Lamhe (1991) User Reviews

Moments of Sridevi

[Peter_Young · 7/10 · 5 March 2021]

Lamhe is an enjoyable film. Okay, I think much of the hype around this film's story and people calling it gutsy and bold and groundbreaking is nonsense. Nothing about this story is really shocking - we've had a better film, Mausam from 1975, showing a relationship between a woman and her mother's past lover, although not a romantic one, and actually Lamhe seems to share a few plot elements with this film. Now, of course, that in this film the man was responsible for the girl's upbringing does make their romantic swing a bit off-limits, but it's somehow forgivable because for some reason I didn't take the entire thing too seriously. The overall project is actually nice, and unlike Gulzar's beautiful and atemospheric Mausam, this one is actually very romantic and light, although towards the latter portions of the film, when everything gets serious, the atmosphere becomes much more gloomy.

Lamhe is a mainstream film in the true sense of the word. It has comedy and drama, song and dance, and the dialogue gets very melodramatic at points. The comedy involving Anupam Kher and Sridevi is quite fun. There are some childish elements in it but it all works pretty well within the context of the film, and the recap of Hindi classic songs is enjoyable. Waheeda Rehman is like the only sane voice in the house, although her part is nothing to write home about. She is a very good in whatever little she is given. Anil Kapoor is not particularly impressive here. Actually in the second half he barely has a role to play as it is mostly Sridevi's story. Do I find the romance believable? Probably not. Again, their pairing is quite off-putting. The music is so-so but "Kabhi Main Kahoon" is a great song.

Where Lamhe scores is in Sridevi's charismatic presence and intense performance. She plays two roles, though it is the character of the daughter which makes wonders - her comic timing is impeccable and her devastation later on is really affecting. Her ability to be a childlike prankster and then a moody, conflicted woman is really impressive. That she evidently enjoyed playing her role only helps. The film's atmosphere fully depends on her character, and due credit for this impact goes mainly to her. And how can one go on without mentioning her terrific dance number, "Moments of Rage", which conveys her character's emotional state more than any other acting scene in the film. She just breathes fire to vent her frustration - unusual, nervous, unsettling, and simply mindblowing. If anything, Sridevi is the prime reason to watch this film, which is nice but never outstanding.

Not such a Lamhe film (groan)

[narinderflora · 7/10 · 9 March 2018]

Bit of a cult movie this which gained more popularity overseas as the idea of a man trying to suppress feelings for the identikit daughter of his first love did not go down well with conservative Indian audiences. So fair play to Yash Chopra for tackling one of many taboo Indian issues (still no lip kissing though - even in the 90s) and obviously with Sridevi's passing, this becomes more of a poignant watch and an appreciation of her beauty, energy, comedy, dance talent and strong delivery dialogue that she maintained throughout her career. The surprises are Anupam Kher who is given over-the-top free rein as Anil Kapoor's best mate and 50s-60s icon Waheeda Rehman. They come to the fore in the classic song medley designed to cheer Anil Kapoor up as he mulls indeterminately over his first lost love - who didn't love him anyway. Look out especially for the clever Guide and Pyaasa nods. And that's the main problem with this movie - Anil Kapoor is wasted in his dour and wooden lead role - especially when you see the powerful moments when he does release emotions. Even then he is more charasmatic than Sridevi (mark one)'s husband - who even dressed up as an air force pilot fails to generate any screen presence. So many typical Bollywood features - lavish sets, lots of unbelievability (daughter looks exactly like her mum, how is Anil Kapoor so rich, who exactly is Waheeda Rehman and would you allow your best mate to live freely in palatial mansions, driving Mercs, jetting back and forth from India to England), great songs and overlong duration - the picnic scene could go straight out for example. Strangely enjoyable still.

Deeply touching movie, no historical links

[cashimor · 8/10 · 8 January 1999]

I'm afraid that my knowledge about Hindi movies is rather limited. However, I'm pretty sure this is one, and I enjoyed it a lot. However, compared to the other movies that I saw (Roja, 1942, Bombay) there was less history to this movie, and it moved faster than I would've expected (especially in the beginning). However, I was quite touched and moved, which rarely happens with me and movies.

