Bhangra is one of the most well-known and most popular Punjabi films made in India and pretty much set the stage for what an A-grade Punjabi film needed to subsequently have in terms of cast and crew to score at the box office – Leading lady Nishi, Music Director Hansraj Behl and Playback singers Shamshad Begum and Mohammed Rafi.

The film is typical of Punjabi films made in India with a simplistic and rural based story told robustly with large doses of comedy, romance and drama and which is embellished with catchy music, often based on Punjabi folk and energetic song and dance sequences while romanticising the Punjabi pind or village.   Bhangra fulfils all these obligations more than satisfactorily.

The film is directed by Jugal Kishore who had helmed films like Ghulam Begum Badshah (1956) and the Geeta Bali - Suresh starrer Ten O’Clock (1958). While he continued making B movies in Hindi, Bhangra made him an important director in Punjabi cinema as he went on to direct important Punjabi films like Guddi (1961) and Jagga (1964). Though as mentioned, the story is quite standard, predictable and nothing to write home about, Jugal Kishore scores with his treatment and makes sure Bhangra keeps moving and is engrossing enough for the viewer.

The film came at a time for Nishi when she was playing the vamp in films like Insan Jaag Utha (1959) with Sunil Dutt or Main Nashe Mein Hoon (1959) with Raj Kapoor. With Bhangra, she became Punjabi cinema’s most saleable star and her dances in subsequent Punjabi films like Guddi, Jijaji (1961), Banto (1962) and Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai (1969) proved extremely popular with her being labelled the Vyjayanthimala of Punjabi films.  In Bhangra, her robust dances to Ambian De Butiyan Te and Rab Na Kare are the highlights of the film and she acquits herself quite well in the comedy and emotional sequences as well.  Sunder lends fine support as the comic hero who keeps falling off his cycle and he too became a popular presence in most Punjabi films. But then Sunder was no stranger to Punjabi films having earlier done films like Jugni (1953) as the hero. He had also established himself as a reasonably popular comedian in Hindi cinema by then through films like Howrah Bridge (1958) and Solva Saal (1958).  

The highlight of Bhangra is undoubtedly its music. The film has some of the most popular songs ever in the history of Punjabi films in India. The film is a triumph for composer Hansraj Behl and, in particular, playback singer Shamshad Begum as she warbles her way through Batti Balkay Banere Utte Rakhdi Han, Ambian De Butiyan Te, Been Na Bajin Mundeya and Mul Vikda Sajjan besides the all-time great duet with Mohammed Rafi – Rab Na Kare among others. Rafi too effectively makes the most of his solo - Chitte Dand Hasnon Nayion Rehnde.

All in all, Bhangra is light-weight and an entertaining watch.