-respect over easy romantic resolution feels strikingly contemporary. Kusum’s resilience, her ability to forgive yet not forget, resonates even today, making Khushboo a timeless narrative of emotional endurance.

 

In an era increasingly marked by noise and spectacle, revisiting Khushboo is like inhaling a whiff of pure, untouched air — a cinematic fragrance that continues to linger, delicate yet unforgettable.

This article was published in Dainik Jagran