Woh Lamhe...
Woh Lamhe... (English: Those Moments) is a 2006 Indian romantic drama film directed by Mohit Suri, starring Shiney Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut. The film is supposedly based on Parveen Babi's life, her battle with schizophrenia and her relationship with Mahesh Bhatt to whom she was a lover as well as a mentor in his struggling days.
| Woh Lamhe... | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Mohit Suri |
| Produced by | Mahesh Bhatt Mukesh Bhatt |
| Written by | Mahesh Bhatt (Story) |
| Starring | Shiney Ahuja Kangana Ranaut |
| Music by | Songs: Pritam Roop Kumar Rathod Jawad Ahmed Peter Pan Glenn John Background Score: Raju Singh |
| Cinematography | Bobby Singh |
Release date |
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| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | 14.98 crores |
Bhatt said that it is his tribute to the actress and time he spent with her, hence the name Woh Lamhe... ("Those Moments"). Parveen Babi's character is played by Kangana Ranaut who is named Sana Azim in the film to avoid direct reference to the actress. Woh Lamhe... was critically acclaimed for its screenplay, direction, and a noteworthy performance by Kangna. Ranaut’s performance in the film is considered to be amongst her best.[1]
The film was an average commercial success, recovering most of its cost from DVD and satellite television circuit.
Cast
- Kangana Ranaut as Sana Azim
- Shiney Ahuja as Aditya Garewal
- Shaad Randhawa as Nikhil Rai
- Masumeh Makhija as Rani
- Purab Kohli as Sam
Synopsis
In the glitzy entertainment capital of Mumbai as dusk descends, actress Sana Azim (Kangana Ranaut) slits her wrists in a hotel room in an attempt to kill herself. When this news reaches film-maker Aditya Garewal (Shiney Ahuja), he is devastated. Aditya has been searching for Sana, who was intensely involved with him and who had mysteriously disappeared from his life without any explanation three years ago, only to surface now in what could be the last moments of her life.
As Aditya waits outside of the ICU, praying to be reunited with her, he is hurled back into the perfumed days and champagne nights of his memory, when Sana played the role of a lover and mentor to a struggling Aditya.
Everything was perfect, except for an enemy which lurked in the shadows, waiting to destroy their love. Sana is a patient with schizophrenia, who has excessive hallucinations of a girl named Rani, who actually doesn't exist, which gradually ruins both Sana's life and career. When Aditya realizes that, the only way he can save Sana from total devastation, is to take her away from Bollywood and the vested interests, that threaten to destroy her completely, he runs away with Sana putting his career on the line. Those moments lived in the sanctuary of their love are like an oasis in the desert.
Until one day, suddenly, she disappears, leaving him with unanswered questions.
Aditya tries his best to save Sana from her mental illness but fails. Sana remains now only in his memories and past moments.
Critical reception
The movie was highly praised for its direction, screenplay and noteworthy performance by Kangana Ranaut. The movie gained a positive reviews from the critics. Film critic Subhash K. Jha wrote that Ranaut "is the first female performer of Bollywood since Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi, who isn't scared to strip her soul naked for the camera" adding that she is a "hugely expressive actress with a phenomenal ability to convey torment, hurt and incredulity through the eyes". Other cast's performances were also highly appreciated. Film Critic Taran Ardash also praised the lead performances stating “WOH LAMHE rests on two power-packed performances: Kangana and Shiney. Kangana gets the role of a lifetime in her second film itself and the actor sinks her teeth into it and delivers an astounding performance. If you've ever interacted with Parveen Babi, even briefly, you'd see a replica of the glamorous star in Kangana. Her styling is also excellent. If you think there's not much space for any other actor since WOH LAMHE is primarily a Kangana film, watch Shiny's performance here. Yes, he impressed us in H.K.A. and GANGSTER, but this one's the most difficult part he's got so far and his performance only accentuates the proceedings.” Concluding his review by stating “On the whole, WOH LAMHE is a well-made emotional film that lingers in your memory even after it's over. There are many lamhe in WOH LAMHE that you carry in your heart and that's why the film works for the moviegoer.”[2] Noted film Critic Anupama Chopra also praised the performances of Ranaut and Ahuja stating “Woh Lamhe still holds interest because it has a taut script and fine performances. Ahuja playing a director, who first uses the star to be successful and then against his better judgement falls in love with her and tries to save her from herself, is superbly restrained. His eyes convey the doom built into this relationship. Ranaut cannot match the searing desperation of Smita Patil in Arth but her performance has attitude. She is not afraid to be ugly or emotionally naked. Suri uses both ably to retell a familiar story persuasively.”[3] Film Critic Rajeev Masand in a positive review states “As the woman at the heart of this story, Kangana Ranaut is remarkable; in Woh Lamhe she is in fine form, as she attacks a complex role with all the right moves. But the star of the show, the film’s biggest strength is undoubtedly Shiney Ahuja who makes his presence felt in every single scene that he’s in. Shiney has a camera comfort that is rare to find, and his performance is delectable to say the least. These actors pump life into their roles and together with Pritam’s soothing score they make Woh Lamhe an experience that’s hard to forget.”[4] Rediff movies state “If there is one reason you need to watch Woh Lamhe, it is Kangana Ranaut. She is a brilliant, outstanding actress.”[5]
Soundtrack
The film score was composed by Raju Singh. The songs were composed by multiple composers including Jawad Ahmed, Pritam, Roop Kumar Rathod. Lyrics were penned by Sayeed Quadri. The songs were badly plagiarized by Pritam by copying the tunes (Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai lifted from Tak Bisakah by Noah, Tu Jo Nahin from a ghazal by Pakistani singer S. B. John); however, later the credits were given to the original artists and some of the tunes were recreated in musical arrangements. Singers like James, KK, Shreya Ghoshal, Jawad Ahmed, Kunal Ganjawala, and Glenn John lent their voices for the album. Songs like 'Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai' and "Bin Tere" were popular among the masses while other songs also managed to get a good response. Planet Bollywood gave a rating of 8/10 to the soundtrack.
| Track No | Song | Singer | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai" | KK | Pritam & Noah (original) |
| 2 | "Chal Chale Apne Ghar" | James | Pritam |
| 3 | "Tu Jo Nahin" I | Glenn John | Pritam |
| 4 | "So Jaoon Main" (Female) | Shreya Ghoshal | Roop Kumar Rathod |
| 5 | "Tu Jo Nahin" II | Glenn John | Pritam |
| 6 | "So Jaoon Main" (Male) | Kunal Ganjawala | Roop Kumar Rathod |
| 7 | "Bin Tere Kya Hai Jeena" | Jawad Ahmed | Jawad Ahmed (tune recreated by Pritam) |
| 8 | "Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai" (Remix) | KK | Pritam & Noah (original) |
References
- "7 Films That Made Kangana Ranaut the Star That She Is". www.news18.com. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- "Woh Lamhe Review by Taran Adarsh". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- October 16, Anupama Chopra; October 16, 2006 ISSUE DATE; January 31, 2006UPDATED; Ist, 2012 13:27. "Movie review: Woh Lamhe starring Shiney Ahuja, Kangana Ranaut". India Today. Retrieved 25 June 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- "Masand's verdict: Woh Lamhe | Rajeev Masand – movies that matter : from bollywood, hollywood and everywhere else". www.rajeevmasand.com. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- "Watch Woh Lamhe for Kangana". Rediff. Retrieved 25 June 2019.