Babul (1950 film)

Babul (Hindi: बाबुल, Urdu: بابُل) or (Father's House) is a 1950 Bollywood film directed by S.U. Sunny produced and with music direction by Naushad. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Munawar Sultana and Nargis. A box-office success, the film became the second highest earning film of 1950, earning an approximate gross of Rs. 1,25,00,000 and a nett gross of Rs. 70,00,000.

Plot

Ashok hails from a wealthy family and has a job as a postmaster, but it is clear that his job requires little hard labor, aside from sending an occasional telegram, leaving him time to enjoy his comforts cigarettes, painting and song writing . A girl named Bela, the poor and simple daughter of the former postmaster woos for his affections and is supported by her poor father who wants her married. Bela prepares Ashok's meals, teases and amuses him, and imagines of a happy marriage with Ashok who likes her but is not in love with her.

Bela has competition from the wealthy landowner Jamnadas's daughter Usha, who lives a lavish lifestyle in a hilltop mansion. Usha, drives a foreign car and seems more suitable for Ashok the young postmaster. They share a love of fine art and music, and Usha falls in love with his singing and arranges for him to give her music lessons on her grand piano in a boudoir adorned with fine art. Bela, heartbroken, in a fit of jealousy intervenes by lying to Usha that Ashok has already professed his love for her and is playing a double game. In a surprising display of class-transcending understanding, Usha agrees to renounce her love for Ashok in favor of Bela’s claim, and to accept a proposal from the aristocratic son of one of her father’s colleagues. As Usha’s wedding approaches, both she and Ashok become depressed and Bela has recurring nightmares of a black-veiled rider coming to carry her away.