A take on husband-wife relationship. Review on Aandhi -Bollywood

Several movies have been made in Bollywood which examine and comment upon husband-wife relationship. This relationship is a unique one with maximum proximity between the two persons, second only to the mother-child relationship. If we are modern and consider male and female as equal, then this relationship which is established for a lifetime by a male and a female, becomes all the more significant to deeply examine and analyze. Aandhi(1975) is such a movie only, the first one(and perhaps the only one) made in the backdrop of Indian politics.

Aandhi(windstorm) tells the story of JK(Sanjeev Kumar) and Aarti(Suchitra Sen) who fall in love and then marry. JK is a hotelier whereas Aarti is the daughter of a politician(Rehman) and is willing to become an established politician like her father. Despite the love, the differences begin to prop up between the husband and the wife after the marriage. Ultimately, Aarti leaves JK only to meet him again after a gap of several years. What has happened to their love during this separation period? Is it still there? And if yes, can they restart their life as a couple? How the(dirty) Indian politics reacts to their relationship? The movie answers these questions in a touching manner.

The story of Aandhi was penned by Kamleshwar but this is out and out a Gulzar movie. Gulzar has written its screenplay(with Bhushan Banmali), its dialogues and its lyrics alongwith doing the all important job of its direction. Gulzar's poetic nature can be sensed in the movie throughout its duration. Despite the fact that it comments sharply on the mud-slinging rampant in the Indian politics(even those days; for the present, the less said the better), it is a story of husband-wife relationship only who got separated due to the career ambition of the wife(which the husband did not agree to) but their love which had brought them together has not waned with time. They still love each other the same way they used to years back.

But when a woman is in political fray, her male opponents sense an opportunity for them in her femininity. Without knowing that the man she meets is actually her husband only, they go for mud-slinging and character-assessination of herself. And then this pious lady realizes what she had not realized years back that the Indian politics is not a gentleman's(as well as a lady's) game. Then she takes a firm decision about her life while telling the truth to her prospective voters. What will happen now? Shouldn't her husband be happy that she's coming back to him for good?

Aandhi was made in 1975 but could not get a proper release as certain people alleged that the principal female character of the story was based on the personality of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister. After the declaration of internal emergency during the same year, it was banned completely and could be released in 1977 only. However the fact is that there's not much similarity between the personalities of Aarti and Mrs. Gandhi. It's an injustice to both the real character and the reel character to call it the biography of Mrs. Gandhi.

Aandhi is a sentimental movie. The love between the love-birds is still the same as it was during its initial days. They still care for each other. They still know each other more than anybody else. They still put a premium on the happiness of the partner. And finally, they still like to spend time in his / her company. Their love is timeless. It has not got hidden beneath the layer of dust due to passage of time. There is a woman breathing inside the politician craving for her husband's company and love. And on the other side, the man feels the same way.

It's an emotional drama with a stone-like hard-hitting sarcastic comment upon the Indian politics where issues are not discussed, the individuals are discussed and the character-assessination of the political opponent is shamelessly approved and practiced. It is the same today as it was half a century ago because our politicians consider elections as war in which everything is fair(to win).

A major part of the movie runs in flash back and the director has shown his class in presenting the story on the screen in the most impactful manner. There is no boredom in the movie. The spectator starts getting associated with the protagonists as the movie progresses. The brilliant acting of both the actors with the heart-soothing songs(shot amidst the beauty of Kashmir) adding to the impact.

All the technical aspects are in order. Scenic beauty of Kashmir renders coolness to the eyes of the spectator. Gulzar's beautiful lyrics have been strung into heart-conquering melodies by R.D. Burman. Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi, Tum Aa Gaye Ho and Iss Mod Se Jaate Hain are evergreen songs and a treat for any music(and poetry) lover. A different kind of song Salaam Keejiye is a sarcasm on the opportunism of the Indian politicians.

Sanjeev Kumar had won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in Aandhi. However award or no award, himself and Suchitra Sen have lived their characters, not just performed. They look real. Their love look real. This is the last Hindi movie done by Suchitra Sen. The supporting cast has done justice to the assigned roles.

The producer of this movie, J. Om Prakash always kept the names of his movies starting from the letter'A'. He has done the same for this movie also. However the name is apt considering the turmoil in the lives of the protagonists.

Alongside Mrs. Gandhi, the character of Aarti is said to be modelled on the personality of Tarkeshwari Sinha also, a politician from Bihar. Well, I don't know(and hence can't comment upon) the truth. I know only one thing with certainty.

The movie is a masterpiece.

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