Little did I know that that evening when I went to the cinema, my perspective on my parents was about to change forever. My parents and I, the three of us walked into a dark cinema hall, whose message would brighten our lives. A little light, not much light, but you couldn’t deny its presence.
The fashion- clothes ads met their end and with that a certificate of ’U’ and a BR Films logo unfolding grandly on the screen, the story was on.
Amitabh Bacchan walked in from office, to be welcomed by his wife Hema Malini, and they called each other Raj and Pooja (filmi enough names!). That was the last filmi thing we’d see in this film
Contrary to your everyday dadaji-dadiji, who yelp ’’Sunte-Ho, Paani le aana’’, as if they had forgotten each other’s name in a fit of dementia, Raj and Pooja were still madly in love. An ’ageless’ love story. You could actually feel their love after all these 40 years. Autumnal couples intimate, nay that ain’t filmi.
Together this couple have had four children, ironically all boys, and one adopted son. All five are on their own now, everything’s hunky dory with Raj in a bank job, when the trouble begins
Retirement is looming ominously on the horizon, and the concerned father Raj has already spent his entire retirement sum on bailing their children out of finacial crises.Now, there’s nowhere to look, but one place- the children in whom they had invested everything, (Raj is an a bank remember) and could expect their love as compound interest.
So after a fun-filled colourful Holi get together as an excuse, he asks his children if they can stay with them- surely they can expect this much! When Raj and Pooja assure each other that everything will be fine- those thankless four children have something else in mind.
’’ Woh log aayenge aur hamara dimaag khaayenge! Aur dono ko ek saath rakhna, naamumkin!’’ Son 2’s wife mutters.
’’ But the one way out is telling them to spend six months separately- I’m sure they’ll decline- after all they can’t stay one day without each other! Maamla rafa-dafa!’’
But Kahaani mein twist The inseparable couple, considering this to be a means of appreciation from their well-intentioned children, assent to spend half a year in each son’s house. And with much tears and pain, Raj and Pooja are split apart by the very children whose lives they put together!
The treatment they receive at the hands of their children is anything but cordial. They are treated as paying guests, to the extent that Pooja is housed on the maid’s bed and Raj isn’t given the money to simply repair his glasses. You fear a pang of hurt for them when they speak on the phone. How can any children so easily forget the great deeds their parents did for them?
In his moments of pain and yearning for his beloved wife, Raj pens a book called ’Baghban’, which after an accidental discovery by a publisher, gets instant approval. Finally, when ’Baghban’ gets published, and wins a fortune, the four wretches come running and wag their tails in front of their reunited mother and father for a part of the prize money.
And what happens next will turn your life around...I’d rather not tell you, go see it for yourself.
But in that last scene, when I looked to my side, my parents were crying, the tears streaming out of their moist eyes down their cheeks.
And a confession- I almost cried too. This is heart-wrenching stuff, a nd yet so close to our lives
As you can see, this story is brilliant in its simplicity But is a story enough?
You needn’t worry- Performances are so electrifying! Amitabh Bacchan deserves an award, especially for his last speech. And Hema Malini... she is stunning! She looks so young, radiant and beautiful, no wonder a film magazine called her Esha Deol’s younger sister. Thankfully, her looks are not everything she has too offer, with a dazzling performance in tow. The Amitabh- Hema chemistry is still very much there, after all these years from Satte pe Satta.
Salman Khan as the caring adopted child is outstanding, simply because in comparison to his real life personality, he had a real tough acting job to do.
Lilette Dubey and Paresh Rawal, as the Gujarati couple who are Raj, or Motabhai as they call him’s only friends, make a cute, quirky act. Aman Varma and company, who play the ungrateful children, we viewers are grateful, do a good job. Theres’ another special appearance, but I won’t tell you who...
Songs are great (I’m saying this for all you mahan log who haven’t heard Soni Ve, Chali Chali, and Holi Ke Rang)
BUT THE BIGGEST STRENGTH OF ALL THIS IS AN AMAZINGLY WRITTEN SCRIPT CRISP AND POWERFUL DIALOGUE! If it brings tears to your eyes, then I think it definitely needs a hand
BR Chopra, as always, has provided a power-packed message, demanding the most crucial message of all, the red letter question can we realy trust our family? Do we really pay back all the hard work and love that our mother and father showered on us? Our children today truly their parent’s Budhaape Ka Sahaaraa?My parents had become so emotional- as if they feared that such a day would ever come! Are we really grateful for all the pains our parents have taken, or do we consider them to be mere ladders to help us get to the top?
Whatever be the answer, this movie sure makes it to the top! So whatever you do
you JUST HAVE TO WATCH Baghban if there’s any nervous tissue in your skull! Go go- watch the story of every family- not the separation- just the parental respect and gratitude vs. attitude! I loved this movey and I’m sure you’ll love it too. After all this story is about the truest love of all isn’t it?
P.S Al, youngsters like me, for once buy the movie tickets from your and not your parents pockets, ok?