Musariaz at 23:30, 3 March 2026

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{{distinguish|Aina (1974 film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Aaina
| image = Aaina 1977.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = [[K. Balachander]]
| producer = L. Duraiswamy,<br />N. Selvaraj
| writer = {{unbulleted list| K. Balachander, | [[Inder Raj Anand]] {{small|(dialogue)}} }}
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[Mumtaz (Indian actress)|Mumtaz]]
}}
| music = [[Naushad]]
| cinematography = [[B. S. Lokanath]]
| editing = N. R. Kittu
| studio = Kalakendra Films
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|1974|03|11|df=y}}
| runtime = 150 minutes
| country = India
| language = Hindi
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''Aaina''''' ({{translation|Mirror}}) is a 1974 [[India]]n [[Hindi]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] written and directed by [[K. Balachander]]. A remake of the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film ''[[Arangetram (1973 film)|Arangetram]]'' (1973), it stars [[Mumtaz (Indian actress)|Mumtaz]] in the lead role with [[A. K. Hangal]], [[Nirupa Roy]], [[Lalita Pawar]], [[Jayasudha]] and [[Madan Puri]] in supporting roles. This film has a special appearance by [[Rajesh Khanna]]. The film is about a brahmin girl becoming a sex worker to support her large family.

== Plot ==
Ram Shashtri, an upper Caste Hindu [[Brahmin]], lives in a small village in India. He has a large family, consisting of his wife, Savitri, five daughters and three sons. Ram supports them, earning meagre wages, by performing prayers and last rites for the Hindu community.

Ashok, (the son of the Village Mukhiya, Jagannath Rao), is in love with Shalini, the eldest Shashtri child, and wants to marry her. As the Raos are of a much lower caste than the Shastri's, Ashok is told by his father that he cannot marry Shalini. After an argument with his dad, he joins the army, and a few weeks later, a telegram is sent to Jagannath informing him that Ashok has been killed.

As Ram's work dwindles and he can no longer sustain his family, Savitri attempts to poison the entire family, but Shalini stops her in time. She gets a job and is able to support her family. Her brother, Gautam, wants to be a doctor, while her sister, Poorna, wants to be a singer. Her siblings' need for schooling causes Shalini to make the choice to leave her village for Poona.

Her brother's need for admission to medical school comes at the cost of her dignity and innocence. The family, though are left in the dark. Shalini gets a ‘raise’ and an offer for a bigger pay raise if she relocates to the capital, Delhi. She sends plenty of money so her dad no longer has to work, and her siblings can carry on with their respective studies.

It's in Delhi, when late one night when a knock on Shalini's door, who was expecting a client, leads to a shocking truth. Ashok, alone in a new city and wanting company, was told to go to an address where he could find a prostitute.

Both are shocked to see each other. Shalini makes no attempt to hide her trade and tells Ashok that this is the way she has been supporting her family. Ashok, still in love with Shalini, leaves heartbroken.

Meanwhile, Shalini's sister, Girja, meets a young man, Raju, and both fall in love. Now a doctor, Gautam is in love with the Tehsildar's daughter, Usha, and wants to marry her. Shalini returns home to attend Girja's marriage and recognises the groom. Before the wedding, the groom is nowhere to be found.

It's revealed when Shalini goes looking for and finds him that they both have a secret. He was a former client. They promise to keep their past relations a secret, as he loves Girja and still wants to marry her. Girja's marriage takes place with great pomp and ceremony and everyone compliments Shalini, for without her efforts, the family would have been destitute.

Gautum, who has done nothing except ask Shalini for handouts, tells her to arrange his marriage to Usha.
Meanwhile, Ashok returns home to his father, who had been expecting him as Shalini had told him that Ashok was alive. During his return visit, Ram and Savitri arrive to invite them to the wedding.
After they leave, Ashok tells his father about his discovery of Shalini's work. Although his father is shocked and relieved Ashok said nothing in front of her parents, unfortunately Ram and Savithri overhear them, causing Ram to fall unconscious.

Meanwhile, Ram's sister also finds out and due to her bitterness at her own daughter not receiving any marriage proposals tells the Tehsildar and the rest of Ram's family of Shalini's windfall job. The Tehsildar, Shalini's aunt and Gautam demean her, disown her, and throw her out of the house.

Despite all she has done for her family, it is only her mother who feels for her but is helpless to do anything. Left with nowhere to turn, Ashok and his father take her in. Shalini has an emotional meltdown and talks about committing suicide. The sound of the shehnai from her brother's wedding can be heard in the background.

Ram comes to invite Jagannath to the wedding and Jagannath and Ashok refuse, saying they support Shalini. Ashok accepts her for what she is and marries her with the blessings of his father.

