A male mind although liberal enough to allow a female to survive, will never allow her to flourish at his own cost. The virtues may hold him back. Being a good husband, friend, human being or the likes. But inside, he just fumes and frets. He just can’t take it.
Main Characters
Name:Subeer Kumar.
Sex:Male.
City:Bombay
Profile:Successful established singer.Rich.Popular.Female fans.Single.
Name: Uma
Sex:Female
Profile: Simple village girl. Immensely gifted. Heavenly voice.
Plot
What brings them together?
Music. What else? Subeer visits his Durga Mausi who is badi maa for Uma.During his couple of days stay at the village, he happens to listen to Uma’s rendition of strota paatha which leaves him mesmerized.It does not take him long to realize that he has found his soulmate in Uma.A hurried wedding follows in the village and the couple arrives in Bombay.
At the reception ceremoney, the couple sing a duet.An elderly maestro in music, comments to his colleague:
’’Uma is more talented than Subeer.History has taught that a male is superior to female. Uma will overtake Subeer in no time. If they ever decide to sing together(as declared or rather decided by Subeer), it will be fatal.’’
And his apprehension comes true! And how?
First the organizers opting for Uma. Then the solo songs which she sings reluctantly. Then the success. Fan following which eclipses that of Subeer’s. Awards and accolades follow.And soon start to pile up. Subeer feels dwarfed. Jealous. Angered at plotting his own nemesis.
Uma, being the simple village girl would do anything to keep her relationship alive. She offers to stop singing solos. That hurts Subeer’s ego further. Sacrifice? Qurbaani? No way!
Things go worse. Subeer turns to drinking. Spending time away from home at Chitra’s residence. Chitra is Subeer’s friend who at one time wished to marry him but after his marriage to Uma is gracious enough to accept the reality. Chitra doesnot have any evil plots.She too tries to make him get back to Uma. But to no avail.
Uma leaves for village, saddened by Subeer’s outburts of not needing her in his life anymore. ’’I don’t need anyone in my life!’’, he retorts.
At village, Uma is found to be pregnant with Subeer’s child. But the child dies a still death before being delivered. Uma becomes a walking corpse. She neither eats, smiles or weeps. Subeer, by now has realized the damage done but feels too guilty to face Uma and bring her back in his life. Even though he succeeds in bringing her back to Bombay, he finds it impossible to revive her health and help her come out of the trauma.
It was music which brought them together, music which caused a rift between them.And again, it is music plays the role in bringing her back to normal and re-uniting them.
Screenplay
I would give a few examples of brilliant screenplay.
1.When Subeer expresses his love and proposes to Uma, she blushes. The camera focuses on her feet getting together on the ground.
2.In good times, Subeer when awakened by Uma every morning pulls her towards himself on the bed to make love. Contrast this with his grimace when things have turned sour and he has turned jealous.
3.A fan snatches the autograph book from Subeer when Uma arrives. A photographer asks him to get out of the frame to click a solo snap of Uma. This is to bring alive the simmering jealousy in Subeer’s mind.
4.When jealousy sets in, Subeer looks at Uma’s portrait hung on the wall. He presses the tape recorder’s play button. It plays ’’ Sajan bindiya le legi teri nindiya’’. Here it implies that ’I will take away sleep from your eyes’.
The scenes are too many to be listed here.
Performances
Subeer and Uma are brough alive by Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri. The fact that off screen husband and wife play on screen couple too, helps the movie.Asrani gives the performance of his lifetime. He plays Chandru, Subeer’s buddy cum secretary. He is the catalyst in the entire process. At times funny, at times poignant, at times serious, he is just too good. Durga Khote as Durga Mausi, Bindu as Chitra and A K Hangal as Uma’s father give ample support.
Music
Music maestro S D Burman’s gems are unforgettable. They are so inherent to the theme of the plot. Meet na mila re mann ka, Nadiya kinare, Loote koi mann ka nagar, Ab to hai tumse, Piya bina, Tere mere milan ki ye raina...all of these songs, are so well penned and placed in the movie.
Direction
Hrishikesh Mukherji. The man spelled magic when it came to displaying emotions and relationships on screen. Never resorting to melodrama, his characters never went loud or went over the top. Utterly believeable story telling and characters keeping the entertainment factor in mind.
Abhimaan remains unique as it isn’t a typical ’husband and wife turn foes’ or ’another one entering the couple’s peaceful life’. It focuses on how a male ego can destroy the very relationship it yearns to nurture.