Saturday 14 June 2008

Zameen Aasman (1984)

Zameen Aasman starts with Sanjay (Sanjay Dutt) and Anita (Anita Raaj) meeting and him taking an instant dislike to her. He is not entirely unjustified, as she first pours coffee over his suit, then bumps her car into his car, and finally causes him injury while roller skating. However, their fighting soon leads to romance and they are rather cute together.

The not very promising first meeting:
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Thinks are looking up (and how did she overlook him in that shirt)
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Young love:
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She tries to make him jealous by pretending that her father send the picture in that envelope. He isn't buying it:
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However, Anita is only staying for the holidays and soon it is time for her to return to Bombay. Before she leaves, Sanjay meets her aunt Kanchan (Rekha) who likes him a lot. She also remembers meeting she a Dr. Kailash Goyal (Shashi Kapoor), and her friendship with him which ended when he got married to somebody else, without ever realizing that she had developed feelings for him (Men, what can you do). This is a bit puzzling, as we know that Dr. Kailash is Sanjay's father, who is no longer in this world, as they say in the movies.

Their first meeting:
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He is quite oblivious to her feelings:
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We also find out that a very unpleasant if rather good looking man who was black-mailing Kavita is in fact Kanchan's step-brother.

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Sanjay's mother Kavita (Rakhee) also has noticed his son's interest in Anita. She allows him to travel to Bombay, after he has moped around the house love-sick for a while.

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His mother also comes to Bombay and everything seems to move along smoothly;

We get more young love, this time with added flowers:
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until the point when Kavita comes to Anita's father's house to discuss they proposal, and he refuses, as he doesn't believe that Sanjay is her son. We then see another flashback, which explains, why he is so convinced that Sanjay isn't her son and what Kanchan's part is in the whole story.

The second flashback starts of happily enough:

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But then there is shock:
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and much angst:

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and just as things are looking up:

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this happens:

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and all that remains is a photo:

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The two young lovers are very unhappy about Anita's father withholding his permission for their marriage and plan to elope,

Waiting for the partner in "crime"
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He wasn't expecting her:
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but Kanchan stops them and much drama follows until we arrive at the wedding.

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I bought this because it has Sanjay in it, but even though is story is important for the plot, and very sweet, the movie really belongs to Rakhee and Rekha. They both play their parts with great dignity or fire, when required, and while I have my problems with Rakhee as the long suffering mother, she was very good in this. Shashi appears only in the flashbacks, but he and his actions are very important for the blood and he is most enjoyable to watch while he is on screen.

The movie also has one of my favourite narrative devices, nested flashbacks.

And no, she isn't pregnant here:
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The movie also seems to believe that wearing glasses ages one instantly:

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Random Sanjay pictures:
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4 comments:

Beth Loves Bollywood said...

Oh my goodness, doesn't he look like his mother! That's the youngest Sanjay I've ever seen. Wow!

I love Rakhee. I love Shashi. Maybe I need to see this - except for the giant NAHIIIIIIN I will have to shout when Shashi dies! Oh noooooo!

antarra said...

Yes, he does look a lot like his Mum. There is a movie which came out the same year, where he has a song pretending to be a girl (in a pink outfit no less) and he makes a rather nice woman.

There isn't very much Shashi in this, I fear; but a lot of Rakhee; I don't want you to be disappointed. However, I think it is worthwhile watching despite Shashi having a supporting part, as the story is interestin.

Bollyviewer said...

This one sounds a lot like Sunny and several other Sanjay Dutt-starrers and Sunny Deol-starrers from that period.

Sanjay Dutt looks so uncannily like his Mom that I get *Sanjay Dutt in drag* vibes on watching Nargis movies! :-D

Am loving your selection of movies and the great screencaps. Have added you to my blogroll - hope thats OK.

antarra said...

Hello Bollyviewer.

Yes, it does sound a bit like Sunny. Which other Sanjay movies did you think of?

You are not the only one with the Sanjay and Nargis thing :). Much as he looks like his Dad now, he really didn't in his younger years.