Abhimaan

This is one of my all time favorite films. Amitabh plays the young heartthrob Subir Kumar - a famous pop singer - and he pulls it off with great panache and style. I saw the film as a young teenager and fell in love with the "Meet Naa Mila Re Man Ka" persona immediately! On a trip to a village he meets a young girl Uma (Jaya Bhaduri) and is mesmerized by her innocence and her singing. There is a quick romance and marriage and the happy couple are back in the glamor life of Bombay. Subir wants him and Uma to sing together and make a successful career. But a storm is brewing and we hear the veteran David remarking to someone that Uma is way more talented and this would be a mistake leading to a rift in the marriage. The predicted rift occurs when Subir's ego cannot swallow the fact that Uma is considered better, offered more assignments. Uma is heartbroken, pregnant and goes back to the village.. The ending is predictable but very very sweet.

Amitabh gives a dynamite performance, first as the heartthrob, then as the lover and finally as the egotistical husband. I rate this as one of his finest performances, way better and nuanced than those endless angry young man roles he bored us with. But the film belongs to Jaya - she does the whole gamut from innocent young girl, to lover, to rejected wife in one of the most realistic performances ever seen. Jaya had true talent that did not rely on mere looks - she shone in almost every film, but this is a tour de force. The supporting cast of Mr. David, AK Hangal, Bindu, Asrani all shine, making this a well acted excellent film. The story, dialogs are superb, the direction is fantastic. The music is by Sachin Dve Burman - and the maestro concocts divine music. ALL songs are true gems but particular standouts are "Meet Na Mila Re", "Nadiya Kinare", "Tere Mere Milan Ki Ye Raina". Hrishikesh Mukherjee proves yet again that he is a master director - even within the trappings of a celebrity life style and glamor he gives us a most realistic film. Abhimaan is worth many a repeat watch.. and touches me every time.

This is a lovely little movie with really strong performances by Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri and the rest of the cast. It's about love, envy and understanding the dynamics of a relationship.

The film is beautifully and minimally directed, and the music is also lovely - my favourite is 'Bindiya'. The movie moves at a very nice pace, and the chemistry between Bachchan and Bhaduri is excellent and compelling. I understand this film was made around the time of their marriage, and it shows. They are adorable as a young couple in love who are torn apart by the vagaries of fame and success.

Jaya Bhaduri's subtle but comprehensive performance in this film is wonderful - for me, she is the star of this movie - the way she expresses herself with her eyes is powerful. Amitabh Bachchan supports her excellently with a nuanced and understated portrayal of his tragic character. Asrani is good too, I love the scene where he shows her the 'chhoti chhoti' socks.

I love the ending of this movie... redemption and rediscovery is so sweet! A satisfying and mature Bollywood movie.

I finished watching Abhimaan 15 minutes ago.I just loved this movie.Amitabh and Jaya share an envious chemistry in the flick and it does wonders to what the film tried depicting.Hrishikesh Mukherjee was one of the best directors around that time,and this is one of his gems and a milestone in Indian cinema.This is a movie that people won't get tired watching even half a century after it was been made,because the issues that Hrishikesh Da tackled in his movies were very a part of an Indian middle-class society and they still do prevail.

Watch this movie to feel the warmth of good film-making. Hrishikesh Mukherjee leaves the audience in tears in the end,as he never gets tired of doing that.Wonderful,and lovely!

Hrishikesh Mukherjee's 'Abhimaan' takes a look on gender role complexities and stereotypical thinking in a 70's modern day Indian marriage. Another equally excellent film that revolves around a similar theme is Basu Chatterji's 'Anubhav'. But both Mukherjee and Chatterjee tell their own stories and give their films different treatments.

We initially see Subir as this almost burnt out popstar who's fed up with partying, paparazzi, fame etc but Aarti's entrance into his life gives him a new focus and continues to inspire him to sing. Soon after their marriage, Uma's talent for singing is discovered and Subir encourages her to sing with him. As Uma's singing is more exposed (and she is the more talented artiste) she begins to gain more fame than her husband. Subir's envy becomes stronger and eventually his ego takes over and results in the collapse of their marriage.