Lamhe: THE Modern Masterpiece of Hindi Cinema

[akbarnali · 10/10 · 6 November 2005]

In the career of every celebrated artist there is one work of art which stands above all others, one that is celebrated as the pinnacle of artistry, the apex to which all that preceded it has led, and against which all that follows will forever be compared. "Lamhe" is that performance in the gallery of Sridevi's great acting achievements: indeed, it is THE masterpiece in her repertoire. Of all the films ever made by Sridevi, "Lamhe" is (and shall likely remain) the greatest film of her career. Since its release, critics have universally praised the film, and upon viewing it, one cannot help but submit that the praise is rightfully deserved. While "Sadma" has been called the definitive performance of her career, there is a strong case to be made that 'the performance' of her career is that of "Lamhe".

Though the film was deemed too 'risqué' for the average film-goer (its first issue to cinema halls was an abysmal financial disaster) it remains the most bold and uncompromising love story ever made in India. Here for the first time in India's long and sordid celluloid history, we witness the consummation of a highly unconventional relationship between Pooja (Sridevi) and Viren (Anil Kapoor), a man twenty-five years her senior who had himself been in love with Pooja's mother, Pallavi (also Sridevi) who was herself a decade older than Viren. Therein lies the incestuous shadow which has forever made viewers both weary and fearful of "Lamhe" and its fiercely non-conformist morality. One critic has written that, "Viren was not only the father figure in her orphaned life, he was the man who could have been her father if her other had reciprocated his ardour. But for Pooja, bred on Viren's intermittent visits to his ancestral property in Rajasthan, there was no distinction between Prince Charming and this long-distance godfather. Hers was the love that knew no barriers. Neither spatial, nor temporal, nor of age. Even the knowledge of her beloved's repressed passion for her deceased mother did not act as a deterrent. For Viren, too, the initial shock of discovering an unconventional emotion was gradually replaced by self-analysis, introspection, and self-discovery."

Yash Chopra recalled that when he first screened the film prior to its release, "the response was ecstatic, but many who saw it advised me to change the ending. They said it would be a big hit with a conventional happy ending. I said if I change the ending, there's no point in making the film." "Lamhe" is the pinnacle in bold and sensitive film-making, so incomparably replete with the message that love knows no limits, that pain and passion have no boundaries, that it reveals a revolutionary maturity of expression far beyond the conventional clichés of love stories. "Lamhe" is a fiercely unconventional film, standing in defiance of the totalitarian ideas of what is and what is not Love. Its theme of transgenerational romance, under the very heavy and unsettling shadow of incest, have made it a litmus test of our moral tendencies and artistic liberties. Traditionalists watching the film will find its theme difficult to digest—"How can any woman find love with a man who loved her mother?" they ask.

But the film begs us to understand that one can love in different ways, and for Viren the passion he has for Pallavi is his first real love of anything that dared to exist on its own terms, human or otherwise. Raised in very polite but stoic English society which has made him hopelessly sheltered, Viren is used to things and people being of the 'proper' sort. When he is confronted by Pallavi, he is entirely smitten by her exotic charms, her chaotic wildness, her absolute connection to the world in which she lives, a notion of which Viren knows nothing about. He is seduced and enchanted by this exotic figure, but her regard for him is that of a foreigner who has come to reacquaint himself with his roots. Many years later, the experience is echoed in Pooja's upbringing: lonely and isolated, she somehow manages to recall her mother's wondrous spirit, and then lays the memories of Viren's past squarely in front of him.

