The Year ?1988 It was the 80?s, the decade in which Bollywood touched new lows literally speaking. It was a time when I kept off Hindi movies for good. As for the songs in Hindi movies they were so awfully bad, that the minute a song came on the screens, people would run out for a smoke or a breath of fresh air.
Movie going in the 80?s was an ordeal to be endured. And all the so called stars both the established ones and the newer ones looked so jaded and stereotyped. In such a dismal scenario, came a movie starring 2 new comers and a completely new supporting cast also. Though the story was a typical Romeo Juliet story, set against the backdrop of feuding Thakurs, the freshness in the treatment of the story, the sweet innocence of the lead pair, the wonderfully engaging movements and yes that superb melodic score by Anand Milind ensured that this movie would be a hit ousting many of the bigger movies at that time. To an audience fed up of watching the antics of the established stars, the straight from the heart performances of the lead pair, was like manna from heaven.
The Movie ?Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak The Heroine ?Juhi Chawla Though this was not exactly Juhi?s debut movie, she made her debut way back in a dud called ?Sultanat?, QSQT was her first major break. And the Hero, Aamir Khan who became the newest pin up boy for a whole generation of females, my sister had a huge poster of him. Like Hrithik with KNPH, Aamir Khan was India?s latest sensation. Females of that time just went gaga over him, and a new star was born.
To be honest, though Aamir was much better than most of the then established stars, I never really thought much highly of him. To me he just remained one of those lover boy heroes with chocolate looks who got a lucky break. And when movies like ?Love Love Love?, ?Deewana Mujhsa Nahin?, ?Afsana Pyar Ka? followed, it only reinforced my belief, that he was just another one hit wonder who would fade out soon.
He was playing the same old lover boy roles in the same old love stories. Though Dil was a hit in 1990, I never really liked that movie at all. It was so loud, so regressive and too much over the top, with all actors hamming to the hilt. I am sure if it were released today, the movie would be a major flop. Again with other turkies like ?Tum Mere Ho? and ?Jawani Zindabad?, it seemed to me that Aamir was all set to go the Kumar Gaurav way.
The first time I really started admiring Aamir was with the 1991 hit Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin . Though a copy of the Frank Capra 30?s classic It Happened One Night , this Mahesh Bhatt directed movie was a really sweet romantic comedy, and was thoroughly entertaining from the start to the end.
One of the few good movies that Bhatt sir has directed, before he let his ego get the better of him. But above all it was Aamir as Raghu Jetley which made this movie worth a watch. As the gold digging journalist, who befriends a runaway girl Pooja Bhatt, Aamir bought a sort of laid back carefree style to his role and it was the first time his sense of humor was bought out wonderfully. Especially in the scene where he coolly tells Pooja Bhatt that she has lost her purse. Aamir with his tongue in cheek acting, his laid back ways really bought to life the movie.
But it was with Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992) that all my misgivings about Aamir were fully blown away, and I was happy to lose in fact. JJWS will always be one of my favorite movies, I rate it as one of the best entertainers, and Aamir along with his cousin Mansoor Khan comes out with another winner.
A take of on the Archie comics against the backdrop of a bicycle race, JJWS, is one movie I could see any number of times again and again. And of course Aamir in the role of Sunju Lal is just brilliant. As the carefree reckless youngster, who later has to shoulder his family?s responsibilities, Aamir traverses a wide range of emotions, and he just makes you fall in love with him in this movie. It was a pity he lost out for a well deserved award to Anil Kapoor?s mediocre performance in Beta. It was the first time I saw Filmfare goofing up so badly, after which it has become a tradition I guess.
Aamir again followed it up with another good performance in another charming romantic comedy Hum Hain Raahi Pyaar Ke , 1993 with Mahesh Bhatt. The movie took its title from an old hit song of Kishore da( in fact if you remember this song is used in a small bit in Dil Hai Ki ? also) and was a remake of the Cary Grant ?Sophia Loren starrer Houseboat . Though HHRPK was a total Juhi show, where she displayed her brilliant comic timing as a South Indian girl running away from her marriage and who bumps into Aamir, Aamir provided an able counterfoil with his subtle but understated performance. His performance in the scene where he asks his employees to help him out to revive his company does touch your heart.
As Rahul Malhotra , the youngster who needs to take care of his dead sisters 3 kids, and also revive their sinking family business, Aamir put in a really good performance, and his stature as an actor was growing. He also had flops like ?Daulat Ki Izzat?, ?Parampara? also, but they were not able to dent his popularity.
1994 was the year when Aamir made a complete comic turn with that all time great comedy Andaz Apna Apna . This movie is one of the best comedies made so far, but unfortunately it really didn?t become very successful. Anyway Aamir along with Salman, made a great pair in this desi version of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. As the smooth talking, scheming Amar in this comedy, Aamir made a really wicked roguish Reggie to Salman?s bumbling Archie.
But it was in 1995 that Aamir really strengthened his position as one of India?s best actors with 3 very different movies. In Baazi directed by Ashutosh Gowatrikar , he proved that he could play an action hero with considerable ease. Though the movie was well directed( even though the climax was a straight lift of Die Hard) and had a good plot, it didn?t do well at the box office. And of course Ram Gopal Verma?s Rangeela which will be remembered as the movie which transformed Urmila Matondkar from plain Jane to India?s newest sex symbol, and I must say Urmi is still streets ahead of all the Mallikas, Payals and Nehas.
But could we ever forget Aamir in this movie in the role of Munna, the tapori with a heart of gold. His dialogues in this movie are by now history, and of course his performance in the scene where he goes on a date with Urmi to a five star restaurant, is a piece de resistance.
But just when you felt that you had seen Aamir?s best, he came up with a knockout performance in his cousin Mansoor Khan?s Akele Hum Akele Tum as a divorced father, who brings up his son. Again this was one of those good movies which flopped at the box office, but Aamir?s performance was just outstanding again. Especially in the climax where he breaks down knowing that his son, would be taken away from him. Again with DDLJ sweeping the nation, Aamir?s performances in Rangeela and AHAT were overlooked.
CONTD IN COMMENTS-GOING TO BE QUITE A LONG ONE