Masoom (Innocent) is a captivating story of a close knit family ? the good times it endures and the crisis which it faces and almost rends it apart. The movie begins with the diurnal humdrum of happy family a well to do architect D. K.Malhotra (Naseeruddin Shah), his wife Indu (Shabana Azmi) and their two adoring daughters Rinki (Urmila Matondkar) and Minnie. Life?s picture-perfect for Indu ? a loving family, a doting husband, a buzzing social life.
It?s all sunshine and clear weather till one fine day the phone rings and sturdy grounds of her animated existence turn into quicksand. D.K fesses up to a bygone liaison at a high school reunion. The upshot of this fling is an illegitimate child Rahul (Jugal Hansraj). Indu?s faith in her husband is shaken up and this sudden revelation unsettles her. She confides in her friends who are of little or no help and the awkwardness of having an added family member leaves her desolated.
Indu?s emotions vacillate, she feels cheated by D.K who violates the tacit trust which exists in a marital relationship and is therefore unable to shower even an ounce of affection on Rahul. She is distant and unfriendly towards him and the household gets soaked in several tense standoffs. Rahul in the meantime, though hurt by the indifference shown by Indu hits it off with Rinki and Minki.
They get along like a house on fire - singing, dancing, playing, studying ? living up every moment of their life. A tongue-tied Indu feels cornered and she starts bickering with her husband. The plot twists and turns and ends with a photo-frame showcasing a family of five.
Shabana Azmi deftly plays the role of a dazed, traumatised house wife and Naseerudin Shah is excellent in his portrayal of a husband caught between a rock and a hard place. Saeed Jaffrey and Tanuja as a supporting cast add to glitter but what makes Masoom so cherished and unforgettable is the vivacious performance by its three child stars.
Shekhar Kapoor, a first timer in the directorial spheres brilliantly captures all their spontaneity and exuberance with the skill of a veteran. The mesmeric R.D.Burman music score combined with Gulzar?s poignant lyrics truly make Masoom one of the finest movies to ever spring out off the Bollywood closet.