Writer/Director: Sooraj Barjatya
Starring: Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Alok Nath
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actors in India have created comedies as beloved as Salman Khan. Ever since his 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 comic timing. Khan has always excelled at making comedies with a sense of humour. Through his abilities to portray characters which are compelling, Khan has established a legacy which has proven to be compelling. Despite having reached age of retirement, Khan has never lost his strong passion for producing iconic entertainment. An iconic legend in India, Khan has become a strong legend in Bollywood Cinema. Throughout a groundbreaking career, Khan has created several strong movies that are absolutely worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Khan and adore all movies he has crafted in his career. However, “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” definitely stands out as his most thought-provoking movie. Released in 1994, Sooraj Barjatya’s movie offered a bold portrait of arranged weddings. Packed with breathtaking production, strong storytelling and exceptional acting, it’s an extraordinary Bollywood family drama. At a centre of it all is a powerful performance by Salman Khan, who plays a man seeking to get married in arranged weddings. Ultimately, what makes “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” a classic is its bold appeal. Unlike most Bollywood films made in the 1990’s that are outdated today, it has aged beautifully. A brilliant Bollywood family drama, there are many strong reasons why “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” is a film that’s worth watching.
“Hum Aapke Hai Koun” traces the story of a couple whose plans to get married are put in jeopardy. Salman Khan portrays Prem, a devoted Indian man with dedication towards finding love. Prem’s dreams come true when he falls in love with Nisha (Madhuri Dixit). A powerful woman that comes from an upper-class background, Nisha has an impact on Prem that’s profound. However, romance is out in grave danger following the passing of Nisha’s sister. As all odds become stacked against his favour, Prem wonders whether it is possible for him to ever truly find a long-term lover. Faced with a dilemma, Prem is forced to question whether he will ever find love in India.
Sooraj Barjatya is fascinated with themes of marriage. A bold Indian filmmaker, Barjatya has often made engaging films about lovers whose marriages experience grave danger. His iconic movie “Maine Pyar Kiya” offered a bold portrait of marriages impacted with family feuds in India. With “Hum Aapke Hai Koun”, however, Barjatya made his first ever family drama. It marked the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the lives of dysfunctional Indian families organizing marriages but he succeeded tremendously. Using captivating cinematography, Barjatya captures a family preparing for weddings. Barjatya effectively uses montages to capture the preparations for an upcoming wedding. For instance, the montages elevate the wedding arrangement scene. During this memorable scene, Prem and Nisha fall in love meeting at a wedding. Using montages, Barjatya creates a strong portrait of an Indian wedding. Montages are tricky techniques. As Karan Johar’s “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” suggested, montages often enhance Bollywood movies about the lives of college students. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Using stunning visuals, Barjatya captured hardships that couples arranging marriages are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” that merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood movies from the 1990’s you will see. Barjatya effectively uses cross-cutting to stage music numbers about a wedding which are compelling. For instance, cross-cutting enhances the Didi Tera Devar Deewana song. During this bold song, Prem and Nisha express their love for each other by singing at a wedding. Using cross-cutting, Barjatya creates a portrait of love that’s engaging. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the movie an engaging atmosphere capturing the burden lovers bear. Using bold production, Barjatya captures bonds between lovers which face romantic tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” is a Bollywood film about marriage that’s compelling. The film is beautifully written, and uses silence to capture tensions couples seeking weddings are facing. Inspired with Mansoor Khan’s “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak”, Barjyaya uses silence to capture hardships that couples seeking weddings are facing. For instance, silence enhances the farewell scene. During this heartfelt scene, Prem bids an emotional farewell to Nisha following the wedding they attend together. Through silence, Barjatya creates a portrayal of weddings audiences can relate to. Silence is a tricky technique to use in Bollywood. As Kabir Khan’s “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” proved, silence elevates movies about lost children. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this film. Using a captivating screenplay, Barjatya captures couples that face a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Salman Khan delivers one of his best career performances as Prem. Khan first earned appreciation for playing romantic heroes in classic Bollywood movies. With “Hum Aapke Hain Koun”, however, he took upon his most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray a man seeking to arrange marriage ceremonies but he succeeds. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, bravery and grief experienced by a man arranging marriages causing tensions. It’s a powerful performance from one of the finest actors in India today.
While the movie is mainly a great showcase for Salman Khan, the supporting cast is also amazing and worthy of recognition. Madhuri Dixit is magnificent, bringing authority to a woman that is determined to get married in a broken family. Anupam Kher is amazing, capturing the fear of a father struggling to accept a daughter’s affair causing despair. Lastly, Satish Shah merits appreciation. As a doctor, he brings wisdom to the movie.
Finally, “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” will earn the appreciation of everyone for capturing the tension which wedding planners go through. Unlike most Bollywood movies, it discusses strong themes everyone would relate to. The film tackles relevant themes such as angst, marriage and economic disparity which will resonate with everyone. Viewers don’t need to be familiar with Indian culture to enjoy it. Therefore, “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” is one of those rare Bollywood movies that everyone will adore.
Fans of Salman Khan would definitely enjoy “Hum Aapke Hai Koun” and so will movie-goers seeking meaningful entertainment. A bold Bollywood romantic drama, it honours an actor that’s beloved in India.
Nearly 30 years following the release of an iconic Bollywood movie about a couple that endured challenging obstacles organizing a wedding, it’s a riveting reminder of an Indian actor that has built an enduring legacy by a strong abilities to portray compelling heroes in engaging films that are definitely without a doubt worth celebrating.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 