Jan 10, 2004 09:03 PM
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(Updated Jan 10, 2004 09:14 PM)
It was just a few days back, I was on one of my cleaning spree and came across my 4th standard diary. Going through the pages, spotted a page with the write-up of a song 'lakdi ki kathi, kathi pe ghoda';. All of a sudden my memories were revived and I was there in front of Savitri Cinema Hall, New Delhi, holding daddy's hand and walking with ma and dad into the theatre hall to watch Masoom. That was my first encounter with this wonderful movie. I still remember that months after the film was off the theatres, we kids would enact out the child characters of the film and play 'lakdi ki kathi' in school and in the locality playground. But after the show what made me feel strange was why was ma and dad so serious while watching the film, the story was after all that of kids and singing and dancing to 'lakdi ki kathi'. What was there that I couldn't get and they understood better? It was many years after my first encounter, when I saw this film again, I actually realized the depth of the film. Realized that this film was much more than 'lakdi ki kathi', and then onwards I have never missed this film on any TV channel.
The Crew: The Backbone
The film was directed by Shekhar Kapoor and is one of his finest films. Gulzarsaab wrote the screenplay and https://lyrics. Music was by Late R D Burman. The main star cast included Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Sayad Jaffri, Supriya Pathak, Tanuja, Urmila Matondkar, Jugal Hansraj and another little girl don't know her name as child artists. There were others also but don't remember their names.
The Story: Synopsis
A story of a small family, headed by DK (Naseeruddin Shah), his loving wife Indu played by Shabana Azmi and their two daughters Rinki (Urmila) and Mini (Don't know the name). A picture of a perfect happy family. But all of a sudden from nowhere arrives a telegram for DK informing him of his son from another lady Bhavna played by Supriya Pathak. DK and his happy world are shattered by this news but it leaves him with no choice but to tell Indu about
this son. Quite naturally Indu can’t accept this fact and feels being cheated but has to allow her husband to bring this child home. That starts a tensed relationship between the husband and wife as they end up in a cold war situation. Amidst all these tensions little Rahul (Jugal Hansraj) enters the family picturesque. Rahul a face of innocence slowly catches up with Rinki and Mini and the three become good friends, but can't understand the distance that his Indu aunty maintains from him. Meanwhile Rinki and Mini console him by saying that their father will find his father and that their mother also loves him but feels shy to express her love for him. With quite a number of twists and turns that bring the father and the son closer, Rahul learns that DK is his real father and he runs away from the house. While everyone is worried and searching for him all over the city he is brought back to the house by some night guard. Indu confronts him and is shocked to find out that Rahul has learnt the bitter truth about his father. The pain and misery of the little one melts all hatred that Indu had for this child and finally she accepts him to their small and happy family.
This film is a rip off of an English film called 'The Man, Woman and Child', although the story is based on the English film but there are certain differences. In the English film the main opposition the man faced was from his daughters who couldn't accept their father having a son from any other woman other than their mother and in the end the son goes away. But in the Indian version the two daughters never come to know the truth and the family is not disintegrated in the
end but they all unite. May be because its India and we are known to forgive and forget the film was more acceptable as it is and wouldn't have been appealing if it had been otherwise.
Performance: The Star Act
As a child all I remembered were the kids, but today when I see the film I feel that each and every actor in the film has played their roles to their best capacities. Whether it is Naseerudin Shah, Shabana Azmi or the little role that Tanuja had to play as Shabana's friend, philosopher and guide, or Sayad Jaffri's character or the three little kids, for whom this film will always be remembered. The credit goes to
the director to bring out the best performances.
Music: All Time Hits
Gulzar and R D Burman came together to give excellent songs for this film that blended well with the theme and the flow of the story. Whether it is the happy-go-lucky tune of 'Huzoor is kadar bhi na ikrake chaliye', or the lullaby 'Do naina ek kahani, thoda sa badal, thoda sa pani', or let it be the sad 'Tujhse naraz nahin, zindagi' or the magical 'Lakdi ki kathi, kathi pe ghoda'.
Even today the songs from this film are in the favorites list of many music lovers.
Scenes that made this film a special one: these are by my opinions the most memorable scenes of this film that made it so special.
In Sayad Jaffri's farm seeing Rahul play cricket well, DK can't resist boasting of his son and express his feelings. This is the scene where DK for the first time admits and accepts Rahul as his son in public.
While making a wooden birdie cozy, Rahul cuts his hand and rushes to the kitchen with blood oozing out of his finger and utters the word 'Ma'. The tears in Rahul's eyes and the glare of hatred in Indu's eyes have brought tears to my eyes whenever I have seen this scene.
When Rahul tells Indu that he knows DK is his father and that he is sorry. Indu is shocked and rushes out of the room and cries her heart out in the stairs. The pain and grief that Rahul suffers actually melts the hatred that Indu had for Rahul and she realizes that she has started to love this little one.
In the end when Mini shows Indu Rahul's sketch book where he had scratched off his paintings, as he felt that he is not a part of their family.
And off course the first frame and the last frame of the film, made the film very special a perfect picture of small and happy family. First frame the couple with two daughters sitting on the laps. Last frame the couple with the three kids, son sitting on the mother's lap and the two daughters with their father. A complete family.
Conclusion:
This is a family drama, which people of all generations can enjoy. Although the story is not for kids to value or understand but the presence of the three little kids in the film has made this film a child's delight. A must watch film.
Comments are most welcomed and requested.
Paromita Dey
