Shekhar Kapoor, one of Internationally acclaimed talented Indian director worked on family crisis drama – Masoom, his debut film in 1983. Masoom unfolds story of happily married man, his illegitimate son, and how it threatened his marriage. Even though secondary pillars of Masoom’s story is marriage, its tradeoffs, how husband and wife should let go if something is threatening their knot, its primary pillar rests on child’s understanding of his surrounding, and how he reacts when he knows what he looking for throughout his life is betraying him.
Story
D K Malhotra (Naseeruddin Shah), an architect, and his wife Indu (Shabana Azmi) are enjoying their happy married life with two adorable daughters – Rinki (Urmila Matondkar) and bubbly Mini. One doomed day, bombshell drops on their life when they discover that DK has a child from an extra-marital affair and child’s mother (Supriya Pathak) is dead and DK has to pick him up for further take care. Against Indu’s irresistible strong will, DK brings his son, Rahul (Jugal Hansraj) home.
As days passed by, kids get mixed up but Indu rejects every attempt of the Rahul's to reach out to her. Though the children can feel the tension in the house, they are unable to understand the reason. As DK knew things wouldn’t work out, he decides to put Rahul into boarding school. At last, Rahul knows truth about his real father, shattered and shocked that his father can’t accept him, runs away. In the final moments of film, Indu realize Rahul’s trauma and reluctantly accepts him into the fold and lives happily forever.
Analysis
Shekhar Kapoor directed this movie like artist drawing their most poignant art. Even though he worked on dream projects like “Bandit Queen”, and “Mr.India”, this movie stands out in his resume. The way he handled lead actors is laudable. His camera angle selection, shot composition, actor’s close-ups, fine-tuned by Gulzar’s screenplay in dramatic sequences with realistic treatment is any producer’s dream.
What can I say about this flawless screenplay? It could have been lot more over melodramatic and tearjerker but Gulzar kept it simple and realistic. There were no nonsense tearjerker scenes like Johar’s and Chopra's movies. Even though story is very sad, it turned out energetic, uplifting and joyful to watch. Shekhar Kapoor can't have better writer than Gulzar, when it comes to family relationship drama.
As you start watching movie, you drawn right into perfect world of DK family, you meet husband, wife, kids, husband's friends, and dream job. With in half an hour into movie, you start smelling something, really bad - shadow looming over their happiness - husband receive letter, knows horror truth about his extra-marital affair, tells his wife about adultery, wife reacts and confronts husband. Captivating first half of movie goes so fast that you don’t even realize. And – Suddenly much expected happens - Son comes to the house, kids are curious and little skeptical first then get mixed up, wife neither accept child nor forget her husband’s infidelity, sandwiched husband can't decide what to do, and slowly and slowly tense drama evolves in final scenes where child knows bitter truth.
Once you done watching movie, there are amazing number of emotional scenes will linger in your mind for a while. DK knowing truth about his son, DK tells Indu about adultery, Indu's birthday scenes, DK and Indu’s conversation on farm house, Rahul knowing reality and tells Indu ‘Sorry’, Indu tells DK go find his son, last sequence of Mini showing Indu Rahul’s sketch book are simply outstanding. Also watch out picture frames shot with family of 4 members in first scene and 5 members in last scene.
My most favorite scene is when Naseeruddin tells Shabana about adultery in their bedroom, their conversation, mature reaction of both characters, camera capturing their facial expressions are amazing. It has real life treatment without being over melodramatic. Whenever I see this scene, I have drawn into my TV without realizing surroundings.
Masoom is known for its evergreen songs penned by Gulzar and directed by great R.D.Burman – Tujh Se Naraz Nahin Zindagi, Lakdi Ki Kaathi, Huzur Is Kadar, Do Naina and Ek Kahani. Tujh Se Naraz Nahin Zindagi contains one of the best lyrics and sung beautifully by Lata and Anup Ghosal separately as solo. When you going through troubles in your life, how true it sounds? - Tujhse naraaz nahin zindagi hairaan hoon main, tere masoom sawaalon se pareshaan hoon main.
Bhupinder and Suresh Wadkar’s flamboyant, playful, naughty, and sizzling Ghazal - Huzur Is Kadar is one of my all-time favorites. This is rare Ghazal can be enjoyed in party mood and hummable while taking bath. Lakdi Ki Kaathi has grown up into high stature among Indian kiddies songs. It’s catchy, spontaneous, and can easily picked up by kids. First two antaras of this song intermixed with Horsewalk words - TABLAK TABLAK is one of the most favorite parts of my 3-year-old daughter. It is so effective and lingers in your mind that you are missing same words in third antara. I always fascinated by striking similarity of Masoom’s Lakdi Ki Kaathi in Bollywood with Sound of Music’s Do Re Mi in Hollywood in terms of popularity among kids.
One of the reasons we believed in characters, because of flawless acting of lead characters. Whole movie rested on three big shoulders - Husband, Wife, and Offspring. It's so rare to find a movie that doesn't take sides. You can’t judge who is right or wrong. This is rare movie I can recall where you feel sympathy for all characters even though they are at the opposite ends of triangle.
Naseeruddin Shah shows impeccable balance, as a sandwiched husband who doesn't want to see his house brought down and at the same time, doesn't want to do any injustice to the kid. He played complex character that watches his home tearing apart brick by brick and life turned upside down is simply mind-blowing. This is one of the best roles played by him throughout his career.
Shabana Azmi, underplays her character where she has to portray complex trauma of wife who doesn’t accept his husband’s adultery and child and at the same can’t leave husband for the future of her own daughters. She lost everything – picture perfect family and dream social life. As a wife, who’s happy dream thrown into turmoil; she underplays her anger, anguish, and dilemma of accepting the situation. Even though her character has negative shades, you feel special sympathy for her. This is one of toughest multi-shaded role she played in her career.
Jugal Hansraj shows amazing maturity, as a hapless kid and insecure offspring who is looking for his father, lives in some strangers home where aunt rejects him at every step and uncle loves him unconditionally. He is so cute and innocent that your heart goes for him and wants to cry out to Shabana to accept him.
Conclusion
After watching this movie recently and being father of 3-year-old daughter, I was forced to think - At what age child understand their surrounding? At what age they understand what’s good or what’s bad? At what age they understand whom to go for any help in times of crisis? I can’t say when but one thing is sure - they understand their surrounding and react and reach out way early than what we adult think. Masoom gave me reason to look into children’s mindset whenever I interact with them. It’s a serious drama, sensitive masterpiece, and timeless classic.
