Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

I was in class eighth when I watched this movie. Those were hard times. My father used to stand beside the television on Friday night as Prannoy Roy's "World this week" would come to an end. As the program used to end, my father would switch off the television to make sure I can't even get a glimpse of the following late night Friday night movie.

In such a time me and my sister persuaded my father to go to Durgapur Cinema and watch a children's movie named "Qayamat Se Qayamat tack". 20 years have passed since then. I have watched so many movies of so many languages in the world. But not a single dialog of any of them did influence me as much as this one from QSQT did -> "Hum UN-key Au-lad jar-o-or hay-in, par Jagger Ne-hi". And the last scene hypocrisy of the "majboor Bap" who asks her daughter to pack her bags since "Raj to ate-i hon-gay".

It's unfortunate that our nation hasn't changed much in two decades and still families fight over marriages between different castes, religions etc. In fact it has gone worse in some states like MP where fanatic elements can influence the police to bring kidnapping charges against the groom which finally, as it happened recently, required the intervention of the court to sanction the nuptial bond.

Amir did a real great job.

I have to say, this is one the best movies that I've ever seen with Aamir Khan. He was so young (and so cute!) in this movie but made a big impression. And I also love Juhi Chawla's role in the movie. She's also so sweet in her roles. But I guess it comes natural to her. I adore the songs in this movie. Especially "Papa Kehte Hain" in the beginning at the College dance. Aamir was a great performer! And the chaperones who danced in the film were great too! If anyone who reads this has not seen this movie and happens to love Hindi movies like me, you have got to watch it! You'll start dancing and singing to the songs and have a blast! Hope you love it as much as me! Bye!

Indian cinema has offered so many 'young love stories' like 'Bobby', 'Dil', 'Tezaab', 'Ek Duuje Ke Liye' etc. However, 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' remains my favorite of the lot. It is a somewhat dramatized but humble adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. There have been numerous adaptations but what really makes this film work are the two leads and the music.

I like how the character's were written. Raj isn't the typical macho hero or a romantic, he's just an ordinary young who joined his father's fabric business. Similarly, Laxmi isn't some damsel in distress or a clichéd spoilt brat rebelling against her parents. She's a strong minded young lady who's ready to sacrifice all for her love.

Aamir Khan makes his entry to Indian cinema as leading man. He does nothing short of a brilliant job as the naive young Raj. The fact that he's a newcomer only adds to the character's childlike personality. Juhi Chawla already shows that she's here to stay. Not only is she naturally vivacious but she, in a wonderfully subtle way, displays Laxmi's innocence, childlikeness and determination. It's no surprise that since then Aamir and Juhi have been popular for their on screen chemistry. The supporting cast is adequate where Alok Nath stands out.

Mansoor Khan's direction also deserves mention as he does not waste much time on unnecessary subplots. He stays mainly focused on the story of the two lovers. Only the beginning, where the conflict between the two families begins, appears a little too dramatic and clichéd. But once Raj is introduced, the film takes off towards a better direction. The background score is irritating most of the time.

This was the time when great soundtracks were making a comeback in the commercial Hindi cinema considering that the 80s were infamous for poorest quality in cinema. The songs are soulful, melodious and memorable. After all, who doesn't know 'Papa Kehte Hain', 'Gazab Ka Hai Din' and 'Ae Mere Humsafar'? This is the album that made singer Udit Narayan an overnight star.

To me, 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' is one of the most memorable tragic love stories on the Hindi cinema screen. What makes this film unique is the incredible chemistry between the two leads and their characterization. Simply great!

Just want to say that this movie was a major breakthrough in the 1980's. When I watched this for the first time, I was 9 years of age and I was living in Pakistan at that time. Very soon after it was released in Pakistan, it became a major hype throughout the neighbourhood. Every kid on the block was singing songs from this movie and it soon channeled itself into my heart as well and make its place there. I would recommend this movie to everybody, regardless of taste because it accomodates all possible tastes. This movie has a lot of aesthetic value for me and its definitely a watcher. Don't miss this one if you haven't already seen it.

Ghost Writer

"Qayamat se Qayamat Tak" is an unforgettable picture. It wouldn't be wrong to call QSQT a landmark movie in the history of Indian cinema. A love-story, the type of which can hardly be made again. I t was released in the 80s, when there was a deluge of similar-looking action and formula films. QSQT came in as a real breath of fresh air. It was the ultimate love-story. A story about two warring families, stubborn parents, and despite all this the children of these families fall in love with each other. Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla were relaunched after making respective debuts in "Holi" and "Sultanate", and I don't remember having seen anybody else fresher than these two. Their pair was amazing. Actors and actresses now lack that innocence. There was no sex and no violence, and yet the film had such a wide appeal. Actually, the simple and the innocent approach of the film was it's greatest plus-point. Another big thing contributing to the timeless appeal of the film is it's music. The late Majrooh Sultanpuri's unforgettable lyrics ("Papa kahte hain...", "Aye mere humsafar...", "Ghazab ka hai din..." and all the songs) and col tunes composed by the Anand-Milind duo (why don't they do something like this once again) were matchless. In a nutshell "Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak" is a movie no true movie-lover should miss.