Bahuroopi (1969)

BHAWAI is a folk art, an old darma-cum dance from of Gujarat. Jorubha Thakor of Vijaynager has two sons Vijaykumar and Vilaskumar.

A Bhawai troup wonders from village to village, performs an temple compound and entertained masses “ex-gratia” with subtle humour.

Prabhashankar Nayak is giving Bhawai shows and Vijay and Vilas have come to see the show with their prefect Mansung who has brought his son Ajay also, JORUBHA also cames but orders Nayak to stop the show because Nayak is wearing a golden anklet which is the right of KINGS only. Nayak refuses and Jorubha orders him to leave his kingdom.

Excerpts form Bhawai’s show. Haunts Vijay’s dreams He sucaks out at mid-night Vijay come to Ajay’s room, exchanges his clothes and amulets and goes away. Vijay hides himself in a ship which is to carry Nayak and his troup.

YASHODA, queen mother finds Vijay’s bed empty and is worried. Jourbha orders mansung to find out Vijay.

On search, Mansung finds Vijay’s clothes on the river bank on seeing the clothes, everyone except YASHODA believes that Vijay has been drowned,

Nayak finds vijay on the ship. Vijay gives his name as AJAY. Nayak takes him to his native place where he is put under the care of his wife DIWALI. Diwali has a adopted girl name KALA also, who is the daughter of an artist who is dead.

While Vilaskumar is being trained as a swords-man, VIJAY and KALA are given lessons in the art of  BHAWAI.

Years pass by and they are grown up. Vijay and Kala fall in love innocently

It so happens that while the troup is visiting another kingdom rajpur, vijay accidently meets GOPI, daughter of Mulubha Thakor, Gopi was to be betrothed to Vijay when they were young. The news reached Rajpur that the crown prince has been drowned. However Gopi refuses to mary any other person she is a painter and paints Vijay’s pictures as per her conception, 

There is a festival and gopi has invited KALA to give dance recital. Vijay joins them in the garb of an old woman. Here Vijay comes to know that gopi insists on remaining unmarried and that she loves VIJAY.

While Gopi is all alone with Vijay, she finds out that the woman is fake person. She demands truth or she would put him in prison. Vijay says, he is an artist in the Bhawai group and rest assure that Vijay is alive. Gopi does not believe him, when a maid comes with the news, “CROWN PRINCE OF VIJAYNAGAR HAS ARRIVED”

Gopi’s joy knows no bounds, only to find that the crown prince is not Vijay but his younger brother vilaskumar. She refuses to meet him but vilas is bent upon having GOPI.

The strategy of vilas brings Vijay in to trouble.

The plot develops in to a climax when even Nayak drives out Vijay from his troup. The aftermath reveals Vijay’s talent both as an artist and worrior.

Whom does he marry, KALA or GOPI is a secret to be perceived on the silver screen only…….?