Director: Mahesh Bhatt
Starring: Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla and Kunal Khemu
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actors in Bollywood are as celebrated today as Aamir Khan. Ever since his rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Khan has proven to be one of the greatest actors in Bollywood. Whether it’s star-crossed lovers, terrorists in danger or professional wrestlers, Khan has suggested he can portray many characters. Arguably, Khan’s strength as an actor is his bravery. Khan has never been afraid to take risks in his career through tackling subjects that prove controversial. Through abilities to play characters which are compelling, Khan has established a legacy which has proven to be compelling. Despite reaching the age of retirement, Khan has never lost his strong passion for producing iconic entertainment. An iconic legend in India, Khan has become a celebrated legend in Bollywood Cinema. Throughout a groundbreaking career, Khan has created several strong movies that are worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Khan and admire all films he has made in his career. However, “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” absolutely stands out as his most poignant movie. Released in 1993, Mahesh Bhatt’s movie offered a captivating portrait of orphans. Packed with engrossing musical sequences, spellbinding storytelling and brilliant acting, it’s a riveting Bollywood romantic drama. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Aamir Khan, who embodies a caretaker struggling to raise a family of orphans. Although “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” is a captivating Bollywood drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It builds a sentimental ending without a satisfying resolution. That being said, it offers engaging entertainment for fans of Aamir Khan.
“Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” tells the story of an Indian bachelor that struggles to raise orphans gone astray. Aamir Khan portrays Rahul, a bachelor that struggles to be the guardian of children causing disaster. After the tragic death of his sister, Rahul is given the intense responsibility of being an orphan caretaker. At first, Rahul struggles to care for mischievous orphans which experience adversity. However, Rahul’s life drastically changes when his family introduces a new runaway bride member. Vijayanti Iyer (Juhi Chawla) is a young woman that is seeking to escape her strict South Indian family. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Rahul wonders whether it’s possible for him to become a caretaker.
Mahesh Bhatt is fascinated with the stories of dysfunctional families. A fantastic Indian filmmaker, Bhatt has often made engaging movies about families that are under intense pressure. His iconic film “Saaransh” offered a powerful portrait of parents struggling to accept death of their son. With “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke”, however, Bhatt made his first orphan drama. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture struggles of orphans in Indian families, but he succeeded. Through stunning cinematography, Bhatt captures a young caretaker struggling to raise orphans in a broken family. Evoking Chris Columbus’ “Mrs. Doubtfire”, Bhatt successfully employs montages to capture families which are dire. For instance, montages elevate the orphans introduction scene. During this tense scene, Rahul meets orphaned children for the first time sparking their relationship. Using bold montages, Bhatt crafts a portrait of orphans that is engaging. Montages are complicated techniques. As Farhan Akhtar’s “Dil Chahta Hai” suggested, montages enhance Indian films on friendships. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Using captivating visuals, Bhatt captures hardships that orphaned children are facing.
Another aspect of “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” that merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood movies ever made. Evoking Mira Nair’s “Salaam Bombay”, Bhatt deftly uses cross-cutting to create music numbers showcasing orphaned children in Bombay. For instance, cross-cutting enhances the Goonghat Ki Aadh Se song. During this bold scene, Rahul sings a melody showcasing his love for Vijayanti. Through stunning cross-cutting, Bhatt creates musical sequences about orphans that are engaging. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the film a warm atmosphere capturing a heavy burden that orphaned children in India bear. Using stunning production, Bhatt captures orphan children.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” is an Indian film that’s engaging. The film is exceptionally well-written, and effectively uses dramatic monologues to capture the lives of orphan children which face tension. For instance, monologues enhance the family argument scene. During this heartfelt scene, Rahul delivers an emotional monologue showing love for orphan children. Through stunning monologues, Bhatt constructs a portrait of orphans that audiences relate to. Dramatic monologues are complicated techniques. As Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India” claimed, monologues often enhance cricket films. Nevertheless, it works well in this film. Through a bold screenplay, Bhatt captives orphans that face a painful price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Aamir Khan delivers one of his best career performances as Rahul. Khan first earned appreciation for playing serious heroes in classic Bollywood movies. With “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke”, however, he took upon his most realistic role. It isn’t easy to portray a bachelor struggling to care for orphaned children in a family but he succeeds. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him in the past before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, bravery and resentment of a bachelor that struggles to raise orphans. It’s a powerful performance from one of the most beloved actors in Bollywood today.
While the movie is mainly a showcase for Aamir Khan, the supporting cast is superb and worthy of appreciation. Juhi Chawla is captivating, bringing charisma to a woman that struggles to escape troubled childhood in India. Kunal Khemu is fantastic, bringing angst to an orphan that has hardships to go through. Lastly, Dalip Tahil merits praise. As a concerned father, he is unforgettable.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” can’t capture the lives of orphans in India today. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks an engaging ending. It’s a melodramatic end that fails to bring the movie to a satisfying resolution. Whereas this ending elevated Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire”, it does not fit in this movie. At worst, it perpetrates false messages about orphans which aren’t true to reality. Therefore, “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” is a film that not everyone would adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Aamir Khan will enjoy “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” and so will movie-goers seeking meaningful entertainment. A captivating Bollywood romantic drama, it celebrates an actor with charisma.
Nearly 30 years following the release of a classic Bollywood movie about a bachelor that struggles to raise orphans in a broken family, it’s a riveting reminder of an Indian actor that has built an enduring legacy by his ability to portray compelling characters in memorable movies throughout his career audiences love dearly.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 