Babul: Review
Babul, directed by Ravi Chopra, is a pleasant heartening entertainment, packed with stirring emotions, sans melodrama. However, it might just be a bit too sugarcoated and the plot somewhat regressive, especially for the modern youngsters fed on MTC culture.
Babul narrates the tale of a man trying to bring laughter and joy back into the life of his widowed daughter in law. Today, when remarriage even after widowhood is often shown in the daily soaps on television and is not uncommon in real life as well, the theme is not too novel. However, it is the treatment of this dated subject, the way that the mental anguish and predicament of the father and the daughter in law are brought forward, that is appealing.
Amitabh Bachchan is Balraj Kapoor, a wealthy business tycoon, loving husband to Shobhna (Hema Malini) and friendly father to Avinash (Salman Khan). Their bliss is furthered when Avinash marries Mili (Rani Mukherje) – a painter, and have a son named Ansh.
But the serenity of their life is shattered when Avinash suddenly dies in an accident. Mili is distraught; her loneliness without Avinash is unbearable for her.
To end her grief and suffering, Balraj decides to get her to marry again. He contancts Rajat (John Abraham) – a musician in Europe, who nurtures in his heart an unspoken love for Mili. At first, Mili is against the idea, but she is made to see reason by Balraj and Rajat.
However, Balraj is met with rigid resistence from his own family members. His wife refuses to support his decision. The toughest opposition comes from his elder brother Balwant (Om Puri) – an upholder of longstanding conservative ideas. Accompanied by other relatives, he comes to stop the nuptials on the wedding day. The culmination is touching and sweet.
Losing a husband in India is not just losing the life-partner, but the loss of colors, laughter and the pulsation of life itself. This transpires magnificently in Babul. The costumes that are boldly colorful in the first half turn dull in the second – depicting the dismal turn of events. The scene where Rani dances in the rain with Avinash’s sweater and then breaks down crying brings tears to the eyes. Ravi Chopra’s film, sans over-the top melodrama, goes straight to the heart, even if it caters largely to family audiences.
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