Rising from ashes

Aamir Khan’s second film ‘Raakh’ (1989) helped him shed his boy next door image that was created in ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’. One argument that is often given by fans is that, had ‘Raakh’ released before his debut film the trajectory of Aamir Khan’s career would have been different

During the first week of its release the reception to ‘Sholay’ (1975), which was a slow starter at the box office, was giving Ramesh Sippy sleepless nights. He even contemplated changing the ending when the projectionist of a theatre, where the film was playing dissuaded him. He told Sippy to give the audience some time to react because they hadn't seen anything like ‘Sholay’ and perhaps didn't know how to respond. They were in shock, he said, and for some reason Sippy believed those words. He held on and in a few days the tide turned forever. Not all new things are as lucky. Some like ‘Sholay’ gain instant recognition, some need to be rediscovered as time passes, but some like ‘Raakh’ (1989) are stranded in between.

At the time of its release, ‘Raakh’ was one of the most keenly anticipated films primarily because it was the second release of new box office sensation Aamir Khan. The fact that ‘Raakh’ was as different from ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ (1988) as chalk from cheese only made the prospect more intriguing for the new kind of audience that was emerging in the late 1980s. A book, it is said, ought not to be judged by its cover or a film by its advertisement, but the gun wielding Aamir in a stubble on the artwork made it quite clear that neither was the actor the same boy next door from his debut nor was this a typical film. ‘Raakh’ couldn't manage to make audiences respond in time.

Set in a nameless Indian city in somewhat dystopian future, the only joy Amir (Aamir Khan), a young man from a rich disconnected family, finds solace in the arms of Neeta (Supriya Pathak). The age difference between them doesn't bother Amir, but Neeta is not too keen to think about the future. One night on their way back from a party Neeta is molested by a local crime lord, Hassan Karmali (Homi Wadia), and the otherwise reticent Amir reacts violently to the mobster’s overtures. After a while the goons follow the couple and Neeta is raped in front of a helpless Amir. Frustrated and unable to do anything Amir is looking for a release for his rage and becomes a recluse. He leaves his home and breaks off communication with everyone.

He meets a cop, Kapoor (Pankaj Kapur), a ticking time bomb of a renegade himself, who decides to help Amir, in his quest for revenge. Amir doesn't know that Kapoor, in fact, is an eyewitness to Neeta's rape and feels betrayed when he learns of the truth. Kapoor is soon suspended and teams up with Amir in order to avenge the crimes the Karmalis brothers have committed. When Amir first kills someone he is overcome by a sense of guilt but that feeling leaves him and soon enough he is transformed into a cold-blooded killing machine. As Amir is further receding into a world of hopelessness, Neeta makes an attempt to put her past behind but by now Amir is a different man.

Directed by Aditya Bhattacharya, the son of filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya, ‘Raakh’ was also cinematographer Santosh Sivan and editor A Sreekar Prasad's first foray into Hindi cinema. It went to win three National Awards in 1989 for Best Supporting Actor (Pankaj Kapur), Best Editing (A Sreekar Prasad) and a Special Jury Award (Aamir Khan).

Usually in India when a film with all the right credentials ends up failing one attributes it to being ahead of times and ‘Raakh’ does deserve that honorific. Darkness, today, for a film is something limited to it being under lit like in the case of a ‘Kaminey’ (2009) but the time when ‘Raakh’ was made it meant something else. Although released in the same year as JP Dutta’s ‘Hathyar’ (1989) as well as Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ‘Parinda’ (1989), which went on to redefine Hindi cinema’s urban crime thriller milieu, ‘Raakh’s darkness that is embedded within both its narrative as well as the hearts of the characters is matchless.

Interestingly enough Nuzhat Khan, Aamir's cousin sister and Nasir Husain's daughter, was associated with both ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ and ‘Raakh’ (she co-wrote the film with Aditya Bhattacharya) recalls how Bhattacharya was certain that it would be ‘Raakh’ that would truly “launch” Aamir. Ironically enough when a re-release of ‘Raakh’ was being planned in 2009 it was Aamir himself, who urged his fans not to see the film as he was backing the producers during their standoff with the multiplexes and wasn’t happy at the prospect of old films beings released to lure audiences during the tussle. Nevertheless, ‘Raakh’ still remains one of Aamir Khan’s most unfeigned performances and a film crying out to be rediscovered.

- Gautam Chintamani is the author of the best-seller ‘Dark Star: The Loneliness Of Being Rajesh Khanna’ (HarperCollins, 2014) / tweet him -@gchintamani

By Gautam Chintamani