Mausam

Plot synopsis:
The main story of the film spans over a period 10 years, from 1992 to 2002 and includes references to Demolition of Babri Masjid, Bombay Riots, 1993 Bombay bombings, Kargil War, 9/11 attacks and Post-Godhra Riots.
Mausam is the story of two lovers, Harinder Singh, known as Harry (Shahid Kapoor) and Aayat (Sonam Kapoor). Harry is a happy-go-lucky Punjabi guy, whereas Aayat is a Kashmiri girl. In 1992, the two meet and fall in love at Mallukot, Punjab, where Harry's family is from. But before they get to spend some time together, Aayat leaves for Mumbai with her uncle and aunt; and Harry joins the Indian Air Force. In 1999, Harry, now a Squadron Leader meets Aayat in Scotland, where they get closer once again. However, before their marriage, the Kargil occupation happens in Kashmir, and Harry is called back to India to fight in the war, fate separating them once more. After this separation, they begin to long for each other. Harry paralyses his left arm during a special mission in the Tiger Hill. They both want to speak to each other but fate always brings them closer and then separates them again. At the end, in Ahmedabad during post-Godhra riots, they finally find each other and decide to settle down with an orphan child rescued by Harry from the riot which also results in his arm cured, with a child of their own on the way.

Tags: romantic, flashback

Review:
Gulzar's Mausam tells the story of Dr. Amarnath Gill, who returns to Darjeeling after many years and after a while decides to look for his past love there.
It's authentic to the core, it's beautifully shot, it's emotional and melancholic, and it just presents a moving episode of mainly three characters, while it is mainly seen through the eyes of Amarnath.
Wavering between the present and the past through flashbacks, memories and confessions, the story is narrated exceedingly well.
Gulzar gives the script a touch of tension and suspense, and several proceedings are completely unexpected and surprising.Gulzar shows his characters going through many trials and tribulations, and yet he never tries to victimise them or dramatise their stories when he presents the motives behind their current state.
The movie in large portions works as a character drama, and is a very poetic, intense and atmospheric piece.
Moreover, while the casting of one actor in two different roles has often not been justified in Hindi films, in Mausam it is very symbolic actually, showing what a cruel and ironic game destiny has played with Amarnath by taking away his love and making him meet her lookalike daughter who is a completely different person, namely a prostitute.
You will see none of the mess or the caricature girls one is used to seeing in Hindi movies dealing with prostitution.There can be no doubt about Sanjeev Kumar's extraordinary acting talent and following Aandhi, in which he played a similar part, here too he plays his character's regret and pain with depth and ease.
Sharmila Tagore got her best roles in Satyajit Ray films, and Mausam may be one of the best parts she received in Hindi cinema.
Not for a single moment in the film did she overdo her part, not the cute young girl, not the foul-mouthed prostitute, not the woman who lost her mental sanity.
Among the supporting actors, Dina Pathak and Om Sivpuri play their parts excellently.The film was released after the death of its music director Madan Mohan.
Sanjeev Kumar has been my favorite actor.
Mousam is a story of a medical student who comes across his memories after spending much part of his life.
These memories contain pain and pang of lost love and emotion of repentance.
When Gill realizes that he has committed a mistake by not caring for a girl who builds a sweet home of love in her dreams, he tries to compensate for her by finding her daughter but a lot of water has gone under the bridge now.
The film has simple plot but the real charm is the sad environment of the movie and also its music.
The films main character could have been justified by none other than Sanjeev Kumar.
And a brilliant music by Madan mohan, all add to the charm.Only people who can understand the subtilities of Hindi lyrics can truly enjoy this movie..
The resounding and penetrating direction and story by Gulzar makes this film a toast to watch.
Although, the story is not very extra ordinary, but the resonating acting of Sanjeev Kumar and Sharmila bring poignant waves of past events laden with turbulent sequence in the movie.Simply put, they don't make it like this anymore ...........
