Saath Saath

Saath-Saath, would be among the new-wave movies made in the early 80s. In a largely mediocre decade for Hindi cinema, Saath-Saath attempted a realistic view unlike larger-than-life Amitabhesque movies at that time. Fairly reminiscent of the style mastered by writers/ directors like Sai Paranjpe, Shyam Benegal, etc, the movie's two protagonists, Avinash (Farooque Shaikh) & Gita (Deepti Naval) belong to different social strata.

The bittersweet romance starts in college, with Gita understanding and admiring Avinash's philosophy on life. The economics student (also a writer) with stern principles and ideals is not affected by the materialistic nature of his generation. He is fiercely proud of his humble origins and paints a clear picture of the comparable differences to Gita's upper middle-class milieu. The college gang and one very sardonic English professor provide some light-hearted moments

Gita falls in love with the man and his outlook. Parental objections are not overcome and they get married, despite Avinash's reluctance. The story depicts Mumbai's lower-middle class life in a picture-prefect manner. The one-room setup, Gita's choice of taking a job over pursuing her education is echoed in thousands of homes.

As one could conventionally say, the 'twist-in-the-tale' comes with Avinash's transformation. His frustration at the lack of financial security is poignant. He takes a job with a classmate (Satish Shah) who runs a publishing house. Morals are cast aside, as Avinash thinks like a ruthless businessman. Publishing commercially viable books, such as inane novels, Avinash treads the very path he once loathed. But, wife Gita is not supportive of the easy withdrawal of principles. She questions him at various points in time, and is dismayed at his nonchalance. Then, at a point of no return, Avinash does not help his former professor who put aside all his savings to start a newspaper that he and Avinash had spoken of during his college days.

Meanwhile, they have a child, and some more unscrupulous activities later, Avinash joins Gita's dad (Iftekhar does a fair portrayal of the industrialist). And, Gita leaves Avinash.

The ending is your guess.

Recommended for those with an inclination for the capacity to relate to life! The decent script, with superior performances from the lead pair should be reason enough to venture here!

BONUS: (For us movie-music junkies in India!) Great soundtrack, with most being ghazal-oriented, performed by Jagjit & Chitra Singh – Tumko Dekha… To Yeh Khayal Aaya, Yeh Tera Ghar..Yeh Mera Ghar, timeless melodies composed by Kuldip Singh (where is this genius?!) and Javed Akhtar's beautiful poetry.

Saath Saath is one those outstanding movies of bollywood which did not get their due. I feel sorry for this movie and the people associated with it when I read accolades for average but over-hyped movies. Saath Saath had got average box office success, neither a flop, nor a big hit. It had received admirations too but not the way, any 3 Idiots or My Name is Khan receives. The fact is, Saath Saath is simply an outstanding movie with several pluses to its credit - story, treatment, crispness of narration, performances and music. It provides entertainment, romance, laughs, thoughts to ponder and inspiration; all rolled into one. A gem of a movie by the director Raman Kumar.

Saath Saath got released in 1982 with the charming next door pair of Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval and the timeless ghazals and nazms penned by Javed Akhtar, composed by Kuldeep Singh and sung by Jagjeet Singh and Chitra Singh. The story portrays how the might of money and hardships of life get the better of the ideals of an idealistic person. However a girl loving not just him but his ideals is not ready to compromise on this count for the sake of love, family or anything. When she is about to leave him, then he realises that he had digressed from his right path, his ideals. And then he stops his wrong steps getting the Saath or the state of togetherness with his sweetheart in return. The punchline of the movie comes in the end - Love does not mean looking at each other, it means looking together in the same direction. This punchline sums up the plot of the story and the intention of the storyteller.

The story starts with the college life love of Farooq and Deepti in which there are teasings and light moments provided by their buddies. After their love marriage, starts their hard life in which they hardly get any time to see each other, leave aside talking. All this has been portrayed in a highly emotional, natural and loving manner. Family responsibilities and circumstances lead Farooq to work in association with Satish Shah, a corrupt publisher whose thoughts centre around enhancement of cash inflow, by whatever means possible. Deepti who had married Farooq for the sake of his ideals only because his idealism was the foundation stone of her love towards him, is dumbfound to see the change in her husband and lover, courtesy the job and the company of Satish Shah. Farooq is getting more and more transformed from an idealistic person to a money-minded person, looking a pale shadow of his college days. Deepti's objections are not affecting him and this is something even more painful for Deepti. Finally Farooq's decision to get involved in publication of pornography proves the proverbial last straw on the camel's back for Deepti. She decides to leave him and his home and then only curtain fallen on the eyes of Farooq gets removed and he is able to see where he faltered.

The story and its narration both are heart-touching. The transformation of Farooq from a man of principles and ideals to a money-minded person has been shown quite realistically. It has reminded me of a legendary Hindi novel - Jhootha-Sach written by Yashpal which shows similar transformation of a patriotic and idealistic freedom-fighter in the wake of the changed scenario post independence. Farooq who says a SHER in the beginning - 'MAANA KI MAIN MAJBOOR HOON, LAACHAR NAHIN HOON, INSAAN HOON, BIKNE KO MAIN TAIYAR NAHIN HOON' (I am hard-pressed ,yet not compelled to follow the wrong path, I am a human-being who is not ready to be sold for money), becomes more and more money-minded later on, giving justifications for his wrongdoings; looks utterly real. In the ending scene when Farooq conveys Deepti his decision to leave the wrong path and join his roll model, A.K. Hangal's newspaper, Deepti asks him whether he is doing it just for her sake; Farooq's reply simply touches the heart of the viewer - 'NAHIN, APNE LIYE BHI AUR UN SACHCHAIYON KE LIYE BHI JINHEN HAM DONO NE MILKAR PYAR KIYA THA' (not just for your sake, for own sake also and also for the sake of those truths we had loved together).

The music of this movie is timeless, the performances of the lead pair Farooq and Deepti with the complete supporting cast are heart-warming, art direction and background score are perfect and good editing has kept the movie crisp and engrossing. A perfect movie.

Saath Saath reminds you that when you love somebody, it is not just physical love or the love for his or her outer persona, the true love happens for the character, thoughts and inner nature of that person. That love remains intact only when both the lovers continue to look together in the same direction. That togetherness only matters and not just the physical togetherness. I strongly recommend Saath Saath to all those who are fond of watching good, intelligent and inspiring movies and have not watched this masterpiece yet.

This is a Hindi language film starring Farooque Sheikh and Deepti Naval.

The lead pair were a big draw after the hit of Chashme Baddoor a year before. This film thus came with a lot of promise. There is a lot of production effort into it, what with songs that are still memorable today such as "Tum ko dekha to yeh Khayaal aaya" and "Pyar Mujhse kiya to kya paaogi".

It story starts earnestly too with the above songs placed perfectly. The let down is the second half of the film. The girl was attracted to the poor but idealist guy. But the guy became material in order to provide for family, which distances him from her.

The film is idealistic and doesn't go into pragmatism and thus ends up being a bit of a let down in the end. But it's definitely worth a watch for the performances, music and chemistry between the lead pair.

I loved the story line Woman who loves a man for his ideals , gives up her persona to build a home with him, and he throws his ideals away to keep her happy , as per his assumptions , They both love each other But definitions of love, never changed for her But , drastically, for him Change vs love

Basic human dilemma ever Some weird comic presentation of college love scenes , distracting otherwise poetic and to the point narration of love story between the leads Deepti Naval, I am watching her , 40 years later this movie is made and she looks immortal and lovely That's the beauty of her as well as cinema Farook, grows on you with his subtle performance in a slowly metamorphic character

A movie as relevant as it will be forever