Abhimaan is a 1973 Indian Hindi musical drama film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Asrani, Bindu, and David. The film is based on the troublesome marriage between two Hindustani classical music maestros, the sitarist Ravi Shankar and the surbahar player Annapurna Devi. However, author Raju Bharatan states that Hrishikesh Mukherjee based the film’s story on the life of singer Kishore Kumar and his first wife, Ruma Ghosh.
Plot
The story revolves around a professional singer named Subir, who meets a sweet village girl named Uma, who is musically gifted. Subir falls in love with Uma and marries her. He returns to Mumbai with his new bride and fosters Uma’s singing career. However, just as Uma’s singing career begins to thrive, Subir’s career falters. Eventually, Uma becomes more successful than her husband, sparking jealousy from Subir. His pride and jealousy tear the marriage apart, but the question becomes whether Subir can overcome his jealousy.
Cast
The cast of the movie includes:
- Amitabh Bachchan as Subir Kumar
- Jaya Bachchan as Uma Kumar
- Asrani as Chander Kripalani
- David as Brajeshwarlal
- Bindu as Chitra
- Durga Khote as Durga Mausi
- A. K. Hangal as Sadanand
- Lalita Kumari as Radha
- Master Raju
Crew
The crew of the movie includes:
- Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
- Story: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
- Screenplay: Nabendu Ghosh, Biresh Chatterjee, Mohini N. Sippy
- Dialogue: Rajinder Singh Bedi
- Producer: Susheela Kamat, Pawan Kumar Jain
- Editor: Das Dhaimade
- Cinematographer: Jaywant Pathare
- Art Director: Ajit Banerjee
- Costume and Wardrobe: Shalini Shah, Ramlal Maheswari
- Production Manager: J.S. Tripathy, Prakash Walawalkar, Uday Walawalkar
- Assistant Director: Shakeel Chandra, Susheela Kamat, Nitin Mukesh
- Assistant Editor: Hari Bhoir, Shridhar Mishra, Shankar Pradhan
- Assistant Art Director: Mahendra Balasinorwala, Shanker Kurade
- Music Director: Sachin Dev Burman
- Playback Singers: Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, Manhar Udhas
Soundtrack
All of the music of the movie was composed by S. D. Burman, winning him the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. The lyrics were penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri. The songs “Tere Mere Milan Ki Yeh Raina” and “Meet Na Mila Re Man Ka” were listed at the 16th and 23rd spots, respectively, on Binaca Geetmala’s Annual List for 1973.
| No. | Title | Playback | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ab To Hai Tumse Har Khushi Apni | Lata Mangeshkar | 4:25 |
| 2. | Loote Koi Man Ka Nagar | Lata Mangeshkar, Manhar Udhas | 3:04 |
| 3. | Meet Na Mila Re Man Ka | Kishore Kumar | 4:56 |
| 4. | Nadiya Kinare | Lata Mangeshkar | 4:05 |
| 5. | Piya Bina Piya Bina | Lata Mangeshkar | 4:12 |
| 6. | Tere Mere Milan Ki Yeh Raina | Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar | 5:49 |
| 7. | Teri Bindiya Re | Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi | 4:32 |
| 8. | Tere Mere Milan Ki Yeh Raina (version 2) | Kishore Kumar | – |
| 9. | Omkaram Bindu Sanyuktam | Anuradha Paudwal | – |
Release and Reception
Abhimaan was released on 27 July 1973 and was a major hit at the box office. Jaya Bachchan won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in the movie. Lata Mangeshkar was the sole voice of Jaya Bachchan in the movie, whereas Amitabh Bachchan was voiced by three singers.
Awards and Nominations
Abhimaan won two Filmfare Awards in 1974 for Best Actress and Best Music Director. Asrani and Bindu were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
Influence
The film was a turning point for Bindu, who, for the first time, played a sympathetic character. Previously, she was known for playing vamps/cabaret dancers, such as in Amitabh’s star-making hit Zanjeer (1973). The movie was very popular in Sri Lanka more than in India and was screened continuously for 590 days in the same cinema, Empire, Colombo.
Conclusion
Abhimaan is a classic Bollywood movie that explores the themes of pride and jealousy in a marriage. The movie was a major commercial success and is remembered for its memorable songs and performances by the lead actors. The film also won several awards and nominations, making it a significant movie in Bollywood history.