Bhola, Vidyapati and ek chatur naar. With the best comic talent of the '60s, Padosan was a roaring success.
The credits tell you that it was "the first ambitious motion picture" of Mehmood Productions. But Padosan (1968) was really Mehmood's dream— of making a film with the best comic talents of the country. Though the basic premise was inspired by Arun Chowdhury's Bengali story Pasher Bari, Padosan is an original film—a screwball comedy with iconic characters, RD Burman's evergreen music (for generations to come Mere saamne waali khidki mein will be what every man sings for the girl-next-door) and those sweet and spoofy comic touches that accord it the status of Indian cinema's cult comic classic.

Directed by Jyoti Swaroop and written by Rajendra Krishnan, Padosan is the love story of a simpleton, Bhola (Sunil Dutt), who falls for his neighbour, Bindu (Saira Banu). Since music is the way to Bindu's heart and Bhola can't sing to save his life, he takes the help of his friend and guru, Vidyapati, and his troupe comprising Banarsi (Mukri), Calcuttiya (Keshto Mukherjee) and Lahori (Raj Kishore). Together, they plan a ruse to woo Bindu— Vidyapati (Kishore Kumar), sings in the background and Bhola just has to lipsync. But there is stiff competition in the form of Master Pillai (Mehmood), a trained Carnatic music teacher who is also in love with Bindu.

Saira Banu, who stood out in this all-male comic line-up, says, "Is film mein koi kissi se kum nahin tha. Shooting was a laugh riot. Everyone would improvise on the sets. There were so many retakes because someone or the other would end up laughing during the take." Padosan's casting is the film's best calling card. Interestingly, RD Burman was Mehmood's original choice for Bhola's role. But R D had promised his father S D Burman that he will never act again after Bhoot Bangla.