Call it the Govinda Factor. While actresses in Bollywood are all
too often roughly shoved out the door the moment they turn thirty, their
male counterparts can enjoy a long and fruitful career playing “young”
men, opposite a succession of ever younger actresses. Govinda is
perhaps the most prominent example (to the point where doing a Govinda
film is a rite of passage for an up-and-coming actress) but it’s
standard practice across the industry, just one more reason to suspend
your disbelief. Nowadays, I hardly even notice, unless the film goes
out of its way to point out the age difference by making the romantic
leads alleged childhood sweethearts or, in the case of Sooryavansham (1999) by having Amitabh Bhachchan, reigning patriarch of Bollywood, play his own son.
The son in question is Heera (Bachchan), who lives quietly as a servant in the house of his own father, Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh (also Bachchan). Although Heera is a model of filial piety, he’s still a disappointment to his father; not only is Heera an illiterate dropout (and therefore not able to take up the feudal responsibilities of a Thakur), but he also shamed the family by refusing the marriage his parents arranged for him.
While acting as a servant, Heera meets Radha (Soundarya). At first she’s haughty, but she’s soon intrigued by Heera’s gentle good nature and beautiful singing voice, and upon learning the true story behind Heera’s broken engagement, and seeing how badly Gauri (Rachana Banerjee), his former intended, treats him, Radha decides that this is the man she wants to marry.
Both families disagree. Radha is forcibly engaged to the son of the evil neighbor (Mukesh Rishi), and Thakur Bhanu makes Heera an offer: forget Radha, and he will be welcomed back into the family and treated as a son. This is everything Heera has ever wanted. but Radha has made it clear that if she’s forced to marry, she’ll kill herself. Caught between love and family, Heera chooses love; he crashes Radha’s wedding (literally, on a motorcycle) and carries her off. Thakur Bhanu formally disowns Heera, and the couple are forced to rely on the kindness of Heera’s friend Dharmendra (played by Anupam Kher and not by Dharmendra).
Heera takes a menial job so that Radha can study to become a controller, and the pair continue to struggle until Radha’s uncle (Kader Khan) intervenes. He lends the reluctant Heera enough money to buy a bus. Through hard work, Heera turns that bus into a successful business, and then a very successful business, and then many successful businesses. Eventually, Heera is every bit as rich and powerful as his father, and is raising a son of his own.
Thakur Bhanu runs into the boy outside of school, and is impressed by his intelligence and dignity. Upon learning that this is his own grandson, he makes a point of befriending him. With the boy as intermediary, he and Heera begin a subtle communication, but just when it looks like all fences will be mended. the evil neighbor (remember him?) intervenes.
As Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh, Amitabh gives a wonderful performance , ably capturing the essence of the fiery, stern, but ultimately loving patriarch. Even without the age issue, though, he’s miscast as Heera; Amitji built his career with intense performances as the Angry Young Man, while Heera is meek, gentle, and about as intense as a basket full of puppies. On top of that . . . well, there’s not enough makeup in India to make the Amitabh of 1999 look twenty years old again. In the hands of a lesser actor, this would be an unmitigated disaster, but Amitabh almost manages to pull it off.
The Govinda factor is lessened a bit because Sooryavansham isn’t primarily a romance, it’s a film about being a good feudal ruler, and about being a dutiful son. Still, I can’t see the reasoning behind the dual role. The film certainly doesn’t take advantage of it; a few characters comment on the resemblance between father and son, but it’s not seen as anything exceptional. Shahrukh looks enough like Amitabh to pull it off (and does long-suffering filial piety better than anyone!)
Amitabh isn’t the only one with a dual role here; both Heera’s mother (Jayasudha) and Radha are dubbed by legendary actress (and Amitabh’s number one fan) Rekha. Both the physical and voice actresses acquit themselves well, but they are never the focus of the film.
