SUR:  An Interesting Melody of Life

           Production: Pritish Nandy Communications
           Director: Tanuja Chandra
           Starring: Lucki Ali (singer-turned actor), Gauri Karnik (new-comer from small screen),            Simone Singh

           The Film: An interesting film of the week, it reminds one of Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Bhaduri starrer Abhimaan made by Hrishikesh Mukherji. Lucky Ali plays a music teacher and hero of the film.

          Gauri, his student, excels him as a singer and becomes amous. A dedicated pupil though, she moves ahead leaving behind her mentor, whose feelings of jealousy kills the love germinating between the two. The teacher descends to being mean with her. After many ups and downs, the teacher regrets his own behaviour and makes up with his pupil and beloved.

           Basically, it is a theme of male chauvinism. The success of Gauri, a woman, hurts her teacher's male pride and he bodes ill for someone so close to him at personal level.

           Tanuja's mentor is Mahesh Bhatt, a director of great hits - Zakham (the wound) was his last. In all her past films, Bhatt's stamp is clear. But this film, she claims, is quite different. She has made it in her own style.

          Tanuja's past films - Dushman, Sangharsh - were great hits. But Ye Zindagi Ka Safar was rejected by the audience.

-by Our Film Critic
September 13, 2002