You know how some movies are listed down as super hits and you never know what was so super about them? Or, you thought you knew back then, but now, you?re really not so sure?
The latter defines my state of being with the movie Hum Aapke Hain Koun??
I mean, when I was about six years of age, this movie released in theatres all across India, 1994.
It was declared a SUPER HIT! It was hard to get tickets in the first week?
Anyways, I LOVED this movie?it was AMAZING! I can still remember watching the Opening Scene where Mads and Salman sing the theme song and their facial expressions are hard to forget?also, the delicious scent of pastries (in the cinema hall)still lingers in my mind?sigh?5 times I saw it in the cinemas...=P
This movie brought a fresh change (although it set a precedent for stale family movies to come in the following years), as it differed from all the action and blood we had been witnessing?you didn?t need blood and guts for a movie to do well.
Anyways, enough of my nonsense?let?s get to the core?
Starring:
Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Alok Nath, Reema Lagoo, Mohnish B., and a WIDE variety of others whose whose smiling faces still haunt me in my sleep?
Plot:
Alok Nath is the goody-goody uncle of Mohnish and Salman, who gave up his own jawaani (youth) to work hard, build a strong empire and raise his two nephews.
Yes and of course, both the nephews excel in their studies, are hard working people, love their family to bits, sing songs on every occasion and always refrain from being too snobbish.
The eldest one, Mohnish, is of marriageable age. He is the sensible one?his match is fixed with the eldest daughter of Anupam Kher, who turns out to be best buds with Alok Nath?and his wife, Reema Lagoo was the ex-flame of Alok Nath in their college days?hhmm?don?t think, because nothing really happens?they remain respectable towards each other.
Now, whilst this is going on, apna Sallu Bhai is entranced by Madhuri?s beauty?and of course, falls in love with her. She just thinks he?s a loser/fool.
After a whole heap of songs and family happiness, Mads finally falls for Salman?s charm. No one knows of their little affair?until Pooja (who is Salman?s sister-in-law and also happens to be Madhuri?s older sister) is told?but, alas, she dies before she can tell anyone?Mohnish is devastated with her death?Pooja dies leaving an orphaned (well, without a mother) baby. What to do?
Anupam Kher suggests that Madhuri be married off to Mohnish so the little kid can have a mother?there is some misunderstanding?and Madhuri says ?yes? to the proposal?without really knowing that it?s a ?yes? to her once jeejaji.
Now, this is the problem. What will Madhuri and Salman do? Will they respect their elders and follow their orders submissively or will they stand up and fight?
Analysis:
Now, thing is this was a great movie for me way back then?I loved all the ?comedy? scenes and all the songs?and Madhuri?s costuming
However, thing is, when you get older, you see the movie for what it really is. It?s a fake representation of family life. And that fakeness gets quite annoying. I mean, just count the number of time Ajit goes ?Bhai WAH!??.seriously, that?s enough to get on your nerves!
Then, the way that everyone claps at every bloody little thing?they clap and all laugh at the smallest things said?note: When Anupam is to do his ?Sholay? acting?he hasn?t even started and already everyone is clapping, cheering and laughing!
BUT
I have given it four stars?therefore, I must enjoy it to an extent! Well, firstly, the four stars are also, there?you know, lost memories?when I used to love the film?was in my TOP 1! Hehehe?but yeh, times change
Anyways, there WERE some scenes, which I particularly liked
? The scene where ?Rita? attempts to make Gajar Ka Halwa for Prem?and instead of sugar puts in salt?and how the two servants let her?I found that so funny back then?and still do! And then, you?ve got to see Bindu?s face after she has a little bit of it??Aapki mousiji ko marna?!? (?Your aunt?s gonna die??)
? When Madhuri pretends to be the Manager?and then just presumes that Salman is one of those students who visit Anupam Kher (professor)??aaatein hai apne number bhardvaane? (?To increase their marks?)
? Actually, all of the scenes between Madhuri and Salman are the BEST! Their sensitive scenes?their comedy scenes?their nehle pe dehla (tit for tat) scenes?seriously, they shared such good chemistry?amazing! Like, the one where Salman repeats a section of a ?sher? when Mads is coming down the stairs
? The wedding scene?on all the places where they hide the shoes?and the tricks that Madhuri and the girls play?funny
? The ?godh bharai? scene where the three guys try every trick in the book to watch the ladies sangeet?and of course the scene with Bindu =P
? The scene where Bindu gets slapped?and then the funeral one is also =(
Music:
The music was a LOT, but it was ALL good! So I is not complaining!
The best tracks are ?Joote Do Paise Lo?, ?Maye Ni Maye?, ?Didi Tera Devar?, ?Hum Aapke Hain Koun???, ?Wah Wah Ramji?, ?Mausam Ka Jadoo?, ?Pehla Pehla Pyaar?, ?Mujhse Juda Ho Kar??lol, the whole album!
Most of the lyrics were by Dev Kohli and Music is by Raamlaxman?total hit man! The visuals in the songs are also well shot?the cinematography is fantastic especially in the song ?Yeh Mausam Ka Jadoo?
In my opinion, before Sallu had a lot of plastic added to his face, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam was the best vocalist for him?and for most of his previous movies, S.P used to sing for him. Now I don?t think that the voice will gel well.
Lata ji is terrific?you can just differentiate her voice?I mean, her voice is magical?brings so much emotion into all the songs! Shouldn?t have to say anymore!
Direction is quite good by Sooraj Barjatya, least it didn?t promote vulgarity like MPKDH did. I mean, yeh, this movie DOES have all the goody-goody family life, who are just too good?no stop?to fake to be true?I mean, give me a break, who laughs and claps and is happy all the time?
The climax is a let down?or the complication more like it?I mean, the problem?s introduced in the last 30 mins and it?s resolved so quickly too! Moreover, it wasn?t that great a problem. I mean, couldn?t Madhuri just bring up the kid like her nephew? Did Anupam want to ruin his younger daughter?s life too?
Anyways, this movie that will bring back memories?it?s worth watching once?but for today?s audiences?forget it, you might just get frustrated by the amount of good will in this movie. Nevertheless, I would still recommend it, regardless because it?s still a gem in its own right. Watch it for Salman or Madhuri?their chemistry is awesome!