Whatever assessment of the film one chooses to make, the brilliance of its performances cannot be denied or overstated. Anil Kapoor has never delivered a more accomplished or subtle performance. Viren is etched with such finesse and delicacy that it is his heartbreak which becomes our own. Waheeda Rehman gives a heartbreaking and heartwarming portrayal of Daija, Viren's maternal confidante and caregiver who plays the same role in orphaned Pooja's upbringing. Anupam Kher is riotously funny as Prem, Viren's only real friend, a sort of elder brother who understands Viren better than Viren will ever understand himself. It must be said, however, that all of these exceptional performances are given to balance the duality of Sridevi's brilliance: she is literally awe-inspiring in a double role which transcends anything India has ever put on the big screen. The mother-daughter characters are inverse reflections of one another, and are played in such distinct fashion that one never feels one character intruding into the other, a perennial fear of actors playing multiple roles in one film. One prominent reviewer probably said it best in her review: "Sridevi does not enact a performance in 'Lamhe'. She becomes an incarnation of two women whose lives (and deaths) are bound by the nature of Love. Sridevi has pushed the limits of acting with 'Lamhe', and like the film, she has decided that there are no limits."

There are a great many treasures in the cannon that calls itself Hindi Cinema, but none more resplendent, more wondrous, more beautiful or more painful than "Lamhe". This is a film that challenges, both artistically and morally, and has emerged as an unforgettable and unmatched work of human artistry.

A break from tradition

[jungleking · 2 July 2003]

Lamhe. A great movie released in the wrong generation. It was a daring move for Yash Chopra to tackle a taboo topic such as this in a professional mainstream manner. This movie bombed at box office all too unjustly because the audience could not handle the subject matter - a love that ignores the boundaries of age. Does it not happen in real life?

The show stealer in Lamhe is no doubt Waheeda Rehman, who is on par as Dai Jee (nanny) and does a fab role and looks good reciting her yesteryear song in the medley section. Anil Kapoor give a sound performance about a man maturing with age and views, but still bearing the pain of the lost love. Sridevi is good in her double performance, though a fan of Sridevi - she was a bit shrieky in the younger role. Anupam Kher was excellent in his sidekick role and was a good break from time to time.

Yash Chopra did a good job on a whole on this movie, scenery and songs were good as expected from him. His tackling of the subject matter was brave and very professional and stopped the movie turning into a tacky melodramatic memory. It was a starting point for a generation of movies that would go beyond the boy meets girls and over comes issues and lives happily ever after.

moments of love..

[HeadleyLamarr · 7/10 · 12 June 2007]

A true Mills and Boon style Autumn and Spring romance, Lamhe is a film I watched with much anticipation. I wanted to see Sridevi in one of her acclaimed performances, see a vintage Yash Chopra film. I came away with the following impressions:

1. The story was a little edgy and even uncomfortable at times - a man who falls in love with his old flame's daughter. Nishabd anyone?

2. Anil Kapoor cannot really act and looks ridiculous without the trademark mustache.

3. Yash Chopra assembled a really awful cast of minor characters -could anyone be more annoying than Pallavi's husband Deepak Malhotra, than Anil Kapoor's girlfriend Ila Arun?

4. Sridevi alternated between astoundingly good and hamming. I loved her in so many parts of the films and was annoyed in several places. She was annoying as the cute acting Pooja but absolutely endearing later on as things got more serious. And boy can she dance!

5. Anupam Kher was very funny - loved his character. Waheeda ji was great - loved her reprise of aaj Phir jeene ki Tamanna hai!

6. Music was sort of ordinary.

Overall the film was great in parts and very hackneyed in parts, but it did explore a theme that was bold for its time. I cannot See what the fuss was all about - but it is worth a one time watch.

2 words only

[halimali2000 · 10/10 · 7 April 2005]

its shame that this movie didn't become a blockbuster. Yash Chopra consider it his best movie till date. and i agree with him. Sridevi surpassed everyone this year with this great performance. Anil Kapoor was at his best, never been that sweet.

if you want to know what love is about and you want to fall in love with love itself, then Lamhe is the answer. This movie became a blockbuster abroad. I can say this is the best movie in the 90s decade. and it is the best romantic love story in the whole Indian history.

watch Lamhe and you will know what i mean

Lamhe gets nothing less than 10 out of 10

Not a blockbuster.

