Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Yash Chopra's Lamhe though a known box office failure is a once in a while beauty captivating a viewer with moments which enthral, moments of passion, moments of beauty, of love and all emotions connected to it. It's a beautiful story of great relationships between the protagonist players.

The film span's two decades with Kunwar Viren Pratap Singh's (Anil Kapoor) journey from early 20's to early 40's. Viren is a Thakur from Rajasthan, raised in London primarily by his nanny Dai Ja (Waheeda Rehman), who on a visit to India falls in love on the very first sight with Pallavi (Sridevi) his beautiful neighbour from another Thakur family, Pallavi is older than him, yet Viren is mesmerised by her grace and wit. Pallavi introduces him to Rajasthan and it's culture in a beautiful manner and has him hooked on to it forever. Even before Viren can express his love for her calamity strikes his love, Pallavi's father passes away and Viren discovers her love for an Air Force Officer, Siddharth (Deepak Malhotra). Viren helps them to get married. Himself with a very heavy heart that is bared out to Dai Ja and his friend Prem (Anupam Kher) returns to London, seemingly forever.

Tragedy strikes yet again. Siddharth dies in a car crash and Pallavi dies in childbirth, leaving her daughter Pooja in Dai Ja's arms. Viren is devastated and asks Dai Ja to bring up Pooja in his ancestral Palace in Rajasthan. For the next 18 yrs Viren, still very much in love with Pallavi keeps visiting the palace to perform a havan for Pallavi, but fails to see Pooja each time on her birthday.

Pooja grows up in fascination of Viren and with the same values as his through the common thread Dai Ja. Finally on her 18th birthday Pooja reveals herself to Viren and time just stops. She is a splitting image of her mother. Viren enjoys her company and Dai Ja and Pooja hop over to London to live with Viren.

Pooja falls head over heals in love with Viren and strikes up a great friendship with Prem, together the foursome (Viren, Pooja, Dai Ja and Prem) have a rickrollicking time in London and without his knowledge Viren is drawn very close to Pooja in an intimate way and Pooja welcomes it. Dai Ja and Prem see it happen and welcome it too. Viren has a good friend in Anita who is more his age and madly in love with him, who Viren considers only a friend. Amidst all the fun and games Pooja admits her love for Viren to him, and Viren receives it as a shock and snubs her. He is forced to tell her the truth, and admits to his love for her mother rather than her. Unheeding, Pooja continues her fascination for Viren and due to his cold behaviour and decision to marry Anita, Pooja is forced to leave London along with Dai Ja. Prem resents this and tells him so.

Meanwhile Dai Ja persuades Pooja to get married, and Pooja refuses to marry until Viren actually does. A wedding invitation card arrives announcing Viren and Anita's knot but despite this Pooja refuses to marry. Just as she puts herself on the path as Viren had done 18yrs back, Viren arrives still single and with the dawn of realisation of his love for Pooja, as her own person and not her mother's look alike. Viren and Pooja begin a life together as moments of love begin.

This film showcases many relationships in a beautiful manner. The mother-child relationship of Dai Ja -Viren, of Dai-Ja Pooja are very well presented. Both Viren and Pooja consider her a mother with all due respect and love. Friendships are plenty, Viren -Pallavi, Viren- Prem, Pooja-Prem, Viren-Anita; bring out all the beautiful moments one can experience in friendship.

The film is beautifully shot in Rajasthan and England with superb performances by each actor. Despite the otherwise serious story, it's a total comedy, with the best comic sequences in it. Anupam Kher is brilliant in his comic timing. Sridevi is like a goddess in the film. As Pallavi she looks beautiful and truly royal with one of the best performances of her career. As Pooja she looks not a day older than 17, acts very well and is just great in her comic scenes and dances. Anil Kapoor can easily claim this to be one of his best performances. His performance is 'A' rate and he looks suave and chic throughout the movie, very truly a thakur. Waheeda Rahman has a central part to play and she manages it very well. Even dances to her hit "kaanton se khincke yeh aanchal" in the parody sequence.

The cinematography and direction are really the best. Music by Shiv Hari is very relevant with "morni baagan ma" being a rage during it's times. Shot aesthetically it truly takes you on a lovely journey and one enjoys every moment of the film, pure entertainment in it's most beautiful form.

To me it will always remain a mystery as to why the film could not garner box office craze as it has what it takes to be called a memorable film of Indian film history. A film that if one watches once will not forget, ever.

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