Raakh (1989): A stylish film about Crime and revenge!
Raakh is an experimental film. It’s important and different because it’s abstract in nature and it’s very difficult to be judgemental in the end. First it brings a kind of depression and then after sometime, when we are almost through with the film, (after all the activities of a judgemental mind are stopped), it brings satisfaction of seeing a different way of storytelling. You are convinced with the progress and content of the story or not is a different matter and fact is this that this is the way director has presented his visual story. It’s also a crime and revenge genre oriented film but it’s treatment is different. It tries to search the violence but with minimum or no stunt/action. Raakh does not bring same degree of entertainment as another revenge drama Sholay brings but at same time, audience never gets any leisure moment to feel to leave the seat and film keeps him attracted throughout the film and continues shaking him with the treatment of the subject.
Technically film is stylish and cinematography, light and sound department, provide it that stylish look and at same time actors with minimum make up on their faces, look more like the characters they are playing in the film than the glamorous actors.
One can see pimples and their after effects on the cheeks of Aamir Khan. Pankaj Kapoor’s face is filled with black moles and pimples. Supria Pathak and Naina Balsawar are with minimum possible make up. Film has raw touch and yet it has something special which binds the audience till the end and leaves them in depressive mood in the end. Raakh was happened 13 years before Irréversible and still Raakh has not lost its charm. Raakh opts path of realistic cinema but still it has dreamy touches of usual hindi cinema. How the lead male actor takes his revenge is shown in simplistic way but yet the idea to take law in his hands is still filmy. How he meets up with two people (Sheikh and Naina), who give him love and support when he is broken, after he leaves the home, is not less filmy. Director has selected this way of showing his story and it works. During the film, it maintains the curiosity among audience and at same time it also generates an uneasy wriggling inside.
Raakh is not confined by usual story telling procedure which has been prevalent in hindi cinema. Stories are defined and analysed on the basis of the country, a defined time period and atmosphere [social, political, economical and climatic (if they are unusual) conditions] prevailing in that era. Raakh shows India. Usually we have stories which are started with “Once upon a time” but Raakh starts with “Some years later from now, in a big city”. Though it is not clear why Director has used this concept of showing a story which happens in future because technically, film shows the era, which is devoid of computers, mobile phones and even pagers and presence of Maruti 800 and Maruti Vans on the roads, clearly makes it a film of late 80s, the time period when the film was made. City is not defined but all those who have seen Bombay know it’s Bombay by seeing many places of Bombay and then a scene in Bhindi Bazar. But except Hasan Karmali no other character speaks language of Bombay and it’s general style of Hindi used in the film. Hasan Karmali says only “Shanpatti kar raha hai saala”, which is the clue that he is bombay based mafia. Once a person in his house tells a joke with Gujarati touch also, otherwise characters speak normal hindi which can’t be representative of a particular region of India. So director has managed to create a defined environment to show his story and he touches many factors – Confusion and aimless lives of young people, Irritation of parents with the undefined manners of their children, corrupt policemen and their nexus with mafias, frustrations of police officers who wish to do something, orphans and life of a single adult woman, Woman’s trial to hide the fact that she has been raped because she knows and feels that her parents will have to suffer a lot, woman’s compromise in marriage and life etc.
Characters of the film, carry the names of actors, Like Aamir Khan plays Aamir Hussain, Pankaj Kapur plays Inspector Pankaj Kapur (P.K) and Naina Balsawar plays Naina.
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In nut shell, it’s story of Aamir Hussain, whose Ex Girl friend, Nita, is raped and he kills the rapist and his gang members with the help of a police inspector P.K, who is frustrated from his police department.
Director starts his film through a voice over of Aamir Khan and voice carries us inside the film. In that way it’s an autobiographical film of Aamir Hussain, the character played by Aamir Khan. Aamir’s voice tells us that at the age of 21 only, his life has been turned in to the ashes (Raakh) and then voice carries us to the journey of destruction of his life.
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Aamir and Nita : Film reaches in a party and camera captures the scenes as if they are part of events happening in our neighbouring sites. We see, characters enjoying the party, dancing in a very ordinary way, uttering useless dialogues in a casual manner, which we find in real life. And then central character, Aamir Hussain, enters the place and witnesses his ex. girl friend, Nita (Supriya Pathak) standing with her new friend. Aamir still loves her and feels jealous by seeing her with another boy. When he sees her going upstairs, like any ordinary boy would/may do, he approaches her and says with a hitch,” Nita, I want to talk to you”. She responds in an even more awkward way,” What you have to talk. Here, Now?”. Not much effort has been incoroprated in the performances and perhaps this is the motive of the director also, to show the characters like ordinary people and not like some refined actors who are playing some characters.
