Poonam Ki Raat
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''Poonam Ki Raat'' (Full moon Night) is a 1965 horror
thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...
starring
Manoj Kumar Manoj Kumar (born Harikrishan Giri Goswami; 24 July 1937 – 4 April 2025) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful actors in t ...
, Prem Chpra, and
Rajendra Nath Rajendra Nath Malhotra (8 June 1931 − 13 February 2008) was an Indian actor and comedian in Hindi and Punjabi films. Early life and family Rajendra Nath was born on 8 June 1931 in Tikamgarh, which is now in Madhya Pradesh. His family was ...
in lead roles. It was produced and directed by
Kishore Sahu Kishore Sahu (22 November 1915 – 22 August 1980) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He appeared in 22 films between 1937 and 1980, and he directed 20 films between 1942 and 1974. His directorial ven ...
. The music was given by
Salil Chowdhury Salil Chowdhury (19 November 1925 – 5 September 1995) was an Indian music director, songwriter, lyricist, writer and poet who predominantly composed for Cinema of West Bengal, Bengali, Hindi cinema, Hindi and Malayalam films, Malayalam films. ...
, with lyrics by Shailendra.


Plot

Chandan (Shiv Kumar), Prakash (
Manoj Kumar Manoj Kumar (born Harikrishan Giri Goswami; 24 July 1937 – 4 April 2025) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful actors in t ...
) and their college mates are enjoying themselves while on an education tour at a site along with their Professor-in-charge when Sumer Singh (
Rajendra Nath Rajendra Nath Malhotra (8 June 1931 − 13 February 2008) was an Indian actor and comedian in Hindi and Punjabi films. Early life and family Rajendra Nath was born on 8 June 1931 in Tikamgarh, which is now in Madhya Pradesh. His family was ...
) rushes there by jeep to inform Chandan that his father Lala Baijnath ( D.K. Sapru) is not keeping well as his illness has relapsed and that Chandan's mother has asked him to come home immediately. Chandan requests Prakash to accompany him to give moral support. Prakash agrees, as it will give him a chance to give Rekha (
Bela Bose Bela Bose (1943 or 1944 – 20 February 2023) was an Indian dancer and actress who was active in Hindi films during the 1960s and 1970s. Early life Bela Bose was born in Calcutta on 1 January 1943 or 1944 into a well-to-do family. Her fathe ...
), a flirty classmate, the slip. They rush to Chandan's home-town along with Sumer Singh. Reaching the outskirts of the town, Prakash is shocked to learn while buying cigarettes at a stall that the mansion he is visiting is haunted and Lala Baijnath is suspected by the town of having murdered a beautiful young woman, Rani on the night of the full moon. It is believed that the spirit of the murdered woman, Rani haunts the mansion to this day. Prakash is curious and intrigued. Prakash meets Chandan's sisters, Jyoti(Kumud Chhugani) and Nandini (Nandini), but before a love triangle acquires any dimensions, the unexpected happens. Prakash, in the dead of the night, begins to hear a woman's voice singing and soon Prakash is captivated by the charms of an elusive spirit, Rani. A black cat is often seen moving around at night. The nurse Thelma requests the doctor (
Kishore Sahu Kishore Sahu (22 November 1915 – 22 August 1980) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He appeared in 22 films between 1937 and 1980, and he directed 20 films between 1942 and 1974. His directorial ven ...
) for leave, but he refuses till another nurse is arranged to attend Lalaji. She goes missing, deepening the mystery. Lalaji is found lying senseless and paralyzed on the floor. The doctor states that someone tried to kill him. With every relative wishing for the early death of Lalaji and wanting a stake in the property, things take a dark turn where no one can be trusted and everyone is a suspect. This includes Lalaji's sister (
Leela Mishra Leela Mishra (1 January 1908 – 17 January 1988) was an Indian actress. She worked as a character actor in over 200 Hindi films for five decades, and is best remembered for playing stock characters such as aunts (''Chachi'' or ''Mausi''). She ...
) and her son Ramesh and his girlfriend Mukta, Chandan's elder brother Narendra and his wife. Curious Prakash is determined to solve the mystery of the mansion and start an investigation on his own. He persuades Chandan to show him the closed rooms of Rani, in a separate annex, which was forbidden to enter by any one after her death twelve years ago by orders of Lala Baijnath. Prakash tells Chandan that someone is using the plush closed rooms and they are not unoccupied. After examining the place, they return. Chandan informs Prakash that Rani was a beautiful 24-year-old woman from Lucknow and was the daughter of a whore. She was brought by Lala to the mansion and provided all comforts and care. Prakash continues to hear mysterious sounds in the night from his bedroom. He follows a woman in white clothing to no avail. Meanwhile, Chandan and Prakash's camp mates along with the Professor visit the mansion on invitation by Chandan. Rekha throws her sandal into a well and dares Prakash to bring it out after hearing his swimming skills from others. To add further excitement, Nandini dumps her expensive bangle into the well and challenges Prakash to bring it out and keep the same as reward. Without wasting any time, Prakash jumps into the well and disappears from sight to the dismay of the onlookers. When he reappears after some time, he holds the corpse of the murdered nurse Thelma. Meanwhile, the mysterious woman in white clothing continues to haunt Prakash and he feels like having a nervous breakdown. As the time passes the day of full moon arrives again, warned by the gardener (
Jankidas Jankidas Mehra (1910 – 18 June 2003) was an Indian actor of Hindi cinema, cyclist, production designer, and writer. He made over 1000 film appearances between the 1930s and 1997. Biography Sports Although various press articles in India ...
) and family doctor all are asked to stay vigilant to face any untoward incident. In the midnight, a silhouette with a knife in her hand approaches sleeping Lala Baijnath and stabs his blanket covered body. In the meantime, alert Prakash catches the murderer red-handed, who is none other than Nandini. She tries to put the blame on Prakash, but Lala Baijnath is put to sleep elsewhere by the doctor and the new nurse nearby to deceive the murderer. He recovers from his paralysis due to further shock, reveals to all that Nandini was actually the daughter of Rani and was suffering from the same mental disease as her mother, an illness whose attacks occur on full moon days and which had cost her life twelve years ago as she had accidentally fallen down from the stairs. Lala reveals further that the nurse Thelma entered the room and screamed when she saw Nandini trying to kill Lala, upon which Nandini tried to stab her and in that process Thelma falls into the well. Lala gets a paralytic attack and collapses on the floor due to shock. After Lala's revelation, everyone present is in state of shock. When Nandini claims to the doctor that she is innocent, the doctor agrees and blames the full moon night for the tragedy and assures her that she will be treated by him. Nandini leaves the place satisfied and sings the same haunted song as she marches ahead towards the open terrace.


