| Khazanchi | |
| Director: | Moti B. Gidwani |
| Producer: | D. M. Pancholi (Pancholi Productions, Lahore) |
| Starring: | M. Esmail S. D. Narang Ramola Devi Durga Mota Manorma Ajmal Khairati Jankidas Pran Madan Puri |
| Music: | Ghulam Haider |
| Cinematography: | Badri Das |
| Editing: | Shaukat Hussain Rizvi |
| Studio: | Pancholi Art Pictures |
| Runtime: | 171 minutes |
| Country: | British India |
| Language: | Hindustani |
| Gross: | ₹1.15 crore |
Khazanchi is a 1941 (pre-partition) blockbuster,[1] directed by Moti B. Gidwani, starring M. Ismail, S. D. Narang, Ramola Devi, Manorama and Durga Mota in lead roles. M. Ismail played the title role of a cashier. The movie was the highest-grossing Indian film at the time of its release[2] and the highest-grossing Indian film of 1941. This film also made Shalwar kameez dress, worn in the film by the lead actress very popular. The film was remade in Tamil as Moondru Pillaigal (1952).[3]
Khazanchi is a murder mystery. Shadi Lal is a Khazanchi (Cashier) in a bank in Lahore. His son Kanwal wants to marry Madhuri, the daughter of a rich man, Durga Das.
A wicked wealthy, Ajmal, also wants to marry Madhuri. One day, Shadi Lal goes to Bombay for some bank work and the news comes from the city that Shadi Lal has murdered an actress and stolen her jewellery and money.
A clever woman, Tarawati, tricked Shadi Lal in a night club and stole his money, but her two accomplice men murdered her while snatching the money from her and when intoxicated Shadi Lal wakes up, he finds himself with her dead body and his money stolen. Seeing this, he runs away and on the next day, the newspaper headlines say: Khazanchi killed actress. He spends some very bad days of his life during this period.
Later, he gets caught and his son, Kanwal (an advocate now), fought the case from his side. Meanwhile, the newspaper reporter stumbles upon important facts regarding the stage actress' murder and got kidnapped by the villain, but manages an escape and reaches the court, revealing the truth. Thus Shadi Lal gets acquitted.
The music director Ghulam Haider made an experiment by combining popular Raags of Indian classical music with Punjabi folk music and revolutionalized[4] the film music industry. The film songs were hits. The playback includes Shamshad Begum and Ghulam Haider.[5]
| Song Title | Singer | |
|---|---|---|
| "Diwali Phir Aa Gayi Sajni" | Shamshad Begum | |
| "Laut Gayi Papan" | Shamshad Begum | |
| "Mohe Bhabhi La Do Bhaiyya" | Shamshad Begum | |
| "Mori Chudiya Aayegi Aali" | Shamshad Begum | |
| "Naino Ke Baan Ki Reet Anokhi" | Shamshad Begum, Ghulam Haider | |
| "Pine Ke Din Aaye Piye Ja" | Shamshad Begum | |
| "Sawan Ke Najare Hain" | Shamshad Begum | |
| "Man Dhire Dhire Rona" | Shamshad Begum |