When these guys are sitting in an open space and enjoying cold drinks, a powerful hoodlum, Hasan Karmali, reaches there in a jeep with his gang and sees the Nita and finds her attractive. Karmali goes and sits adjacent to Nita and tries to touch her body. Her boy friend objects but Karmali pushes him away and Aamir, watching the whole drama from a distance is filled with anger and he reaches there and gives a punch to Karmali. Karmali’s gang members attack Aamir but he stops them and they leave the place. Nita scolds Aamir for interfering in the affair and says that it’s wise to ignore such ruffians. Aamir is still angry and frustrated. Aamir’s friend asks him to drop Nita at her home and we see Aamir driving a car, another male friend of Aamir is sitting on his adjacent seat and on the rear seats Nita and another girl are sitting. Song ”The lady in red” is playing inside the car and Nita apologises to Aamir that she talked with him so rudely and asks him if he is alright.
Aamir’s dialogues, “You were looking beautiful today, but then you always look beautiful. But you have become thin. Are you taking a good care of yours?”.
Suddenly their car is stopped by Karmali and his gang. They break the front glass of the car and pull Aamir, forcibly out of the car. Aamir’s male friend run away. They beat Aamir and Karmali pulls Nita also out of car but another girl is not touched and she hides inside the car. Karmali rapes the Nita. Wounded Aamir, sees a motorcycle rider standing at some distance and he runs towards him to sought help but biker starts his motorcycle and drives away.
Aamir and audience hear crying of Nita and then its darkness all over. Karmali and gang leave the place and a glass bottle comes, flying in air and breaks near the place Aamir is lying on the ground. It’s early morning time but still, darkness is there. A three wheeler breaks the silence and Nita gets up and goes into the car. Violence with Aamir is shown but Rape is not treated in a way as it is shown usually in hindi films. Nothing is shown explicitly but the sense of the event is kept there.
Broken Aamir thinks that Nita has got raped because of his fault of fighting with the Karmali. He goes to a police station and police officer humiliates him and runs him away. He goes to Nita’s house where she says that he should not have come here and asks him to go away.
Aamir does not know if Nita still loves him though she says that if anything happens to Aamir, she will feel very bad but she does not show any indication that she has any plans with Aamir. Aamir’s journey seems to be of a lonely person. When he again meets Nita after some times, she asks him why he has left the home and if he has done it because of her then it’s not a good thing.
She says,” Only I know what and how I have suffered. Nothing will be changed for me, even if they are punished, if they are ever punished”. She advises him to forget the incidence.
Aamir finds it difficult to forget his love towards Nita, memories of their old loving moments and the guilt that because of him Nita had got raped. He burns inside with a feeling of revenge but he finds that Nita has been changed and it looks like he is fighting his own battle. He realises and asks himself that why and for whom he is fighting this war? But he gets no answer and he goes ahead on his journey of revenge. He kills one by one the people responsible for the rape of Nita and his voice sums up his story with the saying,” Today on 7th September, I have to be sentenced punishment for the charges of murder and in same city Nita is going to be married with someone else”.
This is a depressive love story. Aamir takes revenge but he does not get his lady love. From this angle he does not get anything and spoils his life before it could have srtarted flourishing.
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Aamir and PK:
After the rape Aamir goes again at the spot where he had fought with Karmali and gets Karmali’s address from a person selling drugs there. He reaches to Karmali’s house but Karmali’s men see the knife with him and take him to police station where Inspector P.K (Pankaj Kapur) is the officer in charge.
P.K gets interested in his talks after knowing that Karmali and his men raped a woman. He has been investigating a case against Karmali for years but he can’t arrest him as Karmali is a powerful and rich mafia don. Though P.K is frustrated with the police department’s corruption and his inability to take actions against Karmali but he cares a lot about his job also as this is the only earning medium for him. He manages to make Aamir understand that police will investigate the matter and he will be informed and in the mean time he should convince the rape victim to give witness in the court.
P.K calls Aamir’s father and tells him that his son was brought to his office by goons and he was having a knife with him. Aamir’s father (Achyut Potdar) beats him and warns him that his association with Nita will destroy his life. Aamir leaves the home in the night.
