Starcast: Raj Kiran, Rameshwari, Amrish Puri, Shashi Puri, Kavita Kiran, Jagirdar, Yunus Parvez , Master Rajesh and Iftekhar Music: Ravi...
Starcast: Raj Kiran, Rameshwari, Amrish Puri,
Shashi Puri, Kavita Kiran, Jagirdar, Yunus Parvez , Master Rajesh and Iftekhar
Music: Ravindra Jain
Direction: Hiren Nag
So I recently dug up this old Bollywood flick called "Maan Abhimaan" directed by Hiren Nag and released in August 1980. The director who did those
sweet Rajshri-style dramas like "Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se" and "Abodh" later on.
This one's produced by Tarachand Barjatya, so it has that classic
family-oriented vibe that Rajshri was famous for back then – lots of emotions,
moral dilemmas, and a touch of romance without going overboard.
The story revolves around Ajay Choudhary, played by
Raj Kiran (who was kinda the go-to guy for nice, sweet, earnest heroes in those
days). Ajay comes back home after being away, probably studying or something,
and finds his dad (Amrish Puri in a serious character role ) is not keeping
well. Dad hands over the family business to him, and Ajay's all pumped up about
it. His first big task? Buying this grand old haveli in a village area. But oh
boy, things get complicated when he meets Mallika (Rameshwari, who brings that
rustic charm), the daughter of the house's owner.
Turns out, there's bad blood because Ajay's dad had
some shady business dealings in the past – something about embezzling money
from Mallika's father. So Mallika straight-up hates Ajay at first sight, even
though he's head over heels for her. The title "Maan Abhimaan"
basically nails it: it's all about pride, honor, ego clashes between families,
and how love tries to bridge that gap. There's Ajay's sister Rekha (Kavita
Kiran), her fiancé (Shashi Puri) and the usual side characters like Yunus Parvez
for comic relief or emotional support.
Honestly, watching it now, it feels super 80s –
with long dialogues about izzat, family maan, and doing the right thing. Hiren
Nag keeps it clean and wholesome, no big action sequences or item numbers, just
pure drama. The performances are solid for what it is. Raj Kiran is very
likable as the dutiful son trying to fix everything, Rameshwari is innocent and
expressive in her anger-to-love arc, and Amrish Puri adds weight as the ailing
patriarch with a guilty past. The supporting cast, including folks like Sulochana
Latkar and Gajanan Jagirdar, do their bit to keep the family dynamics real.
What really stands out, though, is the music by
Ravindra Jain. Man, those songs are the highlight! Tracks like "Aye Mere
Udas Maan", and " Ek But Se Mohabbat" sung by Yesudas are so
melancholic and beautiful, and there's Hemlata's "Kya Likhoon Kaise
Likhoon" which tugs at the heartstrings. They fit perfectly into the
emotional scenes and make the film more watchable even today. Ravindra Jain had
this knack for simple, soulful melodies that stuck with you.
Is it a masterpiece? Nah, not really. It's pretty
formulaic – you've seen this rich family vs. poor/prideful family, past
mistakes haunting the present, in tons of other movies from that era. The
pacing drags in places, especially the second half where misunderstandings pile
up before the inevitable reconciliation. And some plot points feel a bit
contrived, like how conveniently everything ties up with tears and hugs.
But here's the thing: if you're into nostalgic
Bollywood, the kind with strong family values, no vulgarity, and that
old-school sentimentality, Maan Abhimaan hits the spot. It's like comfort food
cinema. I watched it on one of those streaming platforms , and it took me back
to watching Doordarshan reruns as a kid. Not something I'd recommend to
everyone – especially if you prefer fast-paced stuff like today's films – but
for a rainy afternoon dive into 80s desi drama, it's decent. Gives you that
warm fuzzy feeling about forgiveness and honor, even if it's predictable.
Overall, worth a one-time watch if you're a fan of
Raj Kiran, Rameshwari, or just old Rajshri productions. The songs alone bump it
up a point for me. If you've seen it, what did you think? The ego clashes
reminded me a bit of the classic Abhimaan with Amitabh-Jaya, but way more
subdued here.
By Ayushmaan Mitra
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