Junoon

Shashi Kapoor is my favourite actors and he is absolute treat to watch as Javed Khan in this epic.

Directed by Shyam Benegal, Junoon is the story of obsession and love, set around the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The movie tries to outline the war of independence, social and political issues of that time and is able to make that connection.

Junoon is based on Ruskin Bond's book and Shyam Benegal has done an outstanding job in transforming the book in an unforgettable cinema.

For me Junoon is completely Shashi Kapoor's show. He is outstanding in every scene. It's among his best works. Nafisa Ali looks so fresh in Junoon and is able to carry that innocence and portray that emotions on his face. Shabana Azmi is wonderful as Javed Khan's wife.

Review By Kamal K

Junoon, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Shyam Benegal, is based on Ruskin Bond's "A Flight of Pigeons"

The story is set during the first War of Independence - 1857. During the tumultous and bloody rebellion the British are attacked everywhere. An English mother and daughter, who are on the run, are secretly sheltered by an Indian Nawab whose relatives are fighting against the British. The much married Nawab is besotted by the young girl, but the untrusting mother is against the relationship.

Shashi Kapoor as the obsessive Nawab, Naseeruddin Shah as the fanatic and emotional brother-in-law, Shabhana Azmi as the silently suffering wife, Jeniffer Kendall as the wary mother and Nafisa Ali as the young girl leave a lasting impact.

There is an underlying tension that is maintained throughout this movie which keeps you on the edge. There needs to be a special mention of Govind Nihalani's captivating cinematography which adds to the entire atmosphere.

This movie is a beautiful love story and portrays the feudal life style of the landed aristocracy in North India, particularly in the Awadh region (around Lucknow), a major centre of the 1857 war of independence. Also, IMHO, Javed Khan (Shashi Kapoor)has already seen Ruth, even before the Church massacre (remember the first scene- Ruth notices someone standing outside the house).

Interesting trivia from the movie:

Ruth's grandma is played by Ismat Chughtai, one of the foremost progressive Urdu writers of the last century.

Ruth was played by Nafisa Ali, who had been crowned Miss India in 1977 or 1978 (?). This was her last movie till she appeared in the 2000 movie 'Major Saab' with Amitabh Bacchan (Amitabh's wife).

Javed Khan is a reckless feudal chieftain who falls in love with a British girl named Ruth amidst the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a period marked by the massacre of British people. Javed offers shelter to Ruth's family and asks for her hand in marriage. However, her mother sets a condition: she will only consent if the locals completely defeat the British, as she does not wish for him to marry her daughter. The movie primarily revolves around Javed's reckless desire to marry Ruth and defeat the British armies.

The film's key strengths include the collaborative performance of its cast, a thrilling first half, sharp editing, appealing cinematography, excellent production design, authentic costume design, well-executed action sequences, and evocative music.

Shashi Kapoor, as Javed, was committed to his character and delivered a decent performance. Nafisa Ali, the star of the film, looks incredibly appealing and acts competently in her British character, effectively conveying both appearance and body language. Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah also performed well in their roles, though their performances were generally subtle and lacked their usual acting prowess. Another key player is Jennifer Kendal, famously known as Shashi Kapoor's wife, but few realize what a brilliant actress she was. Her calm and well-managed acting was a treat to watch, especially when she was paired opposite her real-life husband. Additionally, impressive performances by Sushma Seth, Deepti Naval, and Ismat Chughtai significantly elevated the storyline.

The film's pacing is inconsistent, at times appropriate and at others quite slow. Shyam Benegal skillfully builds tension and handles the action sequences effectively. The plot is engaging, logical, and explores a different theme compared to other films made in the same era. While the dialogues were natural, they sometimes lacked significant impact on the narrative. Ruth's character development is captivating, though her sudden change in behavior can be confusing. The climax is unpredictable and sad, yet it feels abrupt and lacked the profound tragic impact it intended. Perhaps this is due to Ruth and Javed's relationship resembling an extramarital affair, or possibly Shyam Benegal's unconventional presentation of the climax.

The cinematography of 'Junoon' (1978) consistently employs natural lighting to create a realistic and often atmospheric visual experience, utilizing wide shots for grand landscapes and close-ups for emotional intimacy; this is arguably the film's strongest attribute. The production design meticulously recreates historical Indian settings, from sprawling outdoor estates and natural terrains to traditional courtyard homes and fortified structures, significantly enhancing the film's period authenticity. Costumes are historically accurate, featuring traditional Indian attire and military uniforms that distinctly reflect the film's setting and character roles. Makeup generally appears naturalistic and subtle, supporting the period realism and allowing for genuine emotional expression. A smash cut with a strong contrast edit further elevates the film's editing. The action sequences, particularly the cavalry and cannon sequences, are electrifying. Together, these elements collaborate to create a cohesive and immersive visual narrative, effectively transporting the audience to the historical world of 'Junoon'.