Aamir tries to buy a pistol and bullets from Ustad (Jagdeep), but they both are caught by police and Aamir calls Inspector P.K from the police station. PK gets angry but somehow he helps Aamir to takes him out of the police station. Aamir also recalls that it was PK on the motorcycle on road in the night of 10th of June when Nita was raped by Karmali. First P.K refuses but later admits that he was there for sometime. He sends Aamir away and himself goes to attend a party where he meets Karmali also. After drink, P.K finds it unable to control his emotions and he reveals before everyone that Karmali had raped a woman. His bosses from police department are also in the party and he is shown exit soon and next day he is suspended from the services. He is very frustrated. He is suspended and his inability to do against Karmali, reminds him of Aamir and he goes out in search of Aamir. He catches Aamir and reminds him that he knows every detail of Karmali and his gang but they know him and he can’t do much but with his help Aamir can kill Karmali. P.K gives training to Aamir and when Aamir gets pistol first time, he is overwhelmed with the feeling and does childish acts. P.K gets angry and scolds him and says that a bullet can kill a living person within few seconds. He says to him,” With this Toy, people are killed, people who are alive like you and me. You push the trigger and a man becomes dead before your eyes. It’s not easy to kill a person. You kill a person and feel uneasy but you have tasted blood and soon you are ready to kill another, and it becomes a habit. There is no end”. He puts pistol on his head and says that this disease has only one solution. He says further a dialogue which captures the pyschology behind owning an armament. He says,” banduk hum mardon ko mard bana detee hai, (Gun makes us men, The Man).
When Aamir is ready to kill, P.K carries him to a place where his first target is sitting inside a restaurant. Aamir goes inside and shoots him. Similar scene was used in Satya where Bheekhu Mahatre sends Satya inside the restaurant to kill a person. But to have feeling of revenge inside is one thing but to kill someone is a different matter. After killing one person, Aamir can’t bear the psychological pressure and he vomits, cries, and requests PK that he has to go back to his home. P.K says,” Go”. You wanted to take revenge, was it not you?
But Aamir comes back in the morning and soon he kills two more members of Karmali gang. One night when Aamir and Pk are sitting, PK asks about Naina, if Aamir told her anything. Aamir denies but says she was asking about PK. PK smiles. Aamir tries to know about personal life of PK but PK ignores the questions.
Now Aamir has to kill the last man of Karmali Gang who was there on that night, and he catches him inside the cinema hall where “Carvan” film is screened. But Aamir recalls that he had seen this film before with Nita and soon he realise that he can’t kill his target today. He takes out pistol but can’t shoot the person and he runs away and person runs behind him. PK, waiting outside of the cinema hall, sees that person running behind Aamir and shoots him.
Now Karmali and his father are anxious and as it’s the time for Karmali’s sister’s wedding and police takes care of their security. Aamir gets ready and wears nice prince suits and P.K comments,” you look good like this only. I should not have brought you in this garbage. You have not seen much life. You still have time to go back. You should not go ahead today to kill Karmali”.
But Aamir refuses and goes to the wedding place and enters the crowd.
PK kills Karmali but PK is also killed in this last chapter of their revenge journey and Aamir is caught and sent to jail.
* * * *
Aamir takes law in his hands because of Nita and PK helps him in his journey of taking revenge and on this journey, he meets Sheikh and Naina.
Aamir, Sheikh and Naina:
After leaving his home, Aamir sleeps on the wall near sea and an orphan boy Sheikh, wakes him up and takes him to his residing place, a ruined and abandoned building near graveyard. Aamir spends his days with Sheikh but he is unable to forget Nita, his love towards her and her rape. He asks Sheikh if he can arrange for a gun and Sheikh carries him to meet Ustad (Jagdeep), who demands Rs 3000 for an imported pistol with bullets and Aamir goes back to his home when his parents are away and he steals the money.
When he returns from his home he meets with Nita and her talks make him disillusioned and while walking on the roads, Aamir comes before the car of Naina (Naina Balsawar) who takes him to her home and he start living there with her. She buys new clothes for him and after few days he recalls Sheikh and visits him at his living place. Sheikh tells him that he has been very disturbed and he could not sleep and he searched him all the night. He says that Aamir forgot him. Aamir tells him that he has got a house. Sheikh becomes happy and says it’s good as rains are approaching but soon he realises that he can’t go with Aamir. Aamir says that new house does not belong to him and he will have to ask the owner. He writes his address and gives it to Sheikh. Sheikh is sad but Aamir goes back to Naina’s place. Sheikh and Niana, both provide Aamir, a good company, care and affection. With them in life, Aamir gets some solace from his tormented past but the thing that he is unable to forget his past life and later PK searches him and again provides energy to take revenge, compels him to leave both Sheikh and Naina so that he can continue his journey of revenge.
The Young energy: Aditya Bhattacharya, the director of Raakh, and son of noted film maker Basu Bhattacharya, was around 25, when he conceptualised, made and directed Raakh. Though before also he had directed a short silent film with Aamir, which could be said as first camera facing attempt for Aamir, after he gained the adulthood, because he had already acted before as a child actor in, Yadon ki Baraat (1973) and Madhosh (1974). Aamir was also under 25 when Raakh was made and he played here role of a 20-21 year old young man. Aditya Bhattacharya later migrated to Italy.
