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Aaj Ka Arjun

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Aaj Ka Arjun
Poster
Directed byK.C. Bokadia
Written bySantosh Saroj
Based onEn Thangachi Padichava (Tamil)
Produced byK.C. Bokadia
StarringAmitabh Bachchan
Jaya Prada
Music byBappi Lahiri
Production
company
BMB Productions
Release date
  • 10 August 1990 (1990-08-10)
Running time
164 mins
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget27 million[1]
Box office130 million[1]

Aaj Ka Arjun (transl. Today's Arjun) is a 1990 Hindi-language crime drama film, directed and produced by K.C. Bokadia and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Prada. The film which was based on the 1988 Tamil film, En Thangachi Padichava follows the crux of the epic Mahabharata, but with its modified storyline through the perspective of Bhima and Arjuna, a deviation from the Vyasa's original version of the epic Mahabharata

The film was a big hit and was the 3rd Highest-grossing film of 1990. The success of the film helped to temporarily revitalise Bachchan's failing career.[2] The film premiered on 10 August 1990 in Mumbai and was filmed in Rajasthan.

Cast

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Soundtrack

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The music for the film was composed by Bappi Lahiri, one of the leading music directors of the time. The film has a memorable number "Gori Hai Kalaiyaan, Tu Laade Mujhe Hari Hari Choodiyaan", music of which was copied from the original composition of music director Shankar–Jaikishan, with voices lent by Lata Mangeshkar and Shabbir Kumar, which earned great popularity that year. During those days, when cable television and Dish TV facilities were not as popular in India as they are today, this song was often telecast in some programmes of Doordarshan as a trendy track of that period. Picturised on Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Prada, the song charmed the listeners, and today it is considered[by whom?] as one of the evergreen songs of the 90s. Lyrics written by Anjaan.

No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Bahena O Bahena"Kavita Krishnamurthy, Mohammed Aziz6:21
2."Chali Aana Tu Pan Ki"Amit Kumar, Alka Yagnik7:37
3."Chhod Babul Ka Ghar"Kavita Krishnamurthy3:32
4."Gori Hain Kalaiyan"Lata Mangeshkar, Shabbir Kumar9:40
5."Main Teri Mashuka"Alka Yagnik, Bappi Lahiri, Amrish Puri9:22
6."Na Ja Re" (Female)Lata Mangeshkar6:26
7."Na Ja Re" (Male)Amit Kumar3:18
Total length:46:16

Awards

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Award Category Recipients and Nominees Results
Filmfare Awards Best Supporting Actress Radhika Nominated
Best Music Director Bappi Lahiri

Controversy

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Amitabh Bachchan was initially reluctant to play the titular name- Arjuna and suggested Bhima for the character instead. Bachchan cited personal reasons for not keeping the name- Arjun, saying that he has been frequent with the great epic- Mahabharata and did not find the character of Arjuna much interesting and cringeworthy, though really liked the character of Bhima, stating— "Bhima is the only warrior in Mahabharata who could come close to Karna in valour and heroism"

Making a contemporary version of the Mahabharata through Bhima's perspective, the director Bokadia in a magazine interview stated:

" It is often said, that 'history is written by elder brothers' but what about younger brothers- Bhima and Arjuna, they also have a story to tell. So, this is basically a contemporary version focusing on Bhima and Arjuna, this has nothing to do with the storyline or plot of the original epic. After the telecasting of BR Chopra Mahabharata on television, names like Karna and Krishna became extremely popular. In the 80s and 90s, each and every household, a child's name would be 'Karan'. You would see parents keeping their son's name like - Karan, Karandev, Karanjeet, Karangopal etc and simultaneously Ramayan was also telecast on television. Also names like Rama, Lakshman became cult and popular in households after telecast of Ramayana. Such was the influence of TV on people. After so much cult of Hindu epics, even films began taking inspiration from Mahabharata. See blockbuster Thalapathi of Rajnikanth and Vijaypath of Ajay Devgn, Kalyug (1981 film) starring Shashi Kapoor. These films are based completely on the original Mahabharata where the storyline and plot both have been inspired by the actual epic itself but in these adaptations, Arjun and Bhima are often sidelined. In some film adaptations, they are 'as good as not in the film even'. I too had thought of making a film on Mahabharata but now everybody had already become familiar with Mahabharata through Doordarshan. So, it seemed boring to narrate the same heroism of Karna which are taught in school books, shown in innumerous serials, worshipped in temples. An idea clicked in my mind to make the epic through Bhima and Arjun's point of view which would be new to the audience. But Amit (Amitabh)was reluctant to keep the name- Arjun, thus played Bhima. My mission is to create films on those mythological characters who have been historically sidelined or didn't get enough representation in history. My next project would be on Indrajeet etc."

References

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  1. ^ a b "Aaj Ka Arjun 1990 Movie Box Office Collection, Budget and Unknown Facts 1990's Box Office Collection". KS Box Office. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Aaj Ka Arjun Box office Collection".
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