Howrah Bridge is a 1958 film directed by Shakti Samanta

Shakti Samanta

Shakti Samanta was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films like Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Kati Patang and Amar Prem.He received Filmfare Awards for Best Film for Aradhana, Anuraag and Amanush,...

. Its name is a reference to Howrah Bridge

Howrah Bridge

The Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge that spans the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. Commissioned in 1943, the bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it links the city of Howrah to its twin city, Kolkata . On 14 June 1965 it was renamed Rabindra Setu, after Rabindranath...

, which connects Howrah to Kolkata

Kolkata

Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...

 over the Hooghly River. It features the well known Hindi song "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu

Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu

Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu is a song from the 1958 Indian film Howrah Bridge.It was the first major hit for Helen. The song was picturised on Helen. The song was written by Qamar Jalalabadi and composed by O.P. Nayyar and sung by Geeta Dutt...

"which was reused in the film Salaam Bombay!

Salaam Bombay!

Salaam Bombay! is a 1988 Hindi film directed by Mira Nair, and screenwritten by her longtime creative collaborator, Sooni Taraporevala. The film chronicles the day-to-day life of children living on the streets of Bombay...

. This song was sung by Geeta Dutt

Geeta Dutt

Geetā Dutt was a prominent singer in India. She found particular prominence as a playback singer in Hindi cinema...

 and picturised on Helen. Director Samanta also said that the sensuous club number "Aaiye Meherbaan" picturized on Madhubala

Madhubala

Mumtaz Jahan Begum Dehlavi, known by her stage name Madhubala was a Hindi movie actress. She starred in several successful movies in the 1950s and early 1960s, many of which have attained a classic status...

 was also very memorable. The Music Director is O. P. Nayyar

O. P. Nayyar

Omkar Prasad Nayyar was an Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, India, now in modern day Pakistan. He was particularly acclaimed for his peppy numbers.-Career:...

.

The film performed "above average" at the box office.

There is an intertextual reference to the song "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu

Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu

Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu is a song from the 1958 Indian film Howrah Bridge.It was the first major hit for Helen. The song was picturised on Helen. The song was written by Qamar Jalalabadi and composed by O.P. Nayyar and sung by Geeta Dutt...

" in Karan Johar's 1998 film "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is a Hindi romantic comedy film, released in India and the United Kingdom on 16 October 1998. The film was written and directed by the debuting Karan Johar and stars the popular on-screen pair of Shahrukh Khan and Kajol in their fourth movie together...

" (just before the song Koi Mil Gaya).

Story

Rakesh lives with his brother, Madan, and his dad in Rangoon. Madan has fallen into bad company and steals the family heirloom, in the shape of a dragon, some cash and runs away to India. Shortly thereafter, his dead body is found under Calcutta's Howrah Bridge. Rakesh travels to Calcutta in order to find out the mystery behind Madan's death, and also try to recover the family heirloom. His investigations take him to a shady hotel run by Uncle Joe, where an attractive dancer named Edna performs a dance every night. Rakesh finds himself attracted to Edna, and he confides in her why he is here and she decides to assist him. Rakesh comes to know that a man named Bhiku had witnessed his brother's murder, and sets off to find him. Before he could meet him, Bhiku goes missing and no one knows about his whereabouts. Watch what Rakesh does next in order to solve this mystery, recover the heirloom, continue to woo Edna, and catch his brother's killers.

Cast

• Madhubala ... Edna
• Ashok Kumar ... Prem Kumar / Rakesh
• K. N. Singh ... Pyarelal
• Om Prakash ... Shyamu, Tangewala
• Madan Puri ... John Chang
• Dhumal ... Uncle Joe
• Kammo ... Chhamia
• Sunder ... Bhiku / Bhikarilal
• Brahm Bhardwaj ... Madan & Rakesh's dad
• Helen Jairag Richardson ... Dancer / Singer
• Mehmood ... Wedding Dancer
• Minoo Mumtaz ... Wedding Dancer
• Chaman Puri ... Madan

Other links

• Howrah Bridge at BFI
  British Film Institute
  The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
  
  Film & TV Database