Supriya Pathak and Naina Balsavar both were in their late 20s. In the main lead, Pankaj Kapur was the only experienced actor, who had acted before in atleast 12-13 films and had a hugely successful TV serial Karam Chand to his credit. For many people Raakh was their first film. Raakh was debut film for cinematographer – Santosh Sivan, composer- Ranjit Barot, Editor – A. Sreekar Prasad and Art Director – Partho Sen Gupta etc.
* * * *
With the low budget (NFDC?), and considering the fact that many talented technicians, were starting with this film, Raakh, was a commendable work in hindi cinema. There is something special about Raakh and it has made it a must watch film for audience, who wish to study the filmography of Aamir Khan. Aamir has a raw touch here in his performance and that is used wonderfully by director Aditya Bhattacharya. Here we don’t find Aamir of Dil Hai ki Manta nahin or even QSQT. In RaakhThe Rising). Director has taken care that Aamir should resemble with the character of Aamir Hussain, and that’s why he is realistic here. He is not allowed to act on a refined and better level and his efforts are canned in such a way that audience may feel that an actor of Aamir’s calibre could have done these and those scenes in better ways as he has been doing in his later years films. But here his progress walks along with the phases come in the life of the character, Aamir Hussain. The raw Aamir has perfectly suited the role of a confused young man whose Ex Girl Friend has been raped and he thinks that it has happened because of him and thus takes the law in his hands. Aamir had to be an ordinary boy with whom such things could happen. Even Aamir’s dialogue delivery is controlled and he does not go for a refined way of mouthing his dialogues. Rather, when film starts and he tries to talk to Nita (Supriya Pathak) in a party, he says his dialogues in quite an awkward way.
On the other hand Pankaj Kapur, being an experienced actor has used his command over acting, and develops mannerisms for the character Inspector P.K (Pankaj Kapur). He and Aamir Khan, carry the film on their shoulders. PK plays mature and experienced police inspector and Aamir Khan plays immature and confused Aamir and their portrayals are the backbone of the film.
Many scenes are taken (or shown) during early morning when Sun is about to rise and darkness is still there or during late evening when Sun is about to set and darkness is trying to shadow the dim and golden light and it increases the impact of the film. There are few scenes which look like paintings. Light and shadows are used with high technical skills.
But there are few lacking also if director had no special meaning associated with these scenes. For example, in one scene, electric bulb is spreading its light in the room and yet an oil lamp, is lit on the table in the house of PK. If it’s left burning then it may have some special meaning, because in the night when electricity supply goes off, then PK lights the lamp and next day when they kill Karmali’s men and come back, lamp is still burning and light bulb is also on. Because it’s first film for many technical people so such mistakes can be overlooked but they are there in the film and at many places parts of the scenes are stretched which should have been edited out because characters are sitting idle, or not speaking and doing anything. One such scene was, when PK carries Aamir from Naina’s car to a restaurant and holds his hand so that he does not escape. Lacking in editing is more visible in the flasback scenes, whenever Aamir goes back in to his memorries related to Nita. So many times it’s not clear if it’s present time or he is back into the memory. A good editing creates distinguishable differences. Though Raakh had got award for its editing. It could have got award for cinematography and light and sound also. But then awards are given on the basis of competition between few selected films in a particular year.
And is it necessary to have parts of Sheikh and Naina as the branches of main story? Could not it have been more short and sleek product with three main characters, Aamir, Nita and PK only?
Background music matches with the subject and maintains the tone of the progress of the story throughout the film and few songs are adequately used in the background.
Director Aditya Bhattacharya, though did not spend much space in elaborating the feelings of the characters after the events in their life and film moves fast in that department and he did not go deep in to the psychological presentations of the moods of his characters and rather showed them as facts and parts of his story and this dealing bring a different touch to the film. He made a good film and though film was not a commercially hit but it gathered much praises and it’s strange that he had left India. Perhaps he saw wider creative perspectives in Italy to explore western film market. Hope he creates more films like Raakh.
Raakh, is intensive and depressive but a collector’s item. A must watch film.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
where can i find this film? it’s not available in my video library.
Its been 10 years since i been looking for this movie. I have no idea how i can get this film. Does someone in LA area know?
Very dark movie…brilliant…
This movie was ahead of its times…a must watch for all moviebuffs
This came out right after Aamir’s QSQT. The movie was no doubt dark and heavy, and many a times slow… the star attraction undoubtedly was Aditya’s camera that moved from the small lanes of Bhendi Bazaar (?), those red lights dangling from top or the dark, almost in shadow covered faces of Aamir or Pankaj Kapoor.
Pankaj was amazing… make that… spell binding. It was no surprise he took the National Award for this one.