These films which carried their imprint on the audience memories for a long time,not like the hullalalabulo absurdity of present day movies.
In Mausam, Sanjeev Kumar rocked as the young doctor-in-training, and then as the older man who comes back to Darjeeling to relive his memories.
The flashbacks were kept to a minimum and even the minor characters like Om Shivpuri, Dina Pathak and Agha were so perfect in their roles.
Sanjeev was pitch perfect, playing men that were 20 years apart in age, just by subtle changes in body language and some gray hair!
Sharmila was excellent in the mother daughter roles, although clearly outclassed by Sanjeev.
And the divine music - Dil Dhoondhta Hai Phir Wohi Fursat Ke Raat Din. A perfect 10 from me for this perfect film..
It is a part of Gulzar's Lost Love trilogy (the other two being the equally spellbinding 'Ijaazat' and 'Aandhi').
The film starts with Dr. Gill (Sanjeev Kumar) arriving at Darjeeling on holiday to get a break from work.
The town gives rise to lost memories, memories of a lost love (Sharmila Tagore).
As Dr. Gill is showered with memories, he embarks on a desperate search for his love but as he discovers the truth his regret exacerbates and his despair to find her heightens.The cinematography is wonderful.
I especially liked how the songs were visualized, the highlight song being 'Dil Dhoondta Hai' that juxtaposes a desperate aged Dr. Gill with his memory of his young self with Chanda.
Gulzar's depiction of the prostitutes and brothel is very realistic, especially compared to most movies of its time.There's no doubt that Sanjeev Kumar was one of the best actors (if not THE best) of his time and he delivers yet another terrific performance.
Even the minor characters are excellently acted by actors like Dina Pathak and Om Shivpuri.'Mausam' is both a mesmerizing poem and a captivating oil on canvas.
In the first half Sanjeev presents a master-class of immense acting...you cry when he cries ( he cries only once) but you also cry when he is hit with a proverbial emotional brick.
That scene makes the movie come together in ways that otherwise would not be possible.
possible but perhaps unlikely--and it is not because talents like Sanjeev Kumar may not be available (which may indeed be true)-but primarily that Bollywood "mores" on handling the love stories have changed...watch the movie closely ---and watch what Kajali's only love Kundan does when he loses her.
How will Gulzar rewrite Chanda's character if he were to write this story today???
Caught this movie totally by chance and could not turn away from it.The story at its fundamental explores a father and daughter relationship, missed opportunities and the act of repentance.Firstly, let congratulate Gulzar for making such a thoughtful and emotional movie.
Sanjeev Kumar is amazing, he was one of those actors that did not have to say much as his expressions lied within his eyes.
In this movie Sanjeev Kumar plays a man with so much guilt in him, you can actually feel it and his wanting to repent.
Sharmila Tagore was amazing, you would have to be a brave woman and actress to take a movie like this back in 1975 and boy does she nail it.Conclusion, a great movie, a great story and great acting..
The more you watch it the more you understand it and you start developing a bond with the actors in the film.
There are people who debate whether mausam is better than Aandhi or vice versa, although both the films are based on somewhat a similar subject which involves the actors making a mistake in their early life and living through it to the latter part of their life filled with remorse and guilt.I will go with mausam as a better movie than Aandhi mainly because of Sanjeev kumar's acting (not that his acting in Aandhi was bad but the story of Mausam is sanjeev kumar centric) who makes you feel for him and his helplessness as Amarnath Gill.
He comes back after 25 years to the place of his love and has not married yet.
Gulzaar Saab has left it upon us to think whether amarnath was right or wrong in his decision of not returning at the earliest and it is these moments in the movie that trigger our imagination and establish a bond with the characters.
Sharmila Tagore has played a character that you will have in mind whenever you go to Darjeeling.
The songs just suck you even further into itDisclaimer: Watching the movie repeatedly might start to trouble you emotionally ;-).
It was 1999 and I was passing my 12th grade exam, those were the days when it was a MAUSAM of Bollywood movies everywhere.