[virindra · 7/10 · 25 May 2007]

My wife has seen this movie many years ago and she loved it! So I bought the original DVD for her and watched it yesterday with her. It was a twisted love story. Viren (Anil Kapoor) is in love with Pallavi (Sridevi) but she doesn't love him back. She marries an other guy and both of them die in a car accident.

But before dying Pallavi gives birth to a baby named Puja (Sridevi). Puja grows up and falls in love with Viren. But Puja is just a little girl and Viren is an old man. Viren is about to marry an other woman, but Puja is sure Viren is in love with her. Is he? Or is he in love with her face that reminds him his love for her mother.

It is sixteen years now that this movie has been made. I have always been a fan of Anupam Kher and Anil Kapoor. Even since they have been in the movie Karma with Jacky Shroff. These guys know what acting is, in a natural way. In other words; they don't have to do much to give a great performance. Sridevi on the other side cannot act. Even for that time (1991) her acting is lousy. There is a lovesong in the movie with Anil Kapoor and Shridevi. Beautiful song even when the lines are repeated again and again and again. That didn't disturb me. It disturbed me that Sridevi banged her head around and around when she sang a specific line.

Even when she plays a little girl she doesn't do that convincingly. I can see a lot of similarities in Yash Chopra's films, this movie compared to DDLJ, KKKG and KKHH. I liked that a lot! I liked the tour through Enlgand, because I have been there last weekend too! The movie was great, but not that great to be a blockbuster. It is very twisted to make a relationship between a very little girl (let's say 16 years old) and a grown man (maybe 35 years old). There are elderly people in the story like the woman who took care of Viren and Puja and Viren's best friend (Anupamkher). Neither of the two tells Puja not to fall in love with an older man. No, they support such a crazy relationship! If my daughter would fall in love with such an older man, I would not support that at all! If there would come a girl in my life who is the daughter of an ex-girlfriend, I would not allow myself to fall in love with her. I wonder if Abishek Bachchan would fall in love with a 65 years old woman who had a crush on his father, but his father not on her, so he would begin a lovestory with this old woman. I don't think so! Or wait! Female Sharukh Khan fans have still a chance! Sharukh has a ten years old son. When he grows up as a man, you all grown up woman still make a chance to fall in love with Shahrukh by beginning a relationship with his son! The movie is well done, but you can expect that from a couple like Yash Chopra and Karan Johar. But that doesn't mean a story could not be twisted. It's like the movies of Amitabh Bachchan nowadays; an old man with a too much younger girl. Had Bollywood gone mad? I put my mind open for different people, like gay people, people with deceases like aids. But a grandfather with a girl in the age of his daughter or granddaughter? I find it very amusing Bollywood has gone that way. It's like giving pedophiles the stimulance in there sexual needs.

Besides these arguments the movie was great. :-)

one of the most underrated films of all time

[jarfsu · 10/10 · 12 March 2006]

I've been watching Bollywood movies ever since i can remember. Most i will not lie, can be extremely cheesy, and overly melodramatic. Sometimes the stories are so similar, that you get frequent attacks of Deja vu watching them. That said, i have to say this movie was a gem, in every sense of the word. The story was like none other, and although the central theme of love is similar to those found in mostly all Bollywood movies, this movie has found a new interpretation for it and that is the foremost reason that it stands out. The mystical and almost mythical setting of the "haveli" in Rajasthan is so beautiful that you are immediately love struck. The film is almost a two part event, the first beginning out in India, and then moving to england. There is so much detail in the characters, their emotion, that you cant help get caught up by each one of them. In a way you fall in love with each character. Anil Kapoors' acting is superb, and Waheeda Rehman's performance is ever glowing. There are three show stealer's of this epic movie. The first Sridevi, this has to be one of her finest acting performances, and by this role she has permanently written her name in history and being one of India's finest actresses. The second is Anumpan Kher, who's acting is so over powering that he is to me one of the lead actors in the movie. He not only brings comic relief to the situations, you actually find yourself waiting in anticipation as to when he will show up. The third show stealer is the music. The music is fantastic, and every song works, this is quite an effort since in most Bollywood movies, songs come out at you from nowhere. The music till today sends chills down my spine. The beautiful melodies, and most memorable, and evoke ones one passion. A most well done film

