Khoon Bhari Maang

Aarti (Rekha) and her husband Rakesh Roshan live a middle class life with there two children Bobby and Kavita, they live on her father's (Mr. Saxena's) estate. All there happiness were shattered one day when Rakesh Roshan passed away. Two lovers, Nandini (Sonu Walia) and Sanjay Verma (Kabir Bedi) wanted to snatch Mr. Saxena vast estate. One day, however, Sanjay happen to be a friendly man with Aarti two children and through this he decided to marry Aarti for the sake of her two children. On a boating trip, one day, Nandini & Sanjay decided to push Aarti into the jaws of death, and declaring that it was an accident. They, however, became the owners of Mr. Saxena's vast estate. But Aarti manage to survive by doing plastic surgery on her face which had been touched by a hungry crocodile's teeth. She transformed herself by changing her name to Joti and decide to become a successful Artist. One day, however, she was persuade that Mr. Sanjay ill-treats her children, pets and maids and then she decided along with the help of her boss Mr. JD (Shatrughan Sinha) to take her revenge and deploys such a way that will make her see light.

A tale of deceit & ultimate revenge Khoon Bhari Maang is probably one of Rekha's best films to date. She expertly portrays the role of maternal figure turned temptress turned brutal harbinger of doom. The transformation is as miraculous as her recovery from her physical scars inflicted by her husband (Kabir Bedi) actions. She is well supported by all cast members including the comic intricacies of Kader Khan who as usual delivers a sharp dialogue to the film. Sonu Walia plays the part of the other woman well as Kabir Bedi's reluctant partner in crime who's overdue crisis of conscious comes back to haunt her literally. The film directed by Rakesh Roshan (who also brought us delights such as Khel, Khudgarz) has few plot holes & is well orchestrated. The soundtrack has one memorable song "Hanste Hanste" which is very hummable there is also a Hindi remake of the "Chariots Of Fire" theme tune sung by the gyrating Sonu Walia (a scene not to be missed). All in all, an entertainer which shouldn't leave you disappointed 8/10.

Khoon Bhari Maang was a superb thriller made at the later half of the eighties.The story is about the pains of an innocent woman.Rekha plays a very tough action role.The boat scenes are fantastic.The movie is at a jet speed after she returns back as a gorgeous model.The scenes where Rekha drives horse Fastly receives a critical applause.The Locations where the climax scenes are taken are beautiful to watch.Rekha has very clearly shown differences in her acting as an ugly woman and also as a gorgeous model.The screenplay adds a great value to movie.The songs of the movie are OK.I would not speak completely about her role.Rarely female actresses have been given great leading roles in the Indian cinema.This was a top engrossing movie after it got released. I had never seen a great action movie like this.Of course this is a very fast and trilling movie.Although this is a remake of Australian TV series Indian Audencies enjoyed this movie very much.Rakesh Roshan has proved himself as a best director.The crocodile shown in the movie really frightens the Audencies.The plot of the story has enough thrills.A better screenplay and a great direction had paved the way for the successes of the movie.

A dumb widow(Rekha) is lured into marriage by her best friend(Sonu)! The bold & brazen Sonu offers her boyfriend (Kabir) as a bait and the dumbo gulps it down!

The dumbo widow was also a mother of 2 kids and filthy rich too – i.e. financially independent. But clever and conniving Sonu counsels the dumbo to marry because children need a father. Dumbo agrees to marry Kabir – not thinking even once that with sexy-sultry Sonu around, how come Kabir was showing interest on a fat and ugly widow! Nor did she do any background check – as I said 'dumb'!

So Kabir takes her for a ride...yea literally ...and throws her to be devoured by the hungry crocodiles! After seeing blood in water and confirming that the ugly fatso has been disposed, Kabir happily returns home and starts to live-in with Sonu and turns the children into servants in their own house!

Well, real life would have finished here – the daughter would have grown up..in some kinda incest-like environment and the son would have turned into some drug addict – both the children would have had a sad and gory ending too! But Hindi film had other plans! They turned the ugly fatso into a beautiful swan...along with making her highly intelligent too and she manages to take revenge!

She re-unites with her children! Happy ending!

USPs – Song : Jeene ke bahane lakho hai ...

(meaning- There are many reasons to live, you never learnt the art of living, anyone can belong to you, you never tried hard enough!)

This is the dangerous song that Sonu sang to lure Rekha in Kabir's trap! So girls, do not fall in false traps like this! Be very careful of such smooth talkers who show too much interest in your personal life! Because when Rekha pushed her luck – after being convinced by smooth talker Sonu – she landed up straight in the crocodile's mouth!

Khoon Bhari Maang review :

Adapted from the Australian series Return to Eden (1983), Khoon Bhari Maang was the second consecutive success for producer- director Rakesh Roshan after Khudgarz (1987). The action thriller literally gave a new lease of life to Rekha who was going through a lean phase that time. It is one of Rekha's career best performance easily figuring in her best five..

A wealthy widow (Rekha) marries a handsome dude (Kabir Bedi, impressive) who pushes her to to the crocodile. The lady returns back with a changed face (glamourous than ever) after a plastic surgery and extracts her sweet revenge.

Khoon Bhari Maang was a risky subject for the '80s when the audience was used to watching the conventional hero- heroine stuff but here, the hero was actually a villain who kills his newly wedded wife to continue affair with her bestie (Sonu Walia) while the heroine turned the avenging hero riding on a horseback in the climax!! Roshan's risk however paid off handsomely for two primary reasons :

1) The wonderful ladies : Undoubtedly, Rekha and Sonu Walia were simply fantastic in the film. Both won Filmfare awards that year and Khoon Bhari Maang belongs to these two beauties. Rekha's transformation from the plain jane to a super model was just wow! As for Sonu Walia, I just loved her as Nandini, Rekha's bestie who betrays her. She literally scorched the screen in her yellow swimsuit romancing the macho Kabir Bedi.

2) Rajesh Roshan's music : a huge positive for Khoon Bhari Maang were the songs. Whether it is the seductive "Main teri hoon jaanam" or the hip hop happy "Hanste Hanste Kat Jaaye Raaste', every number was a chartbuster.

Khoon Bhari Maang clashed with Yash Chopra's mega multistarrer Vijay but still emerged a clear winner. The film met with critical acclaim as well as audience appreciation. As they say, good content always triumphs!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.