Let me reveal something here - This is my most favorite love story of all-time - It's very sweet, cute, romantic and magical. Although I expect there will be many more great love stories will come out from India over the years, it's unlikely that QSQT will ever slip to second place. Reason? Honestly, I don't know. May be I am bias to this one or because of naive lead characters or cute story or my own younger age when movie released or may be it relates to my adolescent school days. There is no specific answer. Just like many who were in school in mid-1990s, DDLJ will be their favorite love story forever; QSQT will be my favorite love story forever.
QSQT will be always remembered as reviving 60s and early 70s era's innocent love stories on Indian silver screens. If you look at closely, mid-1980s, Hindi cinema was producing social, action or masala movies with aged artists - actors like Aamitabh, Dharmendra, Jeetendra etc and music directors like Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji, R.D.Burman etc. This was the era when Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Sunny Deol, and Mithun were future of Indian cinema. QSQT gets credit for ending era of senseless violence in Hindi films and bringing back romantic musicals.
In 1988, Nasir Husain productions blessed with band of creative young group of artists - Director, Actor, Actress, Music Director, Male and Female Playback singers and created history called QSQT and It didn't take long for QSQT to become cultural phenomenon for new age Indian cinema. Lots of unknown promising artists - actors, music directors, singers career took off in late 80s and early 90s and most of them became legend by the time 2005.
Story
QSQT is a true Indian adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo-Juliet. QSQT is the story of two innocent lovebirds against the backdrop of intense family rivalry.
In small village, inevitable incident in the heat of anger became the root of an enmity so bitter and unforgiving between the families of Dhanraj Singh (Dalip Tahil) and Randhir Singh (Goga Kapoor) that it was to continue to send shockwaves of hatred and bloodshed into the next generation as well.
Years pass by, families already moved to Delhi for better business prospects, and fate brought together Dhanraj's son Raj (Aamir Khan) and Randhir's daughter Rashmi (Juhi Chawla) in Mt.Abu. They fall in love at first sight. They were drawn irresistibly to one another, and once again long simmering passions were ignited as the two feuding families tried to force the young lovers to accept a heritage of mutual hatred.
Despite implacable opposition, Raj and Rashmi continued to plan their life together. The rest of the film shows how they fight their families for their love, how they end the age-old enmity and what happens to them.
Analysis
Even though it's one of the most often repeated themes in world cinema. It's fresh perspective, innocent narration, new cute faces, young energetic team, melodious music everything worked so well that QSQT become cult classic. At the same time, even though I love this movie, I am not blind enough to overlook many unnecessary subplots – Group of crooks harassing Rashmi in jungle, Truck driver’s sequence in climax scene etc. are ordinary by today’s standards. I am not saying it was unnecessary but it could have been better.
As far as the scenes, many of them are unforgettable. Even though its love story, most of dramatic scenes is well executed and it will leave striking effect on your psyche. My favorites scenes are Dhanraj’s knowing Rashmi’s reality while dropping her back to camp, Dhanraj’s first confrontation with Raj when they came back from Abu, Randhir’s knowing Raj and Rashmi’s relationship and subsequent scene when he follows them in library and car, Raj trying to meet Rashmi on her engagement day, Raj and Randhir’s confrontation at Rashmi’s house, and I can go on and on. My most favorite sequence of the movie is climax. If you are familiar with Romeo-Juliet then you know the ending but I would not reveal it here. It’s one of most moving ending of love story I have ever seen in the Indian films.
Veteran director Nasir Hussain and Mansoor Khan worked with unknown music director Anand Milind and composed one of finest melodies of 1980s penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri. I honestly feel that QSQT along with Nadeem Sharawan’s Aashiqui was pioneer in starting a fresh wave of melodious music of 1990s. I still remember craze of QSQT songs in the summer vacation of 1988. Fresh magical melodies sung by relatively unknown playback singers, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan swept youngsters all over India including myself. - Papa Kehte Hain, Aye Mere Humsafar, Akele Hain To Kya Gum Hai, and Gazab Ka Hai Din all are catchy.
Akele Hain To Kya Gum Hai and Gazab Ka Hai Din both songs were partly dialogues, party melodies well blended in the story and ably well composed with fresh playful tunes. My most favorite song of the movie is undoubtedly - Aye Mere Humsafar. This will be always among my most favorite romantic songs compilation. Its placement, locals of ooty, lyrics, and tunes everything was amazing. How can I forget clock-ticking music, which starts this song? It was perfect song for perfect love story.
One of the best thing happened to QSQT was its Background score. Anand-Milind’s unique haunting score elevated some of dramatic scenes to the different level, which makes you glued to the seat while watching scenes with throbbing heart. Look out scenes when Dhanraj kills his sister’s lover, or when Dhanraj knows reality of Rashmi’s parents, or when Randhir looking for Raj-Rashmi in library and then follows him later in car.
This movie belongs to one of the best onscreen couple of Indian cinema - Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla. Their onscreen chemistry makes this movie real. They are so cute that your heart goes with them. Juhi's Rashmi's character is among the sweetest character I have seen along with Bhagyashree's Suman’s character in Maine Pyar Kiya. The way she says, ''HUM'' and “AAP” instead of ''MAIN'' and “TUM”, it feels like whole dialogue delivered with pure innocence and cuteness. Both of them well supported by mature cast especially Dalip Tahil and Beena as Raj’s parents, Alok Nath as Raj’s uncle, Zutshi as Raj’s cousin, Goga Kapoor and Reema Lagoo as Rashmi’s parents, and Shenaaz as Rashmi’s friend.
It seems like one of the reason youth of 1990s loved QSQT was because they felt very close to Aamir’s character. The young viewers were tired of the obedient patterns set by their earlier generation and watching aged superstars in the movies. Aamir’s character represented 1990s youth thinking, philosophies, and attitudes.
I am great fan of Mansoor Khan. He created one of my all-time favorites along with Aamir Khan – QSQT and JJWS. It’s really unfortunate that we haven’t got chance to see more of these talented duo.
Conclusion
What can I say about this magical journey? This movie is so cute that I just adore it. Whenever someone talks about QSQT, I feel some special sensation in myself. If you want to feel same way what I feel about it then you have to see it by yourself. You will never forget that experience. It’s an evergreen and timeless classic.
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