Lamhe (1991) .... Moments of Love from Yash Chopra

[SumanShakya · 7/10 · 14 November 2013]

"Lamhe" portrays an unconventional love story of an undeniable love of a girl with a man almost twice her age; and this unconventional story makes the film special. The film raises complexity in its theme which has been resolved very beautifully by the end. Like most of the Yash Chopra films, this one too has a nice look with good songs, pictuarization, and a winning performance from Sri Devi. Perhaps, it's a wonder why this film didn't click at the time it released; and by now the film has received a cult status.The only thing that annoyed was its over 3 hr length and a slow pace at times.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4

Cliché and Boring

[CriticGirl91 · 3/10 · 11 May 2015]

I did not feel uncomfortable with this film, for I could not see how the film was supposedly "incestous". It's pretty far fetched to state that. I simply did not find the movie to be worth the hype surrounding it.

The first Sridevi is super bugging, not by her acting but because of the stupid character she is given. Her acting is in fact, the only saving grace. I did not find her indecently dancing and interfering character to be a tad bit lovable.

The second Sridevi is even more weird, for she absolutely loves a man, who prefers to keep a huge distance from her. This love story did not make any sense.

Then there are the classic irritating Yash Raj elements. The hero pretends to love this girl whose love is supposedly questionable though she has waited years for him (just because she is not the heroine), to create a super sympathy seeking sacrifice scenario. There are 'funny' moments involving pathetic parodies by Anupam Kher and the new Sridevi. There is a 'kasam' by the heroine to marry only if the hero marries before her. I felt like sleeping through.

Yes, I see the Yash Raj power in the film. Namely, the power to make the same senseless stuff repeatedly, and getting it to be called a 'classic'. If cinematography was everything, what were the need for something called a storyline? I love Waheeda Rehman, and it was a treat to watch her. The only good part of this film.

Brilliant Movie

[info-16614 · 10/10 · 29 April 2008]

"Lamhe" was miles ahead of any Hindi movies produced in 90s. "Lamhe" is a story of unconditional love between two people. The love that has no boundaries and rules. The best ever love story made in Bollywood. Its shows how in life two people can fall in love forever and ultimately if they really yarn for each other they can be together. Its brings home some sense of comfort in knowing that love doesn't necessarily have to be conventional. Its a wonderful movie. The first couple in love are Siddarth and Pallavi who end up getting married and have a baby, called Pooja. When Viren meets Pallavi he falls in love with her and doesn't get over her all of his life. Then there is Pooja, love child of Siddarth and Pallavi, who falls in love with Viren in a twisted fate! Eventually Viren realises Pooja is the love he has been waiting for and who he really wants and they end up together. Well done Yash Chopra for a wonder movie and wonderful actors!

Not worth the 3 hours

[pj_10 · 2/10 · 6 May 2012]

When I first began watching this movie, I thought hey, Anil Kapoor doesn't have a mustache in it! I thought that this movie was going to be different. However, I soon discovered that this tale was pretty twisted. Anil Kapoor's character, Viren loved Sridevi's character, Pallavi but unfortunately for him, she did not reciprocate his feelings. In fact, she would later get married. Sadly, a very pregnant Sridevi and her husband are involved in an accident with the sole survivor being the baby. That's right, Sridevi dies. I was quite shocked here! Obviously, since this an older Hindi movie, you just know that Sridevi is going to take on a double role and play Pallavi's daughter. But, what really got to me was the fact that Pallavi's daughter Pooja is now in love with Anil Kapoor. Right...and how did that even happen? It was already creepy enough that Anil Kapoor loved her mother from afar ( it was really from afar, he barely even knew her) but now this? This is beyond disgusting. It's like going from the mom to the daughter. In fact, it makes Anil Kapoor look like a real loser. And Pooja? Why would this young woman be interested in an old man, especially after learning that he loved her own mother! Yash Chopra was grasping at straws by the way he was trying to make us think that this is normal! Not a love story.

