The original HAHK (Nadiya ke Paar)

The first thing that hit me in Govind Moonis's Nadiya ke Paar is how real everything looks. The village setting, the costumes, the rustic characters, the incidents and most importantly, the dialect. This original of the Madhuri Dixit-Salman Khan starrer Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, is absolutely fascinating in its simplicity and narration. Its characters are real, they talk as if they are the characters and whatever happens in the film seem so true to life. Sometimes, this 1982 film turns out to be so enjoyable that you think the remake is a tad OTT and unnecessarily long...
I never liked Sachin as a hero. I always thought he was too short, stalky and lacked the punch required in Hindi film heroes. I have to reconsider my opinion. He is simply superb as Chandan, the village simpleton who hasn't a care in the world. His expressions are mindblowingly effortless and his body language is easy and free. He is always at ease no matter what the frame is and what the situation. There is no excess melodrama, events keep happening smoothly as he falls in love with the village belle Gunja, played to perfection by Sadhana Singh, the debutant here.

Yes, she is seriously a find here. It's sad she did not make the most of her debut success. Spontaneous and chirpy, she deftly handles her character. I love the scenes where she drives Chandan up the wall with her pranks. And then slowly she is the one who transforms from a naughty village girl to the adorable sweetheart. The way Gunja is introduced is lovely. Chandan's boat almost rams into the village girls as they are washing their utensils on the river bank. Gunja, stands up and moves her long tresses from her pretty visage to face Chandan. This is Chandan and Gunja's first encounter on the bank of the river. Little so they know that their initial altercation will ultimately lead to innocent love. The film is perfectly titled. How true it is that both Gunja'a and Chandan's sweetheart lives on the other side of the river...
When I had seen Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, I had thought that the film was immaculate. I have to chage my stand now. For, I feel the original is far more complete it its plot and execution. Every thing is plausible and credible. Not a moment is lost in redundant happenings and songs. Even the comedy is woven neatly into the plot. There is a scope of a love triangle but that is put an end to cleverly by the director. And, what the dog does in the remake, Rajjo initiates in Nadiya ke Paar.

The songs (music by Ravindra Jain always has the whiff of the soil) take the story forward. When Gunja is singing the wedding song, it reflects the poignant state of a girl leaving her father's abode for her husband's home. When Chandan and Gunja sing Kaun disa mein lekey chala rey, they are initiating their love story. The colourful Hoili song is but a mirror image of Chandan and Gunja's passionate desires. Through the song you can gauge the love that Chandan feels for Gunja. Slowly this friendly relation is becoming deeper and special. I love the personality change of both Gunja and Chandan here. The director depicts their growth with utmost finesse. These are not adolescents anymore, they are lovers madly and hopelessly in love (and they even use the tag line of the remake: Hum tumhare kaun hain?). Gunja is a woman now and Chandan is a man. They are not children fighting over petty issues. They have settled their differences and are all set to embark on their journey of love and togetherness. Their love is mature and pure.

Sadhana Singh is seriously an attractive belle. Her infectious laughter, her fast retorts play havoc with Chandan's heart. But, her sister is also extremely sweet. Mitali, the girl who plays Roopa looks very good in her role. And Inder Thakur, as Omkar, is very smart. Leela Mishra is as usual lip-smacking...

It's not for nothing that this Rajshri production was a resounding success. Its dialect, a fine combination of Bhojpuri and Hindi, is flawless, the characters are so real and the story is simple and sweet. But, the film is a rare masterpiece because it shows the way village life is, replete with all the rituals and customs. In short, Nadiya ke Paar is a charming romance with a truthfully rustic air...