OOOOO Sanjeeve Kumar I love you how he has played his role with mere perfection and outclass natural gestures.
He will remain one of the best actor of Bollywood in coming future for at least 1000 years.
When you watch this film you will enter into the journey of hate, love and the time which has passed away and you can not fill those gapes by providing redemption Medicare.
The music, dialogue acting everything was perfect and I guess this is Sharmila's best performance in any movie.
This movie is a cocktail of solid acting, strong script and nearly perfect direction from Gulzar Sahb....
I'm getting ahead of myself but how else can I describe Mausam for what is it but an eclectic mosaic of sweet, sad, vengeful, insightful, melancholic memories, the colors of which are brought forth masterfully on the canvas, by the master painter and poet, Gulzar, who with the sweep of his magical brush, paints a kaleidoscopic landscape of lost love Now, there are many kinds of memories.
It is these memories that the film in question deals with.We meet Dr. Amarnath Gill.
Though ostensibly, Dr. Gill is on a vacation to Darjeeling to take a break from his hectic schedule, his visit has a more subliminal motive too, one that is not known to his frenzied city life but is only known to his other self, which has long since become lost like an unknown face in the mirror that he doesn't recognize anymore.
His immaculate questions about a woman he had known many years ago, sheds ample light on the cause of his restlessness.Then, we embark upon a journey with him along the woolen clouds and the and through a series of flashbacks, we meet our second main character- the object of Dr. Gill's affection in the past and his culpability in the present.
Young, city bred, urban urbane man comes to a small hill station to study Medicine and falls in love with a local damsel.
There, the revelation takes place and mournful at the news that this man had walked out on her desolate mother and thereby subjecting herself and her mother to years of destituteness, she walks out on him.In the last scene, he seeks forgiveness and she grants him that by agreeing to go with him to the city (just like her mother would've and should've many moons ago) and we leave them like that, unsure of the future facing them but sure of their intentions of facing it togetherThe story of the movie is fairly simple.
The doctor goes back to his past that he had left behind and once there, he remembers his lost love, discovers himself and meets a mysterious stranger who would eventually change the course of his life.
The pace of the movie is like the doctor's vacation- unhurried, laid back and luxurious.
'Dil Dhoondta Hai' probably has some of the best use of photography- bringing together the two ends of the continuum- the past and the present, the start and the end.
That one song is enough to grant this film a permanent place in my heart's graveyard.
You feel as if you are Dr. Gill and that you can almost touch Kajli by extending your arm through the confetti- like mist.
A tale of lost love- a favorite subject with Gulzar, is probably told in three parts- Mausam, Aandhi and Ijaazat.
Two of my favourite actors, Sanjeev Kumar and the very sexy Sharmila Tagore, sure promise a few hours of good cinema.Mausam (season) though decades old, stills remains an attractive movie owing to Gulzar's candid story telling.
While the plot itself is not what I would rave about, its the way Gulzar and his actors have handled the story, that glues you to the expected end.
Amarnath Gill (Sanjeev Kumar) guilty of a failed relationship with a small town vaid's (local village doctor) daughter Chanda (Sharmila Tagore) and incidentally, twenty odd years later stumbles upon the remnants of Chanda's life, in an off-season vacation in Darjeeling.
Filled with remorse and regret, Amarnath embarks on a journey to seek what remains of his lost love, Chanda's daughter Kajli (also Sharmila).Of the several paths that this story could walk down, the choice of simplicity and bare truth exposed in the character s feelings makes the movie so convincing!
Without actually dwelling on the notes of sympathy (for Kajli's life as a prostitute), or revenge / hatred (for Kajli towards Amarnath, the lover who failed her mother) or self-loathing (for Amarnath who realizes the cost of his erroneous choices in life), the movie paces on, leaving it for its viewers to experience this basket of emotions.Some rather nice tracks, befitting its generation, accompanies this movie.