== Cast ==
{{cast listing|
*[[Mumtaz (Indian actress)|Mumtaz]] – Shalini Shastri
*[[A. K. Hangal]] – Ram Shastri
*[[Nirupa Roy]] – Savitri
*[[Rita Bhaduri]] – Poorna
*[[Adil Amaan]] – Dr. Gautam
* [[Yasmin (actress)|Yasmin]] - Devi
*[[Jayasudha]] – Usha
*[[Lalita Pawar|Lalitha Pawar]] – Janki
*[[Manmohan Krishna]] – Jagannath Rao
*[[Jagdish Raj|Jagdishraj]] – Managing Director
*Polson
*Brahmachari
*[[Madan Puri]] – M. B. Patil
*[[Jagdeep]] – Music Instructor
*[[Suresh Chatwal]] – Shyam Lal
*[[Rajesh Khanna]] - Ashok Rao (Cameo)
*[[Kamal Haasan]] – Prem Kapoor (Cameo)
*[[Dharmendra]] – Cameo appearance
*[[Neetu Singh]] – Cameo appearance
}}

== Production ==
Aaina is a remake of the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film ''[[Arangetram (1973 film)|Arangetram]]'', also directed by same director, starring Pramila, [[Kamal Haasan]] and [[Sivakumar]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=S. |date=11 July 2011 |title=K. Balachander: The Middle-Class Maestro |url=http://forbesindia.com/article/recliner/k-balachander-the-middleclass-maestro/26662/0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209171444/http://forbesindia.com/article/recliner/k-balachander-the-middleclass-maestro/26662/0 |archive-date=9 December 2013 |access-date=9 April 2018 |website=[[Forbes India]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=1212310823164497921|user=NFAIOfficial|title=#Remake K. Balachander remade his...|date=1 January 2020}}</ref> This was the first Hindi film where [[Kamal Haasan]] made an uncredited appearance and he also worked as an assistant choreographerfor the film.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kamal Haasan: My best roles came from Balachandersaab |url=http://inwww.rediff.com/movies/report/kamal-haasan-my-best-roles-came-from-balachandersaab/20141218.htm |date=18 December 2014 |work=Rediff.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201161914/http://inwww.rediff.com/movies/report/kamal-haasan-my-best-roles-came-from-balachandersaab/20141218.htm |archive-date=1 February 2017 |access-date=20 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cinema.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinehistory/2021/01/29013346/2299481/cinima-history.vpf |title=ஜெமினிகணேசன் உதவியால் எனக்கு வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தது - கமலஹாசன் வெளியிட்ட தகவல் |language=ta |date=29 January 2021 |access-date=5 May 2021 |work=[[Maalai Malar]]}}</ref> This was Mumtaz's last film as a heroine before she got married. She late made a one-film comeback with ''Aandhiyan'' (1990).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmfare.com/features/i-dont-want-to-play-shah-rukh-khans-mom-or-akshay-kumar-s-aunt-mumtaz-23878.html |title=I don't want to play Shah Rukh Khan's mom or Akshay Kumar's aunt- Mumtaz |date=18 September 2017 |website=[[Filmfare]] |access-date=17 January 2021}}</ref>

== Music ==
Jan Nisar Akhtar wrote all the songs.

{{Infobox album
| name = Aaina
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = Naushad
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1974
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length =
| label = [[EMI]]
| language = Hindi
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc =
}}

{{Tracklist
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Dharti Hansti Re
| extra1 = [[Lata Mangeshkar]]
| length1 =
| title2 = Woh Jo Auron Ki Khatir"
| extra2 = Lata Mangeshkar
| length2 =

| title3 = Jane Kya Ho Jaye, Jab Dil Se Dil Takraye
| extra3 = Lata Mangeshkar, [[Mohammed Rafi]]
| length3 =

| title4 = Kaho To Aaj Bol Doon
| extra4 = [[Asha Bhosle]]
| length4 =

| title5 = Teri Dulhan Badi Jaadugarni
| extra5 = [[Vani Jairam]]
| length5 =

| title6 = Dhyan Dhyan Ki
| extra6 = Vani Jairam
| length6 =

| title7 = Saregamapa
| extra7 = Vani Jairam, Unknown
| length7 =
}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0154178|Aaina}}

{{K. Balachander}}

[[Category:1974 Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:1974 Indian films]]
[[Category:Films directed by K. Balachander]]
[[Category:Films scored by Naushad]]
[[Category:Hindi remakes of Tamil films]]
[[Category:Films about prostitution in India]]

Aaina 1974 film - Revision history

Musariaz at 23:30, 3 March 2026