On a side note, I just wanted to talk about Anil Kapoor's best friend, who is played by Anupam Kher ( who are you kidding man, you looked like an uncle even back then!). There is a scene in this movie where Anupam Kher is just out right obnoxious and honestly, as the audience, you cheer when Anil Kapoor slaps him at the mall. His pouting was not cute and in general, his character was over the top. I seriously questioned his mental state.

In Indian culture, the reality is that Pooja would consider Viren like an uncle. This movie did not make any sense and I can see why it was not accepted by the general Indian Public. Good for them.

I was going to rate it a 1 but gave an extra point for the non intended comedy scenes. ( Anupam getting slapped at the mall and Sridevi's dance moves)

Yashji's greatest!

[Calliegrl03 · 10/10 · 23 November 2005]

With this movie, Yash Chopra finally proves that he is one of the greatest Hindi movie directors of all time. Lamhe tells a story about love, passion, and moments...moments for one's love to grow. Anil and Sridevi create magic on screen. I love watching them together. They're both so talented and passionate--especially in this movie. (Sridevi has an AMAZING wardrobe, especially in the first half.) Anupam and Waheeda are brilliant in their supporting roles. Anupamji is such a delight to watch--he's so funny in Lamhe. This movie, which is considered a classic today, was a huge flop when it came out in 1991 because of the "risque" subject matter. Yet, early in his career, Yashji took huge risks when he directed movies like Kabhi Kabhie, Silisa, Waqt and Deewaar. Sadly, he became more commericial with 1997's Dil To Pagal Hai (Crap). Lamhe is seriously Yashji's best film...so check it out ASAP!

The best movie of that year.

[nitinmrao · 10/10 · 3 November 2020]

From the first frame to the last frame. Totally outstanding.

Lamhe- Yash Chopra I salute you

[Ibuk · 10/10 · 29 October 2007]

In my opinion Lamhe is Yash Chopra best and most overlooked work. Anil Kapoor and Sridevi were fabulous, so were Anupum Kher and Waheeda Rehman. It was actually expected to be a huge hit but flopped miserably. It makes me wonder about the state of mind of the public when they can make Dil to Pagal hai a hit where it was merely average whilst the truly greatLamhe tanked. This movie ranks alongside other Yash Chopra's classic like Dewaar and Kabhie Kabhie. The songs were so good, especially Kabhi mein Kahoon. There are lots of iconic moments in this classic, for instance in the parody song where Waheeda Rehman sings aaj phir jeene ki tammana hai from her own movie Guide. Lamhe reminds of the old days when Yash Chopra made classics and not mass produced tosh.

It's wonderful, one of the best hindi movies i have seen.

[sonu-3 · 2 March 1999]

It's certainly the movie that is very well written, directed, and acted. music and cinematography are a plus point. and above all, in spite of being a rather western story, it has been made in such a way that it's been accepted by traditional indians too.

Major issues with 2nd half.

[Billz- · 2/10 · 14 February 2020]

Yash Chopra is gifted and thats why this film is difficult to dislike, even when there is so much too dislike, the first half is enjoyable and well performed, Anil and Sridevi perform really well with the roles they have, Sridevi has been given a double role, the second half (where Sridevi is now the daughter of the charactor of her first role) is where everything falls apart, here the story is poorly written and kind of incentious , it certainly ruins the film, the daughter falling in love with her mothers old lover... just completly ruined the experience, there are good moments throughout the film but general story line and script is not good and one begins to think.. what was Yash thinking... avoid this one you will only be dissapointed unless you have a sick nature and warped concept of reality deep inside you,.