This isn’t a movie for those who stay away from dark depressing stories. Aditya at times I felt was always trying for the shock impact… but he had a way with it… slap, shock… let it loose… a clear example of this is when a drunk Pankaj Kapoor goes to the don’s party, takes his gun out and shoots in the ceiling… and then he just walks away.
The Naina-Aamir angle was like a day dream. Did it ever happen – did it not?
The view from inside the mafia house was quite honestly chilling at times – the dialogues looked like they were actually taken from a mafia insider… my room-mate in college at that time just couldn’t believe that some words spoken amongst the mafia family were actually used at his house (he was the Vibheeshan in his house… where tragically his brothers involved in mafia biz were years later shot dead)… like “peeche hut gaye toh log kahenge ki Karmali (?) khandaan dar gaya”…
What I never got to understand is why hasn’t Aditya come up with another release that we could see. Undoubtedly, the semi-wide release of Raakh could be credited to Aamir’s fame on the heels of QSQT.
He made Dubai Return with Irrfan, but aside from some film festival appearances, the film seems a long way off from the cinema hall …
if i am not wrong there is also a kid in the film na…who hangs with aamir….is there?
Thanks RK – will revisit this review after watching this film soon. Am lucky to get a DVD in a week’s time.
anand: yes film is dark and often it looks like we are watching not a hindi film but a film belonging to some other country and only actors are taken from India. Director has tried to keep it out of the boundaries of the time. Especially the scenes between Pankaj Kapur and his superior in Police deptt..( I forgot the name of that actor, he was very active in few comedy TV serials at that time, perhaps in Arosi parosi or amne samne).
He gave fantastic performance with his kind of english.
Vasan: yes Boy’s name is Sheikh in the film. He is an orphon and a street boy in the film. His part in the film is also like Naina’s part. Bit filmy.
and he speaks so good language.:)and gets very mature dialogues. Like he said: This city is very strange, sometimes I fear a lot….
Cy, Mainak: Try this ebay link of U.K. It seems they have the film’s DVD.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Raakh-DVD-AAMIR-KHAN_W0QQitemZ220097820776QQcategoryZ60868QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Caution: Please be aware, as Phoenixnu had paid for a film after seeing ad. on a website and he did not get the film. So pls confirm before paying the money.
OZ: This came after QSQT but Aamir in the film gives feeling that perhaps it was started before QSQT. Aditya Bhattacharya can say about that. He had made a short silent film with Aamir and Neena Gupta in 1984 and perhaps after that he conceptualised Raakh. Perhaps budget problem delayed the film’s completion and ultimately release. Aamir’s physique suggests that he started shooting for Raakh earlier than QSQT.
Camera work was amazing. I had liked one shot at that time, which is so common now. Aamir is sitting on a wall near sea and is indulged in memories of Nita and slowly he comes back in to present and his face is shown overlaping the sea. It looks like sea surface has taken shape of Aamir’s face. And the way camera captures the movements of flying birds in that ruined building where Sheikh lives.and the way Aamir falls down on the dirty blue plastic tant, Sheikh uses as his bed (though same scene was used twice- editing prob.)and the last scene when its all silence and Aamir gets down from the rear seat of the car, takes pistol from the hands of dead Pankaj Kapur and fires. Darkness, Light is yet to spread and wind is there, Karmali’s people are sitting near his dead body, a police officer is standing near his Jeep and a car comes at that time.Amazing scene.
Its a mystery that why some films with all their weaknesses appeal to audience. Raakh has weaknesses and yet its one such film which one wishes not only to see multiple times but recommond others also to watch it. Perhaps these films are called cult classic.
Pankaj Kapur was outstanding. and he is the only character in the film whose emotions are explored in detail. The night, when he is suspended from his job, he is heavily drunk and pours alcohol on his head and its a chilling scene because he starts smoking at same time, we feel fire will burn him but he rises and start combing his wet hairs. and the scenes when he peeps out of his cover sheet from his bed. he is afraid of unknown, uncertain future. But its night and when next day comes he has decided something and goes on his motocycle to search Aamir. Pankja Kapur was the biggest name in the film at that time and thats why I feel Raakh was made before QSQT because in casting also Pankaj Kapur’s name comes first, if it was made after QSQT’s release, Aamir’s name should have been the first, as per hindi films tradition.
But Raakh’s release was surely got benefited by QSQT’s success.
george: Could you see Dubai Return? how you found it? Does it match with expectations one can have from director of Raakh?
KK: Thanks, Welcome and wish you a nice watch. Hope watching reults in another review of the Raakh.:)
Very good analysis, on an eagerly awaited one too, RK.
