Starcast: Salman Khan, Naghma, Mohnish Behl, Kiran Kumar, Asha Sachdev, Raju Shreshtha, Beena Banerjee and Shakti Kapoor Direction: Deep...
Starcast: Salman Khan, Naghma, Mohnish Behl, Kiran Kumar, Asha Sachdev, Raju Shreshtha, Beena Banerjee and Shakti Kapoor
Direction: Deepak Shivdasani
Music: Anand Milind
Released date: 21st December 1990
I recently rewatched "Baaghi: A Rebel for Love" from 1990, that old Salman Khan flick directed by Deepak Shivdasani. It's such a throwback to early '90s Bollywood, when Salman was still that cute, innocent guy from Maine Pyar Kiya trying to prove he could do action too.
The story kicks off with Saajan (Salman), this
carefree college kid from a strict army family – his dad's a colonel. One
night, he ends up in a brothel, and that's where he meets Kajal, or Paro,
played by Nagma in her debut. She's this sweet, innocent girl who's been
kidnapped and forced into the trade by the sleazy villain Dhanraj (Shakti
Kapoor doing his over-the-top bad guy thing). Saajan falls hard for her,
decides she's the love of his life, and basically turns "baaghi" –
rebel – against his family, society, and the goons to rescue her.
It's got all the masala you expect: romance, drama,
fights, family disapproval, and those emotional confrontations where Salman
yells about love conquering everything. The plot was apparently Salman's own
idea, and you can tell he wanted to shift from boy-next-door to action hero.
There are some intense action scenes for the time, with Salman bashing up
baddies left and right, and it feels raw and gritty in parts, especially around
the brothel scenes.
Nagma was just 16 or so, and for a newcomer, she
holds her own – she's got this vulnerable yet strong vibe that makes you root
for her character. Salman is peak charming here, with that baby face and
energy; you can see why he became a superstar. Supporting cast has Shakti
Kapoor as the baddie, Kiran Kumar as the dictatorial father, Mohnish Behl in a
grey shaded role, and the usual suspects.
What really elevates the movie, though, is the
music by Anand-Milind. The soundtrack is fire even today! Tracks like
"Kaisa Lagta Hai" (that flirty duet with Amit Kumar and Anuradha
Paudwal) and "Chandni Raat Hai" ( Abhijeet) are straight-up romantic
bangers that play on the radio forever. There's also the fun "Tap Tap
Tapori" and emotional ones like "Sajan o Sajan" and "Har Kasam se Badi Hai" that fit the mood perfectly. The songs are the highlight – they carry a lot of
the film's emotional weight and were a big reason it clicked with audiences.
Direction-wise, Deepak Shivdasani keeps it
straightforward – it's not super polished, but it moves at a good pace. Some
parts feel dated now, like the whole prostitution angle is handled in that
typical '90s moralistic way, with a dedication to victimized women at the
start. It's a bit preachy, and the society-vs-love theme is overdone, but back
then it felt bold tackling that subject.
It's predictable as hell – you know the hero will
win, family will come around, villains get thrashed. Some dialogues are cheesy,
and the climax is your standard massy showdown.
But honestly, that's part of the charm. It came out
in December 1990, did solid business and helped cement Salman's action image.
For me, it's a guilty pleasure watch. If you're a Salman fan or love those
old-school romantic dramas with great songs and fights, give it a try. It's not
a classic like Dilwale Dulhania, but it's fun, heartfelt in spots, and has that
nostalgic vibe. Trust me its way better than a lot of forgettable '90s stuff,
mostly because of the leads' chemistry and those timeless tunes.
By Ayushmaan Mitra
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