Writer/Director: K.S. Adhiyaman
Starring: Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan
‘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 made in his career. However, “Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam” definitely stands out as his most underrated movie. Released in 2002, K.S. Adiyaman’s film offered a strong portrait of jealous lovers which are trapped in broken relationships. Packed with brilliant musical sequences, engrossing storytelling and strong acting, it’s a riveting Bollywood romantic drama. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance from Salman Khan, who portrays a man growing envious of his lover’s marriage. Although “Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam” is a brilliant Bollywood romantic drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It builds to a melodramatic conclusion without satisfying resolution. Nevertheless, it offers engrossing entertainment that would without any doubt satisfy fans of Salman Khan.
“Him Tumhare Hai Sanam” tells the story of a couple experiencing a marriage problem. Salman Khan portrays Suraj, a young man that seeks romantic relationships. Suraj has always held a connection with his childhood sweetheart Radha (Madhuri Dixit), whom he loves dearly. However, Suraj’s dreams in life become shattered when Radha is married to another lover. Gopal (Shah Rukh Khan) is an affluent man that offers Radha a joyous life in marriage. As he begins to meet in secrecy with Radha every day, Suraj soon discovers that romance comes with a painful price to pay. Growing envious, Gopal disapproves of Suraj’s presence in his wife’s life. Faced with a tricky situation, Suraj is forced to question whether it’s truly possible for him to be with a childhood companion.
K.S. Adiyaman is a newcomer towards the stories of doomed love. Before he directed “Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam”, Adiyaman had never made a Bollywood movie about lives of doomed lovers with a problem. It marked the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the lives of jealous lovers in marriages enduring adversity but he succeeded. Using stunning cinematography, Adiyaman captures lovers in broken relationships plagued with feelings of jealousy. Evoking Yash Chopra’s “Silsila”, Adiyaman deftly uses montages to capture couples in broken relationships which face a dilemma. For instance, montages enhance the argument scene. During this engrossing scene, Gopal has an intense argument with his wife concerning her past childhood lover. Using strong montages, Adiyaman captures the hardships that jealous lovers are facing. Montages are not easy techniques to use in Indian movies. As Karan Johar’s “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” claimed, montages elevate Indian films about college students. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Using stunning visuals, Adiyaman captures the tensions couples in broken marriages are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam” that merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, it is one of the best Bollywood romantic films you will see. Adiyaman effectively employs cross-cutting to create musical sequences involving jealous couples that are engaging. For instance, the cross-cutting elevates the Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam title song. During this catchy song, Gopal and Radha express love for one another through singing a bold melody. Using bold cross-cutting, Adiyaman creates a portrait of romantic relationships that’s engaging. Moreover, the music score is magnificent. It gives the movie an intense atmosphere capturing a heavy burden that jealous lovers bear. Using stellar production, Adiyaman captures lovers trapped in broken relationships facing tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam” is a Bollywood romantic drama that’s engaging. The film is extremely well-written, and effectively uses dramatic monologues to capture hardships which couples in doomed relationships are facing. Throughout the movie, Suraj delivers emotional speeches expressing his love for Radha. For instance, dramatic monologues enhance the love confession scene. During this emotional scene, Suraj gives a speech expressing his love for Radha much against the wishes of Gopal. Through monologues, Adiyaman crafts a portrait of jealousy which audiences can relate to. Monologues aren’t simple techniques to use in Bollywood films. As Kabir Khan’s “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” proved, monologues enhance Bollywood films about mute girls. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a strong screenplay, Adiyaman captures lovers trapped in broken relationships which face a serious price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Salman Khan delivers one of his best career performances as Suraj. Khan first earned appreciation for playing comical heroes in celebrated Bollywood comedies. With “Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam”, however, he took on his most serious role. It isn’t easy to portray a romantic man seeking to reunite with his long lost childhood sweetheart but he pulls it off. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: charismatic, heartfelt and emotional in his most meaningful role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, bravery and envy faced by a romantic man seeking childhood companions. It’s a bold performance from one of the most beloved actors in India today.
While the movie is mainly a great showcase for Salman Khan, the supporting cast is also amazing and worthy of appreciation. Shah Rukh Khan is fantastic, capturing jealousy of a husband growing envious of his wife’s childhood lover he hates deeply. Madhuri Dixit is magnificent, bringing charisma to a woman that is torn between two men she loves deeply in a serious dilemma. Lastly, Alok Nath merits appreciation. As a deeply concerned father, he is unforgettable.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam” can’t entirely capture romantic relationships in a realistic manner. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks an engaging ending. It’s a melodramatic conclusion that fails to bring the movie towards a satisfying resolution. At worst, it perpetrated false messages about jealousy in relationships which aren’t true to towards reality. Therefore, “Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam” is one of those problematic Bollywood movies not everyone will adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Salman Khan will truly enjoy “Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam” and so will audiences seeking bold entertainment. A remarkable Bollywood romantic drama, it honours an actor beloved in India.
Nearly 25 years following the release of a groundbreaking Bollywood movie about a couple stuck in a broken marriage which is torn apart by jealousy, it’s a bold reminder about an Indian actor that has established an astonishing legacy through his ability to portray compelling characters in memorable films throughout his career which audiences love dearly.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 