indian cinema heritage foundation

Aap Ki Marzi/As You Please (1939)

  • Release Date1939
  • GenreSocial
  • FormatB-W
  • LanguageHindi
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It is two o'clock in the morning. The big town of Bombay is quiet, resting under the spell of sound sleep. We are on the Napian Sea Road. Here stand the huge palatial Buildings facing the sea. As we drive through, we hear the sentinel dog barking aloud. We must stop. And lo! It is Sir Bansilal's Bungalow. We can now distinctly hear the barking being followed by a melodious feminine voice scolding - let us see, and hope Shashi does not mind a beautiful dog who is charged with disturbing her while solving the crossword puzzle. She is solving the puzzle for sheer fancy. 
We go further. It is a long lapse of quiet houses. We go on and on and ultimately reach the other extremity of the town. Just at this hour, a heavy voice is heard from the yonder building. It is a song dealing with the secret of life. Who is this young man? Is he preparing bombs or a communist paper or is he one of the unemployed starving youth struggling to live with hope and honor? Let us peep in. Yes, he is eating grams one by one and at intervals draught of pure water to invigorate his nerve to strive hard to strike true. He is busy solving a C. W. P. as though with it he means to solve the problem of his bread. Will he solve it?
What a queer coincidence as if the 'cross-word-puzzle' is a link between the rich and the poor; and why not, we all behave like- the poor for their necessity and the rich for their fancy. How do you like it?
The poor boy - Sumant - has won the first prize. Perhaps it is because he worked hard or perhaps God has helped him because he shared the misery of the unclaimed, miserance Kiki by extending his brotherly guidance and love to her. The second prize is won by Sir Bansilal under the posed name of one Mr. Govind Lal. The prize promises a trip to Kashmir. But the rank of the great has no place in the 'Home Govt' which is carried out by the lady at home, and it is decided that Sir Bansilal must not stir out of the house, alone. He must take his 'niece' - Shashi - with him. These ladies think they are guardians not only of the health of men but also of their morals about which they have a queer conception; with this in view, Shashi who believes in "Everyone to himself" is sent as a check over her uncle. But the arrangement seemed insufficient, so lady Bansilal phoned the manager of the Shalimar Hotel, Kashmir, to make special arrangements for her husband's residence, diet, etc. While therefore, Bansilal is going on his trip to Kashmir as a poor man to break the monotony of his aristocratic life, Sumant is going on the same trip in the hope of hunting his fortune and Shashi to see the world at large. 
The uncle and the niece have quietly made an arrangement that they will stay separately and behave like strangers to each other during the trip. 
They have reached their destination and landed in the same hotel. Sumant enters the hotel before any of the other two and is mistaken for Sir Bansilal. He is surprised to find the extraordinary humble treatment at the hands of the manager and the best service at his disposal. Here a Gold-digger, Manjari by name, take fancy to him and lays her snare. 
Shashi hires a decent room but Govind Lal is given a room in the godown. Poor fellow!
Shashi is followed to her room by a guide, jeweler, book-seller, and astrologer. She is offended at the astrologer who said "you shall find your life's companion here". She turns them all out where accidentally Sumant with some bundles passes across the passage before her door. She mistakes Sumant for a curious-dealer and in the extremity of her agitation misunderstands his sympathetic attitude towards her as an enticement to sell his goods. She, like a mad girl, breaks his valuables. They quarrel; the manager hastens to the spot and calms them. The manager tells Shashi that it does not befit her to meddle with a respectable man like Sir Bansilal. She is surprised and simply can't believe it. Thus out of sheer fun, she goes to Sumant and says if he is Sir Bansilal she is his niece. The boy is puzzled but to keep the dignity of his false position he accepts the relation without the least thought. 
Now naughty Shashi picks up some more of his curious and goes in her room. He requests her to open the door and return the toys. She teases him but she is caught and the boy not knowing how to make up the loss tries to beat her. Just then enters Govindlal and he tries to save his niece. 
Again a row and again the manager come to the rescue. The manager exchange hot word with Govindlal and in the course of talk Sumant learns that Govindlal is the 2nd prize winner. They make up their differences. Sumant invites him to dinner. Shashi is envious and cries out "And what about me?" Sumant invites her as well. 
Further, the angel of love spreads its wings on Shashi and Sumant. Also, see how the vanity of riches melts out in the light of love to leave behind the real man and woman who believe in "Live and let live!"
See it on the screen. 
[From the official press booklet]

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