17 years ago today… Revisiting ‘Raja Hindustani’
Release date: 15th November 1996
Director: Dharmesh Darshan
*ing: Aamir Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Kunal Kemmu
When one thinks of ‘Raja Hindustani’, one can remember a film which fared brilliantly both at the box office and also with the audiences. One thinks of a simple love story, starring Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor, filled with obstacles but, quite possibly, the main thing that springs to mind is the song Pardesi pardesi which was all the rage at the time of the film’s release.
‘Raja Hindustani’ was a story about a a tour guide (Khan), Raja, who one day comes across Aarti (Kapoor) who is on vacation. The two are like chalk to cheese in every way but Aarti takes a liking to Raja. During Aarti’s stay in Raja’s hometown, the two fall in love. Aarti’s father opposes their relationship due to Raja’s modest background and forces her to choose between Raja and her family. Aarti chooses Raja and tries to live her life without her family. However, when her family pretend to accept him, trouble brews as they try to keep the two lovers apart.
‘Raja Hindustani’ brought a very different Kapoor to the screens. Having been seen in movies with young, immature roles or with a multi-starcast, Kapoor shines in this role as Aarti where she not only looks different but is seen growing in character and maturity throughout the movie. Her pairing with Khan was a good one with him fitting into the boy-next-door avatar very easily. Kapoor bagged the best actress award at Filmfare for this role which saw her on-screen kiss with Khan be the topic of conversation around the time of release. Khan also got the best actor at Filmfare for this movie which became the third highest grosser of the 90s.
The USP of ‘Raja Hindustani’ was simple. It was relatable, fresh and yet simple. It had all the essential ingredients to make up the quintessential Bollywood movie but yet it was different for its time and this is what made it stand out. Today, when one thinks back at the magic of the film, one can remember the simplicity of Khan singing Aaye Ho Meri Zindagi Mein in the car with Kapoor quietly listening in the backseat. One remembers the evil that Kapoor’s parents – played by Suresh Oberoi and Archana Puran Singh – and their allies proved to be in creating problems for the two lovers. Whatever it is you remember, it certainly doesn’t feel like the movie released a long 17 years ago.
One may also remember a very cute child star Kunal Kemmu being Khan’s sidekick in the movie. How time flies!