Mukherjee's presentation of the themes and dilemma that arise within a marriage are very well depicted. I liked how he made the theme part of the story without having them stick out like a soar thumb. The strength of his films were always the down to earth touch and the characters and stories being easy to relate to. 'Abhimaan' is no different. Even though it's about a popstar, the problems that arise with the characters do occur with the common man. I especially liked how the movie ended with the couple despite walking through a crowd, they silently walk away holding each other as if they have just found each other and never want to let go. The writing is superb with some great dialogues. Even though the lines are of a few words, they speak volumes. Sachin Dev Burman's soundtrack is phenomenal. I love all the songs. Each and every one of them are beautiful. The lyrics are priceless. It's hard to pick a favourite but the first one that pops up in mind is the wonderful 'Tere Mere Milan Ki'.

Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri are at their best. I loved them both in 'Mili' and 'Chupke Chupke' (both also happen to be Hrishikesh Mukherjee films) and in 'Abhimaan' their roles are somewhat more complex than in the other two films. Bachchan's Subir could have easily been a one-dimensional caricature jealous husband but he brilliantly brings out the human side portraying him as a devoted husband who did try to accept this wife's more successful singing career until his ego got the better of him. At the same time he also feels guilt and is ashamed of his growing resentment towards Uma. Jaya Bhaduri is sublime. Her Uma is the devoted wife who shares her husband's passion but only Subir has always been her first priority. The supporting cast do a fine job but Asrani and Bindu deserve special mention. Asrani performs naturally as Subir's friend/manager and Bindu, who is cast against type, delivers a memorable performance as Subir's silent lover.

There are some glitches. For instance the scene where Subir, who clearly loves his wife, asks his doctor whether to perform electroshock therapy looks out of place. Perhaps it was Mukherjee's intention to state that such measures are not required to treat depression.

Overall, 'Abhimaan' is a timeless classic. The songs still feel fresh and stay in the head. The performances are outstanding. The story's very creative and one that still applies to today's society and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's magic touch makes this one a gem.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee made this masterpiece of Indian cinema three years after the equally marvelous "Anand".

More than just a reflection of man's ego, his fall from grace, eventual defeat, surrender and redemption, it is a fine glimpse of the delicate balance and intricate nuances of marriage, and of course, extra-marital relationships. Subir, himself a successful singer, is unable to digest his wife Uma's rising fame and its slow eclipsing of his own career. He crumbles under the weight of his misguided ego and misplaced pride.

The mythological underpinnings of this film are simply superb. Chandru (played so well by Asrani) says that he's not just Subir's manager, but more like a brother! But even the sane, balanced Laxman can't save Rama from life's inevitable follies. He leaves when insulted by Subir, who then takes aim at Uma and casts aspersion on her integrity, her morality and even her dignity. The interchange between Chitra, the other woman (played by Bindu) and Uma is unusual -- there's no acrimony or jealousy, just unconditional love. If you truly love someone, you must be able to accommodate all their faults and forgive! Shyam may not belong to both Radha and Mira, but surely both have equal right to love him!! That is so incredible. Chitra once calls him 'Subi', she retains the right to use a before-marriage nickname. But what about the wife...?

The cinematography, the editing and of course S D Burman's rendering of each song into a heavenly ode, is just incomparable. Jaya and Amitabh soar to such heights in this movie, they are hard to surpass. The shots where she is singing, framed by the microphones (imprisoned by Subir?!) and those of Subir talking to CHitra, looming large in the foreground, seemingly taller than his own ego, are just great.

Hrishi-da fans will recall Guddi, Bawarchi, Gol Maal, Mili (a gem) and Khubsoorat, made in the 1970s. Along with Basu-da (Basu Chatterjee) and Shakti-da (Shakti Samanta), this golden era of Hindi cinema sadly came to an end in mid-80s, after giving audiences many memorable films, some of which also became all-time hits.

It has been 30+ years since Abhimaan, and 30+ viewings later, it still holds the same charm as always. A truly evergreen film.