Cast

*
Manoj Kumar Manoj Kumar (born Harikrishan Giri Goswami; 24 July 1937 – 4 April 2025) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful actors in t ...
as Prakash Gupta * Nandini as Nandini * Kumud Chhugani as Jyoti, Chandan's sister * Shiv Kumar as Chandan *
Prem Chopra Prem Chopra (born 23 September 1935) is an Indian actor in Hindi films. He has acted in 380 films over a span of over 60 years. Life and education Chopra, the third of six children of Ranveerlal and Rooprani Chopra, a Punjabi Hindu family, was ...
as Peter, nurse's boyfriend *
Rajendra Nath Rajendra Nath Malhotra (8 June 1931 − 13 February 2008) was an Indian actor and comedian in Hindi and Punjabi films. Early life and family Rajendra Nath was born on 8 June 1931 in Tikamgarh, which is now in Madhya Pradesh. His family was ...
as Sumer Singh, Munim's son * D.K. Sapru as Lala Baijnath *
Kishore Sahu Kishore Sahu (22 November 1915 – 22 August 1980) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He appeared in 22 films between 1937 and 1980, and he directed 20 films between 1942 and 1974. His directorial ven ...
as doctor * Robin Banerjee as Ramesh, Lalaji's nephew * Parveen Choudhary as Mukta *
Bela Bose Bela Bose (1943 or 1944 – 20 February 2023) was an Indian dancer and actress who was active in Hindi films during the 1960s and 1970s. Early life Bela Bose was born in Calcutta on 1 January 1943 or 1944 into a well-to-do family. Her fathe ...
as Rekha, Prakash's college mate * Raj Kishore as Birju, Lala's servant * Bramh Bharadwaj as Mukta's advocate father * Sailesh Kumar as the investigating police inspector *
Leela Mishra Leela Mishra (1 January 1908 – 17 January 1988) was an Indian actress. She worked as a character actor in over 200 Hindi films for five decades, and is best remembered for playing stock characters such as aunts (''Chachi'' or ''Mausi''). She ...
as Lalaji's sister *
Jankidas Jankidas Mehra (1910 – 18 June 2003) was an Indian actor of Hindi cinema, cyclist, production designer, and writer. He made over 1000 film appearances between the 1930s and 1997. Biography Sports Although various press articles in India ...
as gardener * Thelma as Thelma, nurse * Gope Raj as Professor


Soundtrack


References


External links

* 1965 films Indian horror thriller films 1960s Hindi-language films Films directed by Kishore Sahu Films scored by Salil Chowdhury Cross-dressing in Indian films {{1960s-Hindi-film-stub