Spotlight on Sridevi : Lamhe

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LAMHE [1991]

Starring: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher
 
Directed by Yash Chopra

Language: Hindi

Watching this movie was a product of being incredibly bored in Karachi and mindlessly scrolling through Amazon Prime. This was the second Sridevi movie I had seen, and I can definitely say that I was not disappointed.

Transporting you to the heartlands of Rajasthan, the viewer gets such an interesting insight into the very niche culture of the state. From the extended dance scenes in the rain, to campfires filled with traditional music, this movie is full of visual treats to make a 90s audience swoon.

Whilst I can appreciate that Yash Chopra was trying to convey the message that love is possible regardless of age, the actual execution of this idea came off quite badly. One of the protagonists, Viren, came off as almost paedophilic by fancying a girl not only several decades younger than him, but also a girl that is the splitting image of her married, dead mother. The plot was sort of convoluted, and I don't know if it is just my modern eyes that found this whole idea very strange, but I think that any objective eye would agree. 

I think why the true meaning of the movie was lost on me was because of Anil Kapoor (who acted as the character of Viren). Honestly, his character became so repetitive after a time that I would debate fast forwarding his scenes. It was a combination of being surly and sad. He was a very one dimensional character that the production could have done without. 

Anupam Kher played a largely comedic role, which was common from him in the 1990s. I think that, whilst his acting was fairly run-of-the-mill, he was able to partially offset the doom and gloom of Kapoor's character.

As it is with everything she does, Sridevi breathed a breath of fresh air into the movie. Elegant, poised, and composed even in the many comedic scenes she was in, Sridevi stood out amongst her co-stars. Sridevi could make this movie successful even if just she was acting in it. She played the roles of two very different characters: a woman turned bitter after her father's death, and a young teenage girl full of life and optimism. 

In an otherwise average film, Sridevi managed to shine brighter than the rest, which was helped by the minor role that Anupam Kher played. I think that Sridevi's involvement in this production boosted my rating by 3.5 points. 

7.5/10

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