About the Movie Izzat (1968)

The story begins with Shekhar, who returns home after completing college. He is devastated to learn that his mother, Savli, has died.

Father Abraham consoles Shekhar and reveals the truth about his mother's past. Savli had been involved with the wealthy Thakur Pratap Singh, who refused to marry her even after she became pregnant. Shekhar is deeply hurt by the injustice and humiliation suffered by his mother and decides to confront Pratap Singh.

When Shekhar reaches Ramgarh, he discovers an astonishing secret: he has a fair-skinned half-brother named Dilip Singh, who is also played by Dharmendra.

Dilip employs Shekhar in his office and eventually asks him to impersonate him so that he can meet Deepa, played by Tanuja. Shekhar agrees and meets Deepa, and the two gradually become attracted to each other.

Shekhar decides that he must eventually tell Deepa the truth about his identity. When he returns to Ramgarh, he discovers that history is repeating itself. Dilip is in love with Jhumki, an Adivasi woman played by Jayalalithaa, but he is unwilling to marry her because of social differences.

The story then develops around the relationships between the two brothers, their loved ones and the prejudices that stand in the way of their happiness. Shekhar's quest for justice ultimately becomes intertwined with questions of love, family, social equality and human dignity.

Main Cast

• Dharmendra — Shekhar / Dilip P. Singh
• Tanuja — Deepa
• Jayalalithaa — Jhumki
• Balraj Sahni — Thakur Pratap Singh
• Mehmood — Mahesh
• Lalita Pawar — Mrs. Vinod
• David Abraham — Vinodbabu
• Manmohan Krishna — Father Abraham
• Laxmi Chhaya — Gangi
• Mohan Sherry — Dukal
• Ramayan Tiwari — Manglu

Director & Production

Director: T. Prakash Rao
Producer: A. K. Nadiadwala / Pushpa Pictures
Story: Dulal Guha
Screenplay: Rajinder Singh Bedi
Dialogues: Rajinder Singh Bedi
Music: Laxmikant–Pyarelal
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Cinematography: D. C. Mehta
Editing: Shivaji Awdhut
Language: Hindi
Genre: Drama, Romance, Social

Music

The music of Izzat was composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal, while the songs were written by legendary lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi. Playback singers included Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle and Manna Dey.

Popular Songs

• Yeh Dil Tum Bin Kahin Lagta Nahin — Lata Mangeshkar & Mohammed Rafi
• Kya Miliye Aise Logon Se — Mohammed Rafi
• Ruk Ja Zara Kidhar Ko Chala — Lata Mangeshkar
• Jaagi Badan Mein Jwala — Lata Mangeshkar
• Sar Par Lamba Top Leke Aayega — Asha Bhosle & Mohammed Rafi
• Keh Gaye Father Ibrahim — Manna Dey
• Pyar Ke Bukhaar Ko Utaar — Manna Dey

“Yeh Dil Tum Bin Kahin Lagta Nahin� and “Kya Miliye Aise Logon Se� remain among the better-known songs from the film.

Themes

Izzat explores:

• Social inequality
• Human dignity and honour
• Caste and class prejudice
• Family relationships
• Love across social boundaries
• Identity
• Revenge and justice
• Acceptance and equality

The film's central idea is that a person's worth and dignity should not be determined by social background or status.

Legacy

Izzat is remembered for Dharmendra's double performance and for featuring Jayalalithaa in her only full-fledged Hindi-language leading role. Her pairing with Dharmendra was noted as an important part of the film's appeal.

The film is also remembered for its Laxmikant–Pyarelal soundtrack and Sahir Ludhianvi's lyrics, particularly the songs sung by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.