Jump to content

Hum (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hum
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMukul S. Anand
Screenplay byRavi Kapoor
Mohan Kaul
Story byRavi Kapoor
Mohan Kaul
Kader Khan (Dialogue)
Produced byRomesh Sharma
StarringAmitabh Bachchan
Rajinikanth
Govinda
Kimi Katkar
Deepa Sahi
Shilpa Shirodkar
Danny Denzongpa
Anupam Kher
Kader Khan
CinematographyW. B. Rao
Edited byKuldeep Mehan
K. Ravi Kumar
Music byLaxmikant–Pyarelal
Release date
  • 1 February 1991 (1991-02-01)
Running time
171 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Hum (transl. We) is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language action crime film directed by Mukul S. Anand. It stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Govinda, Kimi Katkar, Deepa Sahi, Shilpa Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa, Anupam Kher and Kader Khan. At the 37th Filmfare Awards, the film received 7 nominations and won 4 awards including Best Actor for Bachchan and Best Choreographer for Chinni Prakash for the song "Jumma Chumma De De". The film was the second highest-grossing Indian film of 1991 at the box office.[1] The film was an inspiration for the cult hit Tamil film Baashha (1995).[2]

Plot

[edit]

In 1975, Bhaktawar (Danny Denzongpa) rules over the docks in Mumbai, treating his workers like slaves. Despite his general dissatisfaction with this regime, Tiger (Amitabh Bachchan) extorts money from the dock workers for his father Pratap (Deepak Shirke), who in turn works as an enforcer for Bhaktawar.

Tiger is in love with Jumma (Kimi Katkar), the sister of his best friend Gonsalves (Romesh Sharma). Gonsalves is against Bhaktawar's policies and is killed by Bhaktawar and in the subsequent fallout, Tiger's father and stepmother also die, leaving his two young half-brothers, Kumar and Vijay, with Tiger.

Tiger immediately sets out to kill Bhaktawar but is stopped by Inspector Girdhar (Anupam Kher). Girdhar reminds Tiger to fulfil his dying stepmother's wish and take care of his brothers while leaving the police to deal with Bhaktawar. Girdhar and his faithful sidekick Havaldar Arjun Singh (Annu Kapoor) steal money from Bhaktawar's safe and set fire to Bhaktawar's house to destroy any evidence, murdering Bhaktawar's wife and his daughter. Police later arrest Bhaktawar for killing Tiger's family and sends him to jail. Tiger escapes in a train and Jumma refuses to leave with Tiger, as his brothers should be his priority. Jumma and Tiger promise to reunite in the future. Girdhar bombs the train carrying Tiger and his brothers to eliminate any possible witnesses of his crime, but they escape.

16 years later, in 1991, Tiger has renamed himself Shekhar and is a respectable farmer and timber merchant in Ooty. Kumar (Rajnikanth) is a police officer married to Aarti (Deepa Sahi), and they have a young daughter Jyoti (Sanjana). The youngest brother, Vijay (Govinda), is a college student. Vijay is in love with Anita (Shilpa Shirodkar), daughter of General Rana Pratap Singh (Kader Khan), who wants his daughter to marry a military officer. Shekhar and his brothers lead a happy family life. Neither of the two youngest brothers seems to have any memory of their time in Mumbai and both regard Shekhar as their elder brother. Jumma is now a successful actress, while Girdhar and Havaldar are leading a luxurious life off the money they stole from Bhaktawar.

Bhaktawar is released from jail and is manipulated by Giridhar into believing that Tiger killed Bhaktawar's family. To seek revenge, Bhaktawar tracks down Tiger in Ooty. He kidnaps Aarti and Jyothi in Bangalore and tells them the truth about Shekhar. Meanwhile, Kumar also learns Shekhar's true identity and blames him for his wife and child's kidnapping. However, all misunderstandings are cleared by Jumma when she explains Vijay and Kumar about their past and the sacrifices made by Shekhar for them to lead a respectable life.

