As many of you know, I am not that big a fan of Bollywood films in general. Just like cinema in any other country, there are great films and poor ones. I do, however, find that most of Yash Chopra’s films are quite different. He seems to touch on more controversial subjects, and he keeps them lighter. Dharmaputra, Silsila, and Lamhe are my three favorite films that he has directed. He adds style and grace to his films. I feel that the camera work he uses in his films were much ahead of its time. Also, he is not afraid to take a risk. He is a man who is a perfectionist in his craft as well as aware of making people develop feelings for the characters in his film.
I first watched Lamhe in 1992 when I was just 15. My dad likes Bollywood musicals, and he used to drag us kids to the movie house in St. Petersburg that played Indian and Iranian films. I really liked this film, but I feel I was missing something. See, just like Sholay I was forced to see the film dubbed in Russian. I think it loses something when it is not in the original Hindi. I am not so fluent in Hindi/Urdu that I cannot do without subtitles, but one can tell the emotion conveyed by the original actors in the roles. I watched this film again a few months ago with my best friend Ajit, since my husband hates to watch Hindi films. It is sometimes best to see a film a second time.
Cast: The cast is led by Anil Kapoor who is by far one of the better Hindi actors. He is very convincing in his role as Virendra Pratap Singh(Viren). He plays a young lovestruck boy and a older heartbroken man equally well. Sridevi is amazing as both mother Pallavi and daughter Pooja. I admire her for playing both roles equally well. She is great as the older woman who is the object of Viren’s desires, and as the innocent, childlike Pooja whom Viren does his best to avoid. Anupam Kher, who is a great character actor and comic relief as Prem does are great job playing the concerned friend of Viren. To round up the cast, the amazing classic actress Waheeda Rehman plays Dai Jaa. She raised both Viren and Pooja. She is smashing, and she proves that she is still such an amazing actress and dancer.
Plot: The plot is like something out of a daytime serial in a way. The difference is Yash Chopra’s brilliance as a director and the superb cast. Viren meets Pallavi on his trip back home from college. She is the daughter of a close family friend. He sees Pallavi, and he is instantly attracted. The problem is she is a bit older than him, and her heart belongs to another man. Viren never expresses his love to her. She marries the other man, and becomes pregnant. Pallavi and her husband are in a motor accident. The husband dies, and Pallavi is critical. She begs Viren, who promised her father to take care of her after he died, to make sure her daughter, Pooja, whom she has just given birth to, is looked after. Viren promises.
Viren gives Pooja to Dai Jaa to raise. He is overcome with grief at Pallavi’s death. He leaves Pooja and Dai Jaa in India, and he moves to London. Every year, Viren travels to India to see Dai Jaa and he leaves a birthday gift for Pooja. Yet, he never sees Pooja, because it is too painful for him. Then 18 or so years later she sneaks down to see him right before he is leaving. He sees her, and she looks exactly like Pallavi. He feels drawn to her, but he is not willing to admit it. Pooja falls helplessly in love with him.
The rest of the film revolves around Pooja getting Viren to admit he loves her too with the help of Dai Jaa and Prem. One of the best parts of the film is when Pooja and Prem try to get Viren out of his foul mood by performing a medley of songs from old Hindi movies. That took talent on the part of Sridevi and Anupam Kher. Finally, Dai Jaa gets in on the act, and you can see Walheeda Rehman has not lost her style. I will not spoil the ending, but I am sure you can guess what happens since it IS still a Bollywood film. Great acting, great songs, and great film directing. The unusual topic of younger man and older woman was handled quite well.
Conclusion: Watch this film! Even if you have seen it before, some great films are worth a second glance. The song medley alone is worth it.