I believe Aditya also made a film called Senso Unico, he also made a music video recently with Sagarika, called Bye Bye Baby.
Tushar: Thanks,
I just checked IMDB, they have three films in Aditya’s credit. Raakh, Senso Unico and Dubai Return. George had mentioned yesterday about DR. I never heard before about these films. Never knew about the music video either.
I dont know if Raakh was released in theatres but it had got good demand on home VHS. Both possibilities are there, Aditya got feeling that he could do better in western/european market and migrated to Italy, but that he did in 1992, 3 years after Raakh, so certainly he witnessed and analysed the market in India. Perhaps he could not find proper projects and suitable producers with whom he could work on his conditions. Only he knows what he thought and faced. For use viewers it could have been better if he was given opportunities to create some films in the same standard category of Raakh.
I want to watch raakh…but no copies are available in the market …..
Tarun, Kafir and others who would love to watch Raakh. It may work please mention this film to RajShri Production’s website. They have this facility that if you demand some film, and if they can arrange then they can upload it and later you can pay around 4-5 USD to download the film.
Hope it works with other films (not owned by RajShri production or distribution also) which many are looking.:)
Who knows it works
RK,
I’ve only read about Dubai Return; there are a few articles online that talk about it (including a couple of Aditya Bhattacharya interviews); Irrfan has been talking about it in his recent interviews too; Anurag K’s probably seen the film (he had posted a comment to an old post on PFC by Kartik K.
I saw the film when I was still in school. It was the first Aamir Khan film I saw. I had not seen QSQT. As it was Aamir Khan, we friends had contributed 1 rupee each and rented the Video cassette. It was too dark, too slow, too confusing for us. We could not understand what was happening in the dark. i downloaded the movie again after many years from desitorrents. Easy way to get.
Saw it after so many years and still was depressing. A good movie if you can watch depressing movies. Aamir never acted in a movie like that. It was a huge failure after the extremly successful QSQT.
-Punds
Very interestingly written
I had watched Raakh in bits and pieces when i was in school so dont remember much but had always heard amazing feedback about this film.
And with this article it does make me more curious to watch it.
I wish that some of the multiplexes would showcase many films like these once again.
They can decide names of films by conducting a poll wid avid movie watchers and have their own film festivals even if its a small scale.
Thank you RK for all the interesting info abt Raakh.
I love Passion for Cinema webpage and its on the top of my fav websites
cheers to all
Full2Faltu: Sorry for a delayed response.
It’s an experimental film. and as you said Aamir has never acted like this. This is the point that an actress like Supriya Patahk who had earlier worked in films like Vijeta and Bazar, why she acted like that? If we see Aamir in Holi then he also does not act in same way as he did in Raakh. Moreover his performance in Raakh is not stagnant at one point only. He shows different moods of the character. Was it all intentional? Because if Aditya Bhattacharya did not know to take good acting out of his actors then how Pankaj Kapoor performed in a way where he shows command over craft? I guess Aditya Bhattacharya utilized actors in different ways. They all act differently and it’s not a competition that all have to act in a manner where they win the heart of audience with powerful dialogue delivery. Perhaps he wanted to keep raw touch in some portions of the film.
Aditya said in one of his interviews that Aamir classifies Raakh as his best performance till date.
Rreena:
Thanks for your comment. Hope you have got the chance to see Raakh again and this time you watched it completely:)
Perhaps Aditya Bhattacharya will re release this film.
Thanks for very interesting discussion about this amazing film. Allow me to add pair of my impressions.
Raakh- is one of the best films which I saw.
I do not see any lacks of editing Raakh. On the contrary, I consider these flashback with Nita are very successful. The spectator does not see precise differentiations-it happened in the past or in the present, or it was probable only in Amir imagination. Unless it matters? We see a private Universe of him, through these lost in time and in reality flashbacks.
In these flashbacks through perception Amir Nita is different than in stages of realistic dialogues. This 2 vision of Nita adjoin very little.
It is multilevel movie. Fault and revenge. Crime and punishment. Destiny and applicability, a place of the person during lives, meaning of the life, social problems – corruption, problems of a society.
For me is all a background.
Main dominating level -the loneliness of human being.
Film shows the concept of the person as singles with own individual Universe .
Everyone goes through a life with the loneliness. Sometimes our Universes are crossed and for an instant there is a mutual understanding or joint action. Then for a short instant arises sometimes friendship, warmly love, but more – pain. Short explosion mutual influence and further everyone is back in a stream of a life in the personal Universe.
All characters of film are lonely and powerless on they personal way.
Amir- powerless before a reality, his non-realized love, his choice, his bent for to self-destruction, his tragedy and simplification at the end-he has chosen. He has executed the destiny, he does not need to make a choice any more.
