Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi: The Movie

Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi ki har Khwahish pe Dum Nikle
Bahut Nikle Mere Arman Lekin Phir Bhi Kam Nikle
-Mirza Galib

Bollywood is getting matured day by day. Its trying to get out of boy-meets-girl-and-falls-in-love type, or Indo-Pak bashing grip. Since 2004 there have been lot of off beat movies. Like Raincoat, Black, Page 3, My Brother Nikhil, Parinita, Virudh, Iqbal etc. Made on different subject, with a "hatke" attitude. Most of the movies were small budget, and most of the movies dint do so well at box office. But a segment of people have appreciated these films. As these were the sensible movies made on sensible subject there was not much for the mass. A big segment of bollywood audience still need to get maturity.

In late 2004 there was another movie released named, "Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi", starring Kay Kay, Siney Ahuja, Chitrangada and Yashpal Sharma in lead roles.The movie is set in mid 60s to early 70s. The move is journey of a person (Sidhrath) from Marxist jargon to the Maoist (Naxalite) rebellion, as he rages on about injustice. The movie opens with a scene where Sidhrath (kay Kay) writes a letter to his girl friend Geeta (Chitrangda). Shidhart is person of principles and want to make a difference in the system where as Vikram is practical man and want to make a difference for himself.

I don't want say any other word about the story. This movie also gives you the glimpse of emergency, its consequences, law and order in rural areas, and dirty and ugly politics during that period which was not visible to a common man. Movie is so close to reality that there are few scene in the movie where you will feel ice flowing in your spine.

As movie was set in a period when I was not even born, so I was very curious to know what happened, how was the society and how different we are now. Most often I felt that Indian History books have stopped publishing what happened after independence. I know more about what happened during Mughals and British rules, but don't know what happened during 60s and 70s, except Indo-Pak war. This is the time to write a new history and let the billion know what happened during 50s,60s and 70s.

After watching the movie I believe that law and order situation is still not much different than 70s in certain states in India (specially Bihar, UP and MP). Education will be the most appropriate solution to this problem, which our governments (specially UP, Bihar, MP and other northern states) have forgotten long back.

The movie ends with lots of insight and questions to audience about the society, its problem and the complicacy of the problem. In one sentence "A must watch". Thanks Sudhir Mishra!