Beautiful love story from Yash Chopra

[akshayashiv · 9/10 · 11 October 2008]

The Chopras yet again proves why they make such wonderful movies.This movie is absolutely wonderful.It has comedy,drama,romance and deep emotions etc.This has been shoot in Rajasthan in the first half.Visuals in Rajasthan are dazzling.Second half is shoot in London.Visuals were simply stunning.Camera work is first rate.Costumes are beautiful

Yash gets full marks for giving us amazing performances.Sridevi,is no doubt the scene stealer,she has given a very balanced performance.She had a wonderful role.She also looked stunning .Anil Kapoor has given a very moving performance.Yester year Waheeda Rehman is great.Anupham is OK.Deepak is good.Dipy Sagoo is good.Story well pretty weird at times is a westernized story.Almost your typical formula.Dialogs are excellent and so is the direction.

Songs are great especially the parody.Songs are pictured beautifully.My favorite visuals were in Kabhi Maan Kahoon and Yaad Nahin Bhool Gaya and Moorni Baaga Maa and Megha(with great lyrics,a graceful Sridevi and Latas melodious voice)and Hari Harans magical voice in te title song and a graceful Sridevi in Mohe Cheed

Despite that,the movie is good and a must see

Abysmal and the only people who seem to like it are those who seem to think they are going against society. Spoilers.

[Yasmin_07 · 2/10 · 26 October 2015]

Reviews like that of akbarnali's really do no favors for society. It isn't non conformist. This movie promotes huge age gaps in society which ARE wrong especially when someone is below the age of 30 especially. This worshipping of medieval style relationships just shows how media educated and politically correct people are becoming. After the big science boom people realised why it was wrong for huge age gaps to be in the lives of young people. The mind and even body is still developing. In reality, after the science boom, huge age gap relationships became nearly extinct in the forward thinking world. It continued to happen in countries where young girls were exchanged for power and wealth. Older men like V in REALITY do not go for children like pooja out of love. This is NOT sridevi's best film. Nor was laadla which promoted sexist views. Critics, Yash and other supporters of this film need to be examined properly because all they are doing is promoting pedophilia, a term which is outdated and should expand to protect growing children who are under the age of 21. Men like V promote ageism against women in society. He claimed to have loved pallavi yet at the end he immediately claims to have never loved her and only to have loved pooja. He is 25 years her senior. In reality we ALL know deep down what a man like that would want in a CHILD. We do choose who we love. We choose to put the time into getting to know someone. Men like lack intellect and maturity and that is why they deem it acceptable to go far too young. Sridevi should have told Yash that his idea was wrong. Real love is based on loving someone of your generation and growing old together. That IS how nature intended it to be. You are not a traditionalist if you seem to think this way. You are someone who sees with clear eyes. He loved her mother and then deemed it acceptable to marry her daughter. This was also after she BLACKMAILED him in many ways and used mental torture. It seems MANY Indian films (especially older ones) deemed it acceptable to show this because it is how society used to be and still is. In this politically correct and media educated society we live in now, it is accepted as 'love' when it is no such thing. Under 21 and 2 year gap max. 21+ 5 to 8 yrs and after 30, 13 years. development matters. Once past your mid 40s a few more years is fine as both have lived their life and know more. They are NOT naive and have a better perception about life. They come to MANY realisations. Pooja had psychological issues like many girls like her. Some girls (like myself) have been groomed my men like viren. Trust me it is NOT love. Many girls wake up one day and realise the truth while others continue to live a facade and become very defensive over their awful relationship. Age is not just a number when it comes to love. This movie was not ahead of its time. Its beliefs stem from medieval times when girls were ENCOURAGED to be with older men. Even if that man had been married to their elder sister or aunt. I am an Asian woman and understand how the culture works. This film was loved by the elite, where huge age gaps are more prevalent because of mentalities, and hated by those who had morals and were of a more working class. Many realised what a joke this film was. Imagine it happened in reality. Imagine you had been pallavi, you died and a man 25 years older than your growing child has "fallen in love" with her. Many do realise later on in life. I implore people to pick up books which talk about the mind, body and nature. Science has taught us so much yet it seems movies like lamhe are making our society worse by promoting medieval concepts. If a "westerner" sees this movie for what it is, it isn't a bad thing. In asia these relationships include no love and are based on exchange only. Psychological conditions such as Stockholm syndrome do exist as do a whole host of other issues. Instead of encouraging girls like pooja, guardians should be protecting young girls. We really need to educate children and young people about REALITY, not the blatant conditioning of Hollywood, bollywood and other industries which are ageist against women. I give this film 2 stars only because of the music and sridevi. And kudos to her for talking against the storyline. In reality, decent parents and well raised children, do not accept this. Nor does a well functioning society. That society strives to protect children and young people by equipping them with the right education. this movie was not non conformist but it was a blatant idea which tried to condition the masses. It flopped because the majority were not as media educated. Sadly the world we live in now lacks decent parenting and the media (after the 80s) began a hardcore promotion of this. Always men older too. Movies do well when they are realistic. When they take into account psychology, biology, history and life! This was NEVER love and people without rose tinted glasses can see that. This and laadla are two very bad films for what they promote. Yash was very disappointing and so were the critics. It seems both held very creepy views in the backs of their minds. I would recommend something like liberal arts which recommends the right sort of relationship. You might not feel older, but you are. You should find someone to grow old with. Not someone who will be in their prime when you are old. This film deserved to flop. Yash tended to be awful.