The music by Vanraj Bhatia is easily recognizable for his characteristic Hindustani classical touch. However, the songs themselves had minimal impact on the film, except for one played in the background during the climax. The remaining songs felt somewhat out of place and lacked his signature flair. On the other hand, the background score effectively maintained the film's intensity. The sound design is acceptable but could have been improved. Overall, the music played a relatively minor role in the film's impact.

While primarily a historical genre film, 'Junoon' deeply explores the theme of an individual's obsession with unattainable desires, which ultimately leads to widespread destruction.

In conclusion, 'Junoon' is an intense historical drama film, representing a commendable effort by Shyam Benegal, and it can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

Summary: Set during the 1857 War of Independence, an obsessed Indian feudal chieftain desires to wed a young Anglo-Indian woman, but the girl's obstinate mother stands between them.

Junoon (aka "The Obsession") is a 1978 Hindi feature film directed by renowned Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Junoon, produced by Shashi Kapoor, is a lost gem that deserves more attention than it has received over the last three decades. Based on a novella named A Flight of Pigeons by the one and only Ruskin Bond, Junoon presents the haunting tale of love, obsession, jingoism and death set around the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The movie underlines the atrocities of war while simultaneously trying to grapple with various social, moral and political issues that are as relevant today as they were in pre-independence India. This National Award-winning film has an ensemble star cast that includes Jennifer Kendal, Shabana Azmi, Nafisa Ali, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, and Shashi Kapoor. The movie's prologue and epilogue is narrated by Amrish Puri in his trademark baritone voice.

Shyam Benegal and team need to be applauded for bringing Ruskin Bond's poignant tale to life. The movie's attention to period detail is immaculate. Benegal also succeeds in eliciting strong performances from all his actors. While the movie's real highlight is Shashi Kapoor's breathtaking performance, it would be unjust to overlook the other performances, especially those of Jennifer Kendal, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and Nafisa Ali, who as the young Ruth Labadoor is a sight for the sore eyes. Vanraj Bhatia's music immensely adds value to the movie's poignant, sombre tone. Govind Nihalani's cinematography speaks for itself: the vivid and powerful images enrich the movie with an element of realism which woos the viewers into believing as if they are a part of the history. The history unfolds with a subtle element of drama that keeps monotony at bay but at the same time ensures that it doesn't become melodramatic.

Benegal, by the virtue of his groundbreaking cinematic works in the '70s and the '80s, rightfully established himself as the undisputed heir to the legacy of great Indian auteurs, like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Guru Dutt, Bimal Roy, Tapan Sinha, Chetan Anand, Mrinal Sen, V. Shantaram, and Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, whose avant garde works paved the way for a new movement in Indian cinema during the late '40s to the '60s, popularly known as Indian New Wave or Parallel Cinema. Benegal's first four films viz. Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977) created a strong buzz among the Indian film aficionados and that's what brought him in contact with Shashi Kapoor who went on to back his next two projects (Junoon happened to be the first with the 1981 classic Kalyug being the second).

Shashi Kapoor is breathtaking to watch in the lead role of a love-struck feudal chieftain, Javed Khan, who falls for a young British girl. This, in the opinion of this critic, also happens to be Kapoor's best performance ever. What makes the portrayal special is its deceptive simplicity. It may be a cinch to play a madman but it's exceedingly challenging to play a role that lies mid-way between sanity and madness. An actor is required to muster all his talent to bring such a complex caricature to life and that's exactly where Kapoor triumphs. During the course of his portrayal, Kapoor effortlessly goes through a gamut of emotions, thereby making it quite convincing for the viewer.

Kapoor, having played pivotal roles in blockbusters like Deewaar, Trishul, Namak Halaal, and Shaan, is often hailed in as an acting icon as far as commercial cinema is concerned, but it's his lesser know art house endeavors, both as an actor and a producer, like Shakespeare-Wallah, Junoon, Kalyug, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Jinnah, etc. that make him stand out among his contemporaries. In fact, Kapoor, throughout his career, has been a part of an elite list of actors who can be said to have been actively associated with both the commercial and the parallel streams of Indian cinema (not to mention his indelible contribution to Indian theatre through his lifelong association with Prithvi Theatre, which he started in memory of his father Prithviraj Kapoor). Thus, it wouldn't be wrong to call him the John Cassavetes of India cinema.

Overall, Junoon is a cinematic epic which serves as a powerful eye-opener for the contemporary Indian filmmakers who, blinded by the glitz and glamour of Bollywood, seem to lack both the ideas and the resolve needed to make great cinema. A major area where the movie scores heavily is in its balanced use of visuals and dialogues. Junoon has several memorable scenes, but none matches the raw power of the opening sequence featuring a dervish, a Sufi Muslim ascetic, slowly drifting into a state of Wajd (a fit of ecstasy which produces a rhythmic motion of the body) upon getting enchanted by a Qawwali (a popular form of Sufi devotional music often sung in the praise of the Almighty) commemorating the glorious Sufi order. Junoon is a great means to get acquainted with classic Indian cinema. It's a must watch for anyone who understands and admires topnotch world cinema.

(This review was first published at A Potpourri of Vestiges)