The aandhi (storm) in this movie is a controversy - lasting about ten minutes in film time - that erupts during an election, where a woman candidate is character-assassinated for being seen walking with a man (no not a euphemism, but the literal truth). The storm is resolved when it is revealed (not to us, we already know, but to the electorate) that... drumroll... HE IS HER HUSBAND! Then she wins the election! The storm was evidently of the teacup variety.
The acting is kinda wooden by Sen though she looks good in the role; her Hindi accent and diction are terrible. Sanjiv Kumar is good but his character is basically boring, he could do this role sleepwalking. Om Prakash is good and the only character in this film who is not boring to watch.
Gulzar is a very good poet but not a filmmaker - his direction falls short. There are some overlong scenes with uncertain pauses, and things that would have been useful to show to not make the movie drag so much are not shown (wouldnt it have been nice to at least have a scene with the daughter and explore the mom leaving her with the dad?). Oh and forget how somehow no one knows that a popular politician and daughter of a famous businessman has had a husband and child in her past. There's also the small things. In one scene, Sen is facing the camera gesturing at Om Prakash with her right hand, and then the camera angle changes to her back and the hand changes to her left.
The movie insists that both husband and wife are equally responsible for the break up etc, but really the Sanjiv Kumar character goes thru the movie insisting upon his dues as the husband. This dynamic is realistic for the times, but is dated now. And even for those days the touching his feet at the end was uncalled for. Movies such as this make me realize how good it is that India has liberalized over the years.
The acting is kinda wooden by Sen though she looks good in the role; her Hindi accent and diction are terrible. Sanjiv Kumar is good but his character is basically boring, he could do this role sleepwalking. Om Prakash is good and the only character in this film who is not boring to watch.
Gulzar is a very good poet but not a filmmaker - his direction falls short. There are some overlong scenes with uncertain pauses, and things that would have been useful to show to not make the movie drag so much are not shown (wouldnt it have been nice to at least have a scene with the daughter and explore the mom leaving her with the dad?). Oh and forget how somehow no one knows that a popular politician and daughter of a famous businessman has had a husband and child in her past. There's also the small things. In one scene, Sen is facing the camera gesturing at Om Prakash with her right hand, and then the camera angle changes to her back and the hand changes to her left.
The movie insists that both husband and wife are equally responsible for the break up etc, but really the Sanjiv Kumar character goes thru the movie insisting upon his dues as the husband. This dynamic is realistic for the times, but is dated now. And even for those days the touching his feet at the end was uncalled for. Movies such as this make me realize how good it is that India has liberalized over the years.