Prem Pujari

Prem Pujari is a 1970 Indian Hindi-language film produced, directed and written by Dev Anand for Navketan Films. The movie stars Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman, Shatrughan Sinha, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri and a then-unknown Amrish Puri. It has several popular songs composed and directed by S. D. Burman. The songs were written by Gopaldas Neeraj. He along with S. D. Burman, all singers and musicians gave one of their best work to help earn the limited fame (albeit, it was a colossal commercial failure, though it has gianed cult following) garnered by the film mainly because of its memorable music. Three songs of this movie are evergreen; "Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaye" sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar and "Rangeela Re Tere Rang Mein" sung by Lata Mangeshkar and "Phoolon Ke Rang Se" sung by Kishore Kumar.
Plot.
Lieutenant Ramdev Bakshi (Dev Anand) is a peaceful, quiet man who is only interested in wildlife and nature. His father, a war hero, arranges to send him to the Indo-Chinese border where he refuses to fight and is court-martialled. Later, he is captured by the Chinese, who promise him a better future if he spies for them against India. Bakshi agrees, but, instead, becomes a spy for India against the Chinese. When the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 breaks out, he drops his pacifism, joins in the action, and kills many Pakistani soldiers hiding in the bushes in an Indian village in the Khemkaran sector.
Location.
The film was shot in Switzerland and has Grimsel Hotel in one of the song sequences. Here, Shatrughan Sinha was picked to play his part from the gathered public. Part of "Prem Pujari" was also shot at Astagaon near Shirdi in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
Music.
The music was composed by S. D. Burman, with lyrics by Neeraj. Several of the songs from the film became popular, "Phoolon Ke Rang Se" sung by Kishore Kumar, "Rangila Re Tere Rang Mein" which was a blend of folk and modern and sung by Lata Mangeshkar, "Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye" by Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar, "Taaqat Watan Ki Hum Se Hai" (patriotic song), and the number in Burman's voice "Prem Ke Pujari Hum Hain". According to Anantharaman, Dev Anand stated that "Rangila Re" remained his all-time Navketan favourite song.
Reception.
While "Prem Pujari" did not do well at the box office, the soundtrack, which became a success, was termed as "superlative" and as a "brilliant score" by Composer Sachin Dev Burman. The songs are known for the purity of their Urdu and Hindi languages and are regarded as evergreen classics.