Some lesser-known facts about “Phool Aur Patthar”

“Phool Aur Patthar” is a 1966 Hindi movie directed by O. P. Ralhan and produced by him as well. It is known for being one of the most successful movies of its time and for establishing Dharmendra as a leading actor in Hindi cinema.

Here are some lesser-known facts about the movie:

1. The film was initially titled “Phool Aur Patthar Ki Shehnai”, but the director O. P. Ralhan shortened it to “Phool Aur Patthar” because he thought the original title was too long.
2. The film was shot on a low budget, with most of the scenes being shot on location in Bombay (now Mumbai). The film’s success at the box office was a surprise to the filmmakers.
3. The film marked the debut of Meena Kumari as a producer. She co-produced the film with O. P. Ralhan.
4. The film’s music, composed by Ravi and with lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni, was a huge hit. The song “Sheeshe Se Pee Ya Paimane Se Pee” became particularly popular.
5. The film was remade in Telugu as “Kumkuma Rekha” in 1977, starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Sujatha. It was also remade in Tamil as “Ponnukku Thanga Manasu” in 1982, starring Kamal Haasan and Radha.
6. Dharmendra won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film. He had previously been nominated for the award for his performance in “Bandini” (1963) and “Ayee Milan Ki Bela” (1964).
7. The film’s director, O. P. Ralhan, went on to direct several other successful films, including “Hulchul” (1971) and “Jeevan Mukt” (1977). He also acted in a few films, including “Kohra” (1964) and “Neel Kamal” (1968).
8. The film’s screenplay was written by Akhtar-ul-Iman, who had also written the screenplay for several other successful Hindi films, including “Waqt” (1965) and “Teesri Manzil” (1966).