Decoding Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994)

Movie no 5/100

April 28, 2018

The next movie I picked in my decoding Bollywood challenge is Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Hum Aapke Hain Kaun’. The 1994 Salman Khan-Madhuri Dixit starrer was not only a big money-spinner, but it also gave India some of the best wedding numbers, which are popular even today. Coming from the Sanskaari stable of Rajshri Productions, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (HAHK) was a quintessential Rajshri product – heavy dose of family values, traditions and a plethora of songs! The movie came out at a time when Bollywood was heavily infatuated by storylines dipped in violence and heroism. After movies like Anjaam and Suryavanshi, HAHK was a family drama that catapulted its leads, Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan, to the peaks of stardom!

The patriarch of a business family, Kailash Nath (played by Alok Nath), is looking for a suitable ‘Bahu’ for his elder nephew, Rajesh (played by Mohnish Behl). Along with his younger nephew, Prem (played by Salman Khan), he draws a plan to make Rajesh meet Pooja (played by Renuka Shahane), daughter of his friends from College, Prof and Mrs Chaudhary (Played by Anupam Kher and Reema Lagoo). Pooja’s younger sister, Nisha (played by Madhuri Dixit) completes this happy family. A dozen songs later, Rajesh and Pooja have a baby, in the backdrop of which, love blooms between Nisha and Prem. But, unfortunately tragedy strikes them. Pooja tragically passes away and in true Shakespearean style, there are miscommunications and misunderstanding leading to Nisha being dolled up to get married to her jijaji, Rajesh. Whether she marries him or not is, predictably, pretty easy for even a 10-year old to guess.

HAHK, 24 years after its release, may seem unintentionally funny and tediously long. Despite a run time of over 3 hours, with 14 songs in between, the movie struck a chord with its audience. It was a true wholesome family entertainer and the box office collections were a testimony of that. It has an idyllic setting – happy families rooted in tradition, every custom being celebrated with pomp and a love track in hushed ‘sanskaari’ tones! It would be a sin to talk of HAHK and not mention its chartbuster music, composed by Raamlaxman with predominantly Lata Mangeshkar and S.P Balasubramium behind the mic. There are 14 songs, almost one song for every occasion – from Vidai to Godh Bharai, this movie celebrated Indian weddings and rituals like no film had ever done before. Even today, songs like ‘Didi Tera Devar Diwana’ and ‘Maye ni Maye’ often make it to the wedding song list.

One of the biggest asset the screenwriter-director Sooraj Barjatya uses to his benefit, is the brilliantly written characters. Barjatya repeats most of the trusted faces from his previous blockbuster, Maine Pyaar Kiya and creates a brilliant ensemble. Be it Laxmikant Berde as the domestic help, Lalloo or Bindu as Mamiji, the cast creates a warm and relatable family which the audiences fell in love with. Renuka Shahane had become a Bhabhi sensation and everyone wanted a dog like the Pomeranian in the movie, Tuffy! Reema Lagoo, Alok Nath and Anupam Kher became the first choice for playing the lead’s parents, after playing it so well in this movie. Coming to the leads, after a slew of not so successful action-hero films, HAHK re-established Salman Khan’s standing in the industry. His portrayal of a chocolate boy-cum-perfect Devar made him extremely likable. Madhuri Dixit lights up the screen with her presence (and that million dollar smile). Their chemistry is adorable. Garish clothes aside, they both looked every bit the nation’s new sweethearts!

While we have come a long way in terms of the standards of our films and it may seem difficult to sit through a three-hour long musical, but take my word – play it on a lazy Sunday and you have the day sorted! It is light, breezy and when you watch it today, unintentionally funny as well!