Inspector P.K-powerlessness before system of corruption, his understanding of injustice of a life and own participation in it, feeling of fault and his long way to own choice and the end.
All other characters – father and mother of Amir, sister,Nita, Naina, Ustad, his wife and son, orphan boy Shaikh , weapon dealer-they all are lonely and very real.
We can feel their worlds, their individual Universe, the tragedy of loneliness of everyone……and it is improbable, how the movie has achieved such effect.
This loneliness of the person is shown in film very strongly and is convex. Each of characters is lonely both with the pain and with the love and with the decisions. We can see tragedy and beauty of this concept . Therefore Raakh is so attractive ,hypnotic and surprising real -I think.
Aamir Khan plays here absolutely differently.
Very sincerely also it is improbably shrill. I do not know, how actor’s act in general and what experience they based acting , but Aamir Khan acting in Raakh-is unique.
I Looks like he does not play, and simply lives. There are a strike of a thrift in influence on the spectator, no receptions. Probably, he then was young and dared also this boldness has allowed him so surprisingly to play?I do not know, but this actors work-something absolutely especial and unique.
I very much love actor works of Aamor Khan ?????? ????? in his late films, especially in a Mangal Pandey. But his acting
in Raakh-it something amazing sincere and shrill.
It is a pity to me, that he did not play as in Raakh anywhere more. May be in TZP will be?
@bonvarnon,
Thanks for beautiful comment which provides more insight in to the film.
Aamir and Raakh and Aamir in Raakh can be exceptional exampple in the filmography of Aamir.
Aditya Bhattacharya himself did/could not make another hindi film. Raakh could not get proper release in theatres. Aamir in Holi was different than Aamir in Raakh so why Aamir did not work like Raakh again can be understood as that he did not work with Aditya Bhattacharya again.
Raakh has many level in terms of acting. While Pankaj Kapur’s performance comes to us as a well polished performance, Aamir’s performance progress, he starts awakwardly in the begining of the film and till end he raises his level of acting. Perhaps this was deliberate attempt by director to show the changes in the character Aamir Played.
Supriya Patahak too acts dramatically in the beging while she had given many touching performances before in some films like Bazar.
Film is raw, different and it can be said that its single film of its type.
Thank you, RK:)
It would be very interesting to find out what Aditya Bhattacharya itself wished to express the film. Whether there are in the net his any statements on this theme?
I understand that often ?reation has an own life regardless of the fact that it creator wished to show in it. But nevertheless it would be interesting to know what exactly author tried to express and , certainly, how Aamir Khan understood that character.
I agree that film is “raw, different and it can be said that its single film of its type”
But, you know, for any reason Raakh has caused in me association in two other films. With “Lost In translation” by Sofia Coppola and with
” Brokeback mountain” by Ang Lee.
I have no idea of what exactly, but of my perception they something are close.
@bonvarnon,
Yes it will be interesting to know the account of the film from anyone of Aditya Bhattachrya or Aamir Khan.
It may also happen that as some directors may shoot the scenes in sequential order as they want to keep them in the film and its quite possible that Initial scenes were shot initially and hence rawness and somekind of awkwardness is present in the film for initial 15-30 Minutes and slowly acting and all other aspects of the film are improved. As budget should be very less for such experimental film so they could not afford improvisation or re shoot of initial shots.
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You mean to say all three films leave same kind of impression on you? Is it depressive impression? a dark impression?
@RK, interesting supervision about raw state and awkwardness.
To tell the truth, I like just these stages like very much.
Probably this raw state gives effect of real presence and laaaaasting time of a reality.
I like every shot in this film ,each picture, each sound, each action, each face. OK, I am not objective for Raakh.
About impression of these three films which have somehow associated at me.
It is difficult to analyze. But not, I do not think, that them leave a sign of depression.
Senseless comedies drive me in depression such as:
@bonvarnon,
Perhaps “Aamir” had signed “Raakh” before he started working in QSQT, so may be it was that daring attempt though certainly different attempt than what other star kids used to do in their debut films or in few initial films. May be Aamir since begining wanted to do interesting roles but
QSQT’s bumper success pushed him to do regular formula films for years.
He tried again something different in Mangal Pande. He missed Darr else it could have been a different film for him at that stage of his film career.
He is in a position where he can bring a significant change, if not big, in present days Hindi cinema. Though RDB worked because of him also but what if he selectievly works in films where character matches his age group and he does not have to work as a 25-26 years old Boyish kind of man. He has capacity to change this trend in Hindi cinema. Once he does this, his contemporaries will be forced to follow this trend and some mature stories will find their ways in Hindi cinema.
He has got his own audience and his audience like to do him experiments and he is in advantageous stage unlike SRK or Salman Khan, whose audiences are happy to see them playing similar kind of roles again and again.
