Hum aapke hain koun...! (1994)

हम आपके हैं कौन…!

This adorable film is sometimes criticized as "three-and-a-half hours in search of a plot" or "an extended wedding video."  But that didn't stop Hum aapke hain koun...! ("Who am I to you?")  from being one of India's all-time biggest hits.  Bollywood fans either decry this film as excruciatingly dull, or adore it and watch it over and over again.  And I love it to bits.   

The mischievous Nisha (GOAT favorite Madhuri Dixit) and energetic Prem (Salman Khan) are promising young students who meet when their older sister and older brother, respectively, become betrothed. Nisha spends an extended visit with her sister’s new family, and she and Prem declare their love to one another, planning to marry as soon as Prem’s business is established.  Eventually tragedy strikes, though, and Nisha and Prem agree to sacrifice their love for the good of the family – but Lord Krishna has other plans for them!

For much of Hum aapke hain koun...! we, the viewers, just get to hang out with this sweet and happy extended family as they celebrate the joyous events surrounding the elder siblings' marriage and the birth of their first child.  The film is is stuffed to the gills with excellent song and dance – a mind-boggling fourteen songs - that keep it light and fun even as the plot (such as it is) flags.  Musical highlights include the raucous "Joote de do, paise le lo" (unfortunately the only upload of this I can find on YouTube is of such horrendous quality that I can't bring myself to link it here), and "Didi tera devar deevana," which Madhuri herself once identified as her favorite song in the film - but there are other delightful songs as well, and it's hard to choose just a couple.   

So even though Hum aapke hain koun...! is a little too long, and its humor may be a bit of a "WTF?" for viewers unfamiliar with the Bollywood milieu, it is nevertheless wholesome, delightful, and fun, and full of exaggerated characters, each more loveable than the last.

The most detailed and thoughtful commentary on this wonderful film can be found in this post on In Praise of All Things Dharmendra-Related.

Comments

[Daddy's Girl]

I think you must be right about people either loving or hating HAHK... I am so excited to find someone else who loves it, because I adore it. I think the music is gorgeous, the acting is sweet and fresh, and the story (thin and extra-simplistic as it is) is well-told. I love the way the songs and dances just come at you in a barrage - usually I'm not fond on musicals that are 90% music and 10% story, but HAHK is a notable exception for me - I love all the songs. This was one of my intros to Bollywood after a long hiatus, and I still pick it up whenever I want to laugh - or cry.

I think HAHK is one of the worst hindi movies ever made. It seemed like one is watching "chitrahaar" that is a sequence of bollywood songs that India's State Owned TV channel Doordarshan used to show !!!

Nothing in this movie was worthwhile - songs/ costumes/ weak story line

I am amazed that it was such a hit movie and filmigeek has liked it so much too!

[Maajhi]

Nameless, it's truly sad for those who couldn't "feel" the magic :). It wasn't about the story, it wasn't about the costumes. It was just a pure "big Indian family having a real wedding" upper (well, except for the sad part).

Of course, you're entitled to your opinion that it's the worst ever.

[carla]

Yes, "worst ever" may be a bit strong! I shudder to think at what one might have to endure if one took on an earnest search for the worst Hindi films ... :D

In all seriousness, as I said in the post, people seem to love this film or hate it. I love it for its cheery sweetness. The weak plot never seems to bother me when I watch it. I happen to love the music. And as for the awful costumes, well, they're pretty typical of the era and it's easy enough for me to look past them.

But believe me - though I love the film, it's not as if I can't understand the things that make others hate it. I feel like I always answer such criticisms with the same comment: "That's true, but I love it anyway." It's not a love that can be supported by logic - it's the way I feel when I watch it.

[neha]

i love this movie...every song in this movie is so meaningful and conveys the feelings in such a beautiful way...the bidaai song, the song where madhuri is asking her mom to marry her, etc. even the charecters are perfect...except for a bit of over-acting by the servant couple; who are husband-wife in real life too. i've watched this movie over 15 times and i remember every word n every costume...but am always happy to watch it again

[Priyanka]

I think the movie HAHK is the most beautiful example of a joint family and its love. Dance and songs of this movie is wonderfully presented

[Ali]

Hum Aapke Hain Koun is a fantastic film. My favourite film of Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit. I think Salman Khan was very good in it, but Madhuri Dixit was the reason why this film was so good. By the way Salman Khan is my favourite actor, he has always been that, also before Hum Aapke Hain Koun. Madhuri Dixit is my favorite Actress.

[Jillbrary.wordpress.com]

It's sad I have to go online to find other people who love this movie! I tried to share it with two friends and let's just say they were quite nonplussed. You can find my full diatribe on it here http://jillbrary.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/hum-aapke-hain-koun-1994/. The purpose of my site is to review movies for librarians who might be interested in collecting Bollywood films.