Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Masoom


The Shekhar Kapur 1983 film starring Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, and Jugal Hansraj in lead characters, was based on Erich Segal's novel "Man, Woman and Child".

What a movie ! A perfect cocktail of emotion, love, jealousy, repentance, self realization and forgiveness A masterpiece and brilliant acting by all the actors . And masoom name is actually justified by Jugal Hanshraj as Masoom . Mesmerizing songs and perfect background music. A splendid blend of human emotions and a treat for a movie lover .

Indu (Shabana Azmi) and DK (Naseeruddin Shah) have a happy marriage and two daughters — Pinky (Urmila Matondkar) and Minni (Aradhana Srivastav) — and live in Delhi. The tranquility of their life is interrupted when DK receives word that he has a son, the result of an affair with Bhavana (Supriya Pathak) during his 1973 visit to Nainital when his wife Indu was about to give birth to their first child Pinky (Urmila Matondkar). Bhavana did not tell DK about their son as she did not want to disturb DK's matrimonial life. Now that she has died, her guardian Masterji sends word to DK informing him that his son, Rahul (Jugal Hansraj), who is nine years old, needs a home. Despite the objections of Indu, who is devastated to learn of her husband's infidelity, DK brings the boy to stay with them in Delhi. Rahul is never told that DK is his father as he bonds with DK and his daughters. But Indu can't bear to look at him, a tangible reminder of DK's betrayal. Tanuja as Chanda, Indu's friend, a socialite; Saeed Jaffrey as Suri, DK's family friend, Jairaj as Master Ji, Bhavna's guardian, Satish Kaushik as Tiwary Ji, adds to the story line. 

DK, worried by the effect Rahul is having on his family, decides to put him in a boarding school in St. Joseph's College, Nainital; Rahul accepts with reluctance. After gaining admission at the school and returning to Delhi before his permanent move to Nainital, Rahul figures out that DK is his father and runs away from home. After he is escorted home by a police officer, Rahul confesses his awareness of the identity of his father to Indu. Indu is unable to bear his heartbreak and intercepts Rahul before he is put on the train to Nainital, thereby accepting him into the family and wholeheartedly forgiving DK, after which they drive home happily.

A well thought film and masterpiece of Gulzar's lyrics, dialogue and screenplay.  Lakdhi khi Khati and Thujse Naraj Nahi Zindagi, are two songs, which has been through the growing up days. A simple plot that takes you through an emotional journey of innocence and rests at a  pleasant station. A happy family goes through turbulent times because of a big mistake by one of the family members. A must watch for film lovers.

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