The comic subplot is not only more tacked on than usual, it’s one that I’ve seen before. While I don’t know anything about Indian urban legends and traditional jokes, that’s exactly what this feels like; the effect is like a Western movie having a subplot about a mysteriously resurrected pet rabbit or a woman answering the front door naked except for a football helmet.
The Govinda Factor wasn’t enough to sink Sooryavansham for me; it’s still a pretty good movie, but it’s not the film it could have been.
The son in question is Heera (Bachchan), who lives quietly as a servant in the house of his own father, Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh (also Bachchan). Although Heera is a model of filial piety, he’s still a disappointment to his father; not only is Heera an illiterate dropout (and therefore not able to take up the feudal responsibilities of a Thakur), but he also shamed the family by refusing the marriage his parents arranged for him.
While acting as a servant, Heera meets Radha (Soundarya). At first she’s haughty, but she’s soon intrigued by Heera’s gentle good nature and beautiful singing voice, and upon learning the true story behind Heera’s broken engagement, and seeing how badly Gauri (Rachana Banerjee), his former intended, treats him, Radha decides that this is the man she wants to marry.
Both families disagree. Radha is forcibly engaged to the son of the evil neighbor (Mukesh Rishi), and Thakur Bhanu makes Heera an offer: forget Radha, and he will be welcomed back into the family and treated as a son. This is everything Heera has ever wanted. but Radha has made it clear that if she’s forced to marry, she’ll kill herself. Caught between love and family, Heera chooses love; he crashes Radha’s wedding (literally, on a motorcycle) and carries her off. Thakur Bhanu formally disowns Heera, and the couple are forced to rely on the kindness of Heera’s friend Dharmendra (played by Anupam Kher and not by Dharmendra).
Heera takes a menial job so that Radha can study to become a controller, and the pair continue to struggle until Radha’s uncle (Kader Khan) intervenes. He lends the reluctant Heera enough money to buy a bus. Through hard work, Heera turns that bus into a successful business, and then a very successful business, and then many successful businesses. Eventually, Heera is every bit as rich and powerful as his father, and is raising a son of his own.
Thakur Bhanu runs into the boy outside of school, and is impressed by his intelligence and dignity. Upon learning that this is his own grandson, he makes a point of befriending him. With the boy as intermediary, he and Heera begin a subtle communication, but just when it looks like all fences will be mended. the evil neighbor (remember him?) intervenes.
As Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh, Amitabh gives a wonderful performance , ably capturing the essence of the fiery, stern, but ultimately loving patriarch. Even without the age issue, though, he’s miscast as Heera; Amitji built his career with intense performances as the Angry Young Man, while Heera is meek, gentle, and about as intense as a basket full of puppies. On top of that . . . well, there’s not enough makeup in India to make the Amitabh of 1999 look twenty years old again. In the hands of a lesser actor, this would be an unmitigated disaster, but Amitabh almost manages to pull it off.
The Govinda factor is lessened a bit because Sooryavansham isn’t primarily a romance, it’s a film about being a good feudal ruler, and about being a dutiful son. Still, I can’t see the reasoning behind the dual role. The film certainly doesn’t take advantage of it; a few characters comment on the resemblance between father and son, but it’s not seen as anything exceptional. Shahrukh looks enough like Amitabh to pull it off (and does long-suffering filial piety better than anyone!)
Amitabh isn’t the only one with a dual role here; both Heera’s mother (Jayasudha) and Radha are dubbed by legendary actress (and Amitabh’s number one fan) Rekha. Both the physical and voice actresses acquit themselves well, but they are never the focus of the film.
The comic subplot is not only more tacked on than usual, it’s one that I’ve seen before. While I don’t know anything about Indian urban legends and traditional jokes, that’s exactly what this feels like; the effect is like a Western movie having a subplot about a mysteriously resurrected pet rabbit or a woman answering the front door naked except for a football helmet.
The Govinda Factor wasn’t enough to sink Sooryavansham for me; it’s still a pretty good movie, but it’s not the film it could have been.
No comments:
Post a Comment