A millennial watches Farooq Sheikh-Deepti Naval’s Saath Saath: A movie that goals on your coronary heart 40 years after it launched

If you’re a 90s child, there are excessive probabilities that your concept of romance was formed by Yash Chopra’s soppy “boy-meets-girl” story in Dil Toh Pagal Hai. When Madhuri Dixit instructed Shah Rukh Khan, “somewhere someone is made for you” your coronary heart melted. His son Aditya Chopra, in his debut movie, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, made many imagine, “Agar woh mujhse pyaar karti hai, to paltegi.” And, then got here Karan Johar, who taught us, the millennials, “pyaar dosti hai”. But what none of them confirmed was what occurred after Pooja and Raj, Simran and Raj or Anjali and Rahul received married. Did their dreamy romance keep as glittery when the fact of life seeped in? I’ve at all times had this query float in my thoughts each time I watched these sugar-coated romantic movies.

I received reply to this query in Raman Kumar’s 1982 gem, Saath Saath, which is a romantic drama in each sense — a ‘boy meets girl’ in faculty they usually fall in love. Only, this time, they get married and the villain of their story seems to be life and never feuding households or an ‘adarshwaadi bauji’. There is a palpable sense of sweetness all through the movie that lifts it above any conventional Bollywood romance. The sturdy script, and a lead couple that wins you over progressively however absolutely, made me stick by way of the 2 hours of the movie.

A humble younger fellow with excessive ethical values, Avinash (Farooq Sheikh) meets Geeta (Deepti Naval), daughter of a wealthy businessman in faculty. While pursuing his MA, he writes articles for a newspaper to earn cash for survival. Despite dwelling hand to mouth, Avinash refuses to surrender on his beliefs. He speaks towards capitalism and media. And, these beliefs of Avinash impress Geeta. She falls in love with him and the 2 get married. Eventually, the lady and boy evolve into a girl and a person organically, whereas singing “Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera”, simply the best way any couple probably would in actual life. Their wrestle to make ends meet feels relatable.

And, then director Kumar deftly exposes the delusions hooked up to the elusive feeling of affection and romance. Avinash has to place his idealistic methods apart when Geeta will get pregnant. He takes up a job at his buddy’s printing press. And, from right here we see the transformation of an ideological Avinash right into a materialistic man. From refusing to vary his article simply to make it saleable, he transforms into somebody who doesn’t assume twice earlier than suggesting publishing pornographic magazines for additional revenue. Now, he yearns for an opulent life.

Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval in Saath Saath. (Express archive photograph)

But, Raman Kumar additionally manages to by no means let the viewers assume sick of his hero. Even when Geeta confronts Avinash for turning right into a grasping businessman, and he argues that ideology and morality are a sham, you form of empathise with him as a result of you’ve gotten seen him undergo a tough patch in life.

Besides its relatability, simplicity and portrayal of actual feelings, what enticed me to Saath Saath have been its two leads, Sheikh and Nawal. Sheikh is charming as a typical man who makes even his gray look engaging. Nawal, too, does a superb job of being a girl who sticks to her beliefs even when the going will get robust. She is just not your coy, ‘bechaari’ 80s heroine who waits for her husband to earn bread and butter for the household. She takes issues in management and takes up the job of a trainer. I beloved the best way she shuts up Avinash when he expresses his dislike for her work. “Chaar kitabe kya padhli, lagta hai mard ko hi kaam karna chahiye, kuch nahi, bas male ego hai,” she tells him.

Deepti Naval in Saath Saath. (Express archive photograph)

I’m nonetheless buzzing its pretty track, “Tumko dekha toh..”, written by Javed Akhtar and sung by Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh. Even different songs like “Yeh tera ghar yeh mere ghar” and “Yun zindagi ki raah mein” match proper into the film.

I strongly suggest watching Saath Saath, streaming on Mubi, as it’s a movie that appears to be constructed from the center and it reaches straight to your coronary heart.