If change will come then actors like Aamir, Hritik and Abhishek Bachchan can bring it because they dont have certain images attached to them.
They have got success whenever played some different roles and they have faced failure when played traditional roles.
So they dont have much to lose but to gain only by opting different roles.
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No doubt inspite of all its lackings Raakh is an appealing film and its appeal over shadows the shortcomings. There is no trial to show the possible era, which is envisioned in the film and everything is under supposition but film still works. Its not a film which audience want to see in a fixed set up but its a film which director wishes to show in a certain set up. Audience is attracted as soon as first scene appears on screen and a police vehcal runs on road and Aamir’s voice is heard, ” My life was turned in to ashes at the age of 21 only” Thats thrilling moment for audience and they are in to the film.
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If Hollywood can have music in their films then LOT could have used Gulzar Saab’s lines
“ek ehsaas hai yeh rooh se mehsoos karo
Thank-you friends for your kind comments. Its amazing (for me,) to read these words almost exactly 20 years after I made Raakh. Yes, it was shot before QSQT (and released after.) And yes the little kid was called Shaikh-by the way that kid is none other than acclaimed choreographer Ahmed Khan. I am hoping soon to bring out a brand new re-mastered dvd soon.
Thanks again,
Aditya.
Welcome to PFC Aditya… a real pleasure to see you here!!!
Welcome Aditya….Pleasure to have you here…
Any news on Dubai Return?
Welcome Aditya…
Loved the 7entertainment site
@Aditya Basu Bhattacharya (30),
Welcome Aditya on PFC. Its a pleasure to see you here and it will be more pleasure if you also become part of PFC.
Thats very happy news that you are bringing remastered DVD of Raakh.
Will it be possible to have views of Aamir Khan, Pankaj Kapoor and Santosh Sivan and ofcourse yours in the DVD?
It is magnificent news about re-mastered dvd, many thanks to you, Aditya Basu Bhattacharya and my gratitude to you for that you have created such interesting film.
WOW THATS G8 ..I REMEMBER WATCHING THIS MOVIES AFTER QSQT..AND WAS SHOCKED AND SPEECHLEES WATCHING AAMIR AND PANKAJS PERFORMANCE….
PANKAJ GOT AWARDS
AND MY FAV SCENE IS WHEN AAMIR DOES HIS FIRST MURDER..AND COMES BACK AND VOMIT…WOW…AADI U WWERE BRILLIANT…
WE WANT THE DVD…PLS..PLS PLS..
I AM A G8 FAN OF BASU BATTACHARYA..AND LOVED ADIS FIRST WORK..AND WAS WAITING FOR SO MANY YRS WHY HE DINT MAKE ANY MORE MOVIES….
Hello…atlast i found so much about “Raakh”,the only movie beside Holi of Mr.Perfectionist “Aamir Khan” that i havent watched.But i have been dying to watch since the day i heard about it & i am so happy that people are so much interested in it still..proof as many fans requesting DVDs of it to Aamirji himself!! including me as i couldnt find it in any store.I think the best would be to re-release the movie with sub-title too for everyone to see as these days with multiplexes people are getting to watch different kinds of movies.And also simultaneously release the DVD/CD.It is rated as Aamir’s 1of the best performance till date & to think that he did that with his 2nd release after QSQT is really creditable!!
p.s.after reading the comments about the director Aditya Bhatacharya’s work along with superb performances from AK,PK,SP…i will definitely would like to have its DVD in my collection.pls see to my request..thank u..
I am Really eager to watch this movie… i was a kid when this movie was relesed and my parents didnt allow me to watch the movie, i am desperate if i could get a copy of this film… No matter whatever people say about it… can understand only after watching it… why the movie is forgotton and comment better on it… thanks
I hope and i agree with miss gloria devi for the re-release of the movie with good prints as i heard that quality of prints was realy bad… aami after all is my favourite and i couldnt forget the movie since i heard about and trying to watch it online from last 10 days but couldt get a copy or watch it online… thanks
Aamir also won the National Award Special Jury Award for this film and QSQT. Aamir has been excellent from Day 1.
I love RAAKH… and its a fantastic cult film. However very few people know that Aamir did sucha film in the beginning of his career. Maybe because it was made in a wrong era when films like these were considered to be too arty. I have searched everywhere for a dvd but all in vain. If anyone knows where to get it then please tell me.
@Alok,
You can read above in one of the comments made by Aditya Bhattacharya that he was planning to release the remastered DVD. Many are waiting for that moment.
I watched this movie long ago, couldn’t believe Amir did such a good noir movie back in 1989.
“Raakh” is re-releasing on 12th june…good news…it would be gr8 watching it on big screen..