I got hold of this movie in order to start seeing more of Sanjeev Kumar, whom I admired so much in Silsila, where he plays a husband who probably knows his wife (Rekha) does not love him the way he loves her - the performance was so subtle and intelligent He is wonderful in this one too, but probably it's the performance of Sharmila Tagore I'll remember more keenly.When I went looking around the Internet for comments on Mausam I came across a message board note from someone who said she knew she could feel all right if she could hear Dil Dhoondta Hai every day of her life.
I understand why someone could fall in love with this song, played at the very beginning of this movie and again in a scene of love from the past of Kumar's character, whom we first meet in his middle age.Translation on screen: The heart lies in searchOnce again for those daysAnd nights of leisure .
.We're right away in the world of the longing and search for long-gone sweet memories, recalled with melancholy.Dr Gill (Kumar), an unmarried gray-haired man who has become successful through discovering a useful medicine, is spending a holiday at Darjeeling alone.
Over twenty years before he had visited the same place, and fallen in love with the daughter of a local Ayurvedic doctor.
He learns that she never recovered emotionally from his abandonment of her; she had married subsequently, lived in poverty, and had a daughter, who is now a prostitute The movie is the story of his efforts to deal with all of this, including his "buying" several weeks of the girl's time from the brothel where she works.Sharmila Tagore (the mother of Saif Ali Khan, for fans who know present stars better than earlier ones) plays both the girl Kumar falls in love with and her daughter, the young prostitute.
We also have a glimpse of her as a gray-haired "old" woman in a sad scene where her decline into madness is dramatized.She doesn't know what Kumar wants when he takes her to his house, and is emphatic about being paid for her services - he insists on getting her dressed up in a ladylike way, once he's dealt with her insistence that the cost not be taken from her wages.
My favorite scene in the movie possibly, besides the car and the song at the beginning, is the scene where she decides she knows what kind of customer he is: not the kind who wants to "have fun" with a girl, but the romantic kind who wants to "roam" and see dancing.
She seems to be about 14.It's the kind of story Bollywood excels at - there is such artistry involved (the movie is written and directed by Gulzar, so the script is basically perfect) in containing the powerful emotions of a man who abandoned the only person he ever loved, and has returned too late to do anything to benefit her directly.
He is a taciturn, grim-ish character when we meet him, tenderer but also somewhat self-involved in the flashbacks to his "days and nights of leisure."The antic aspects of both the girl he loves and of her tough little daughter keep the movie far away from being a dreary guilt-and-sob-fest.
Kumar is a wonderful actor, as noted, but this movie is from the days when the hero didn't have to be in fit physical shape; he isn't, so when he is supposed to be young and handsome, his face is fine but the body detracts from my ability to experience the "young love" thing.
But Dil Dhoondta Hai just about makes up for it.I think the movie also allows some play to the question of whether there is a Lolita-like element to the relationship developing between Dr Gill and the girl - it lets us think about that, I'd say..
Sharmila Tagore's finest performance as a trafficked working girl with benevolent brothel-madam , Dina Pathak and dead mother's ex-fiance, upper-crust doctor Sanjeev Kumar who comes to Darjeeling looking for his former summer love after decades & finds out that she died , leaving behind a single daughter, who has been tragically trafficked.
Sanjeev Kumar tries to quietly redeem Sharmila Tagore from her dark existence , without revealing who he really is ; while she mistakes him for an unusual client - begins to respect him and eventually develops warmer feelings for him- which she tries to cure herself of , by going back to the brothel , mistakenly believing her arrangement with the good doctor , to be temporary.
The movie takes off when the doctor first sets sight on Kajli.
Early in his life, he had ended his love due to shame of professional failure.
She takes to being a prostitute and harbors grudges against her mom's unrequited love, the doctor's betrayal and the society in general.
The movie is all about the doctor's efforts to make amends for his past by offering Kajli a family.
Her fatalism and near-addiction to her prostitute lifestyle is very well portrayed.The high point of the movie is the song - Dil dhoonta hai.
It never fails to bring back images of lost love from bygone years.