Later Tiger, along with Kumar and Vijay, rescue Aarti and Jyoti and explain to Bhaktawar that it was Giridhar who had murdered his family. Bhaktawar then ties himself along with Giridhar to a bomb and they both die due to the explosion. The film ends with the family happily united.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Hum was shot in various locations including Mumbai,[5] Ooty,[6] and Mauritius.[7] Mukul S. Anand had considered and discussed a potential scene for this film with Rajinikanth, where Amitabh Bachchan's character would help Govinda get a seat in the Police Academy. Anand discarded the scene, because he did not find it suitable. But Rajinikanth felt the scene had the potential to develop into a script for a possible feature film, which resulted into the 1995 Tamil film Baashha.[8]

In 1990 at Wembley stadium London, Amitabh Bachchan performed and danced to the song "Jumma Chumma De De" with Sridevi even before the film and song were released.[9]

Soundtrack

[edit]
Hum
Soundtrack album by
Released25 January 1991
Recorded1990
GenreFilm soundtrack, Bollywood music
Length34:41
LanguageHindi
LabelTips

The soundtrack was composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal. Two songs were inspired by Guinean singer Mory Kanté's 1987 album Akwaba Beach, with "Jumma Chumma De De" being based on Kante's "Tama", while "Ek Doosre Se" was based on Kanté's "Inch Allah".[10]

Lyrics are written by Anand Bakshi.

The film's soundtrack album sold 3 million units.[11] However, the music rights were sold for only ₹30 lakh[11] ($132,000).[12]

No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Ek Doosre Se Karte Hain Pyaar Hum"Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan, Mohammad Aziz, Sudesh Bhosle & Sonali Vajpayee04:43
2."General Sahab Karo Tayari"Alka Yagnik, Sudesh Bhonsle & Vinay Mandke03:03
3."Is Pyaar Ki Hum Pehchan Denge"Alka Yagnik, Mohammad Aziz, Sudesh Bhonsle & Vinay Mandke02:17
4."Jumma Chumma De De"Kavita Krishnamurthy & Sudesh Bhonsle08:25
5."Kagaz Kalam Davaat"Mohammad Aziz & Shobha Joshi05:59
6."Le Le Chumma Le Le"Kavita Krishnamurthy03:37
7."Sanam Mere Sanam"Amit Kumar & Alka Yagnik06:36
Total length:34:40

Reception

[edit]

N. Krishnaswamy of The Indian Express wrote that "‘Hum’ is a formula film of vendetta that tries to renew itself with a lush visual feel and expansiveness, which qualities to give some credibility to the rhetoric of poor against rich and the oppressed against tyranny that the film bandies".[13]

Box office

[edit]

The film grossed 16.75 crore (equivalent to 144 crore or US$17 million in 2023) in India, including a net income of 9.25 crore. It was the year's second highest-grossing Indian film at the box office.[1]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Recipients and Nominees Results
Filmfare Awards Best Actor Amitabh Bachchan Won
Best Choreographer Chinni Prakash for "Jumma Chumma De De"
Best Art Director R. Verman Shetty
Best Supporting Actress Deepa Sahi Nominated
Best Comedian Kader Khan
Best Villain Danny Denzongpa
Best Male Playback Singer Sudesh Bhosle for "Jumma Chumma De De"

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Box Office 1991". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  2. ^ "'Hum' turns 30: 4 reasons why the Amitabh Bachchan-Rajinikanth starrer is worth its weight in gold". Deccan Herald. February 2021. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Hum Cast & Crew". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Hum-Kumar Malhotra | Rajinikanth as the Top Cop-a lookback at the Superstar's police roles". 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  5. ^ "When I first met Amitabh Bachchan: 5 young Bollywood actors recall how they reacted". Hindustan Times. 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  6. ^ "With usual locales like Kashmir closed for film makers, Ooty becomes the ideal alternative". India Today. 30 November 1991. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Mauritius pulls out all stops for Jumma Chumma megastar Amitabh Bachchan". India Today. 15 September 1990. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  8. ^ Krissna, Suresh; Rangarajan, Malathi (2012). My Days with Baasha. Westland Ltd. p. 132. ISBN 978-93-8162-629-0.
  9. ^ "When Amitabh Bachchan danced to Jumma Chumma with Sridevi". Mumbai Mirror. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  10. ^ Srinivasan, Karthik (16 October 2018). "How Guinean Singer Mory Kanté's Music Was Lifted To Create 'Tamma Tamma Loge' and 'Jumma Chumma De De'". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  11. ^ a b Rahman, M. (21 May 1992). "Hindi films: There's now big bucks in audio rights". India Today. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average)". World Bank. 1990. Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  13. ^ Krishnaswamy, N. (15 February 1991). "Hum". The Indian Express. p. 7. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
[edit]