Fantastic

[shivakumarvishwa · 10/10 · 14 June 2008]

Lamhe is truly one of the best ever.This one is underrated.This is Yash chopras favorite along with Silsila(Almost a crap).The story is simple but not a novel concept.Viren is in love with Pallavi.She is older than him.One day her father loses a court case.And dies.Pallavi is heartbroken.On the mourning day.She runs to Siddharth Bhatnagar.They are in love.Viren is depressed.Later they get married.A year later they die.Pallavi gives birth to a girl.Daijaa names her Pooja.Viren makes a condition to only come to Rajasthan at th he death anniversary day.18 years later.Viren sees Pooja.Pooja looks like her mother.She is in love with him.Meanwhile he is engaged to Anita.The film is a good entertaining movie.Sridevi is superb,Anil is good but little wooden in a few scenes.Anupham was quite funny and did quite well.Waheeda was great in her role.Deepak was good too in his cameo.Dippy Sagoo did well.Raj Hans was good in a cameo.Cinematography is amazing .Rajasthan is beautiful.London is shoot amazingly.Chereography is wonderful.Costumes are great too.The music is terrific.The script is excellent with great dialogs.A must watch for all cinema-goers. Rating-9/10

Sridevi the greatest in the greatest romantic movie ever made in the history of Indian cinema.❤❤❤

[faribhai-46006 · 10/10 · 26 April 2020]

Lamhe is certainly one of the greatest movies of Indian cinema. Though film has a bold theme yet it is a winner in every aspect. Beautiful direction,soul stirring music,wonderful performances and above all Sridevi. With this movie Sridevi proved that why she is the greatest and most loved actress of India. She is brilliant in her double role as a typical Rajasthani girl Pallavi and as young and naughty Pooja. Her dance in desert in the song "Morni baga ma" is rage. Her comic timing is killer specially in the "Medley". She looked so beautiful in Rajasthani sarees and later in western costumes with her big and beautiful eyes that you will ponder that she is the most beautiful woman on earth. Her emotional scenes and specially climax scene is a treat to watch. Anil Kapoor also delivers the best performance of his career but I think it is still underrated. Anupam Kher and Waheeda Rahman are also brilliant in their respective roles and performances. The music composed by Shiv-Hari is something extraordinary. Yash Chopra is certainly the best filmmaker of Bollywood and Lamhe is his best and finest film. Lamhe is the greatest romantic movie ever made in India. It is best love story I have ever seen. This movie and love story extends beyond time,space and boundaries. Overall Lamhe is one of the best films of Indian cinema in which Sridevi is a complete show stealer and film solely belongs to her. Undoubtedly she is the greatest actress of Indian cinema. Lamhe a true definition of pain and love. An