During my sophomore days in engineering college, three different individuals in my closed circle suggested (rather insisted) a Bollywood blockbuster of the time (despite knowing that I don't watch movies). While I declined, most passionate of them briefed the story. It took another 28 years to get time and motivation to watch Aamir Khan's debut performance as an actor until recently. Well to my disappointment, the production was a mediocre love story at least according to 2016 standards if not weird. Yet, the 400 year old plot and theme wasn't. Yes. 'Qayamat se Qayamat tak' which inspired my closed circle so much in the early 90's is in fact based on Shakespeare's eternal romance and tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. The romance set in the Italian city of Verona was performed with fresh Indian setting on big screen.
Bollywood has produced more than a dozen adaptations of Bard's work but certainly not all of them are successful. Most recently we have Haider ie an adaptation of Hamlet set in the background of Kashmir crises but 'Qayamat se Qayamat Tak' was perhaps most immediate boxoffice success. It was the first major performance of both Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla which lead them to overnight popularity.
The director Mansoor Khan is credited with at least five successful Bollywood love stories but Nasir Khan also did very well as the script writer while reinventing Romeo and Juliet. The story was well crafted to fit in the Indian culture. I believe the Bard's romance can be best related in today's South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures and settings where sexual segregation is still a norm contrary to the hedonistic Western world.
Although movie freshly portrayed the Shakespearean trajedy, I found some serious issues in production. While the duo lost their way in Sita Nagar hill resort, Juhi was still able to change colorful Sari's and appear in immaculate makeup. Aamir Khan is a considered a legend in Bollywood but still his performance lacked spirit of a passionate lover in some of the scenes. Juhi Chawla seems to unsuccessfully project her innocence in some scenes especially when she handover Aamir Khan's pictures to him in public.
Overall, the movie is regarded as one of the most engaging and popular Bollywood movies and is still seen with excitement after 30 years of its launch.
No comments:
Post a Comment