::: A Valentine Gift :::. Review on Five Best Movies of Aamir Khan

Yes, I know Valentines Day (14th February) is over. But love is such a sacrosanct & stupefying feeling that you don?t need any particular day to celebrate it. For a true lover every day is Valentines Day, every hour is Valentines Hour and every minute is Valentines Minute.

So, I?d like to wish Pari a very Happy Valentines Day and what can be a better gift for her than a review on a person about whom she is simply crazy - Amir Khan! Also, I had let down my buddy afrank by not writing anything special on 14th February, so I?m sure after this review she will forgive me too, since Amir Khan happens to be her favourite actor as well!

(a). Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995)

This was Mansoor Khan?s third and best film with Amir after previous two hits (Qayamat se Qayamat Tak and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander). Maybe the four word titles proved lucky for him. This is one of the most matured love stories you?ll ever see in Bollywood. It not only shows the phase of puppy love (chocolate cakes, heart shaped balloons, teddy bears) but also the grim reality of marriage life, which isn?t exactly a bed of roses.

There is a difference between a husband and a lover! Amir is a singer and composer who dreams of making it big one day in the film industry. Manisha is a so-so singer who too wants to become a playback singer, but isn?t interested in classical music (which is imposed on her by her parents). She marries Amir against the wishes of her parents and then the struggle begins.

She is busy whole day with her household chores and a hyperactive kid, thus, getting no time at all for her singing practice. Amir is himself struggling to get a break and lost a chance with a leading music pair as he told them that their music is pedestrian. Manisha is frustrated at the fact, that her talent is getting wasted and Amir doesn?t seem concerned about her career.

So one fine day, she decides to quit leaving the kid with him. Amir?s struggle continues, whereas Manisha becomes a super-hit actress. Using her influence she gets Amir a break. When Amir comes to know of this, he feels deeply hurt. (One question for you ? Was it his self respect or male chauvinist ego? If he had got a job for Manisha using his influence then it is considered fine, so why not the other way round!) He loses his temper and asks her not to interfere in his life again. Manisha wants her kid now and goes to the court! The final courtroom drama is the perfect climax for this wonderful film.

(b). Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

We don?t see many movies on ?friendship? these days, although it?s one of the most basic relations we get into, right from our childhood. We can have one wife, one mother, one father but we can have as many friends as we like. Dil Chahta Hai is an urban love story, which also looks closely at the delicate relationship of college friendship. The movie beautifully depicts the pranks friends play at each other, the warmth they have for one another and also how sometimes misunderstanding can creep in this beautiful relationship called friendship.

Amir along with his two other friends Saif and Akshay have put life in the film, through their normal day-to-day interactions. Amir is the main protagonist and has shown the true class of his acting by giving so many close-ups in this flick that a normal actor won?t ever dare to! He was able to turn on and turn off his facial expressions on a mobile face with an effortless ease. It was certainly a treat to watch this movie and especially Amir?s natural acting. Farhan Akhtar couldn?t have hoped for a better debut than this!

(c). Lagaan (2001)

Ashutosh Gowarikar?s Lagaan is only the third film in the history of Indian cinema to have qualified as a nominee for the Oscar awards and that itself is a pretty good proof of how great the film is! The film is battle without bloodshed. It tries to drive home the point that nothing can beat persistence. If you have the will and determination to succeed then no matter how many obstacles come in your way, eventually you will be victorious!

Amir not only proved to be the lifeline of the movie through his excellent acting but also took the risk of producing this offbeat movie by investing 25 Crore Rupees when everyone else had rejected it, saying it would be a big flop! This act on his part shows not only what a great actor he is, but also it exhibits his matured mind that understands Indian cinema and Indian audience. The movie is about a cricket match between the British and some Indian villagers. If the former lose they forfeit the tax (Lagaan) and if the latter lose they pay triple tax. Amir knew that cricket sells in India and went on with the project with his own moolahs! (For more information read my review on Lagaan.)

(d). Rangeela (1995)

When the director is Ram Gopal Verma you can certainly expect a satisfying dose of entertaining and innovative cinema. The movie is about Amir (an orphan who is close to Urmila), Urmila (a dancer in Saroj Khan group, looking for a break in movies) and Jackie Shroff (a film star). Amir loves Urmila but is afraid to tell her about it due to the fear of rejection. On one of Urmila?s lucky days, she is dancing on the beach where Jackie sees her and is impressed instantly. He forces the director to cast her opposite him in their next film ?Rangeela?.

Jackie too starts loving her and they get very close to each other. Amir feels left out and presumes that Urmila too loves Jackie and he shouldn?t get in between. So, he decides to leave the town on the day of ?Rangeela?s? premier by leaving a note for Urmila. But eventually, being a supporting actor it?s Jackie who has to sacrifice his love for Amir?s sake. Yet another fine display of acting by Amir!

(e). Sarfarosh (1999)

Produced and Directed by John Mathew, this movie is very bold and daring. It?s based on the proxy war played by Pakistan in India. How the Pakistani terrorists supply weapons to Mumbai underworld for mass destruction and how the whole Muslim community is victimized due to a few bad Muslims. Amir Khan is an ACP who lost his brother and whose father got paralyzed due to a terrorist attack.

His mission is now to eradicate crime and establish peace, so that humanity can survive. The movie also tries to tell us that the Muslims who went to Pakistan after partition are not treated well and labeled as ?outsiders?. The movie blames Pakistan?s intelligence agency ISI for many terrorist activities in India. Amir has yet again shown his caliber. One of Amir?s major strengths is that he doesn?t over-shadows his co-stars and makes sure that the viewer?s attention isn?t on him but on the dialogue, and that positive characteristic has clearly come out with this flick.

Amir?s versatility can be clearly seen with the five different roles he has played in these movies ? a typical Indian husband, a fun loving urban youth, a villager, a tapori and an efficient cop respectively! **Let?s hope that this star called Amir Khan keeps shining on the horizon! It will be good for Bollywood! It will be good for us!

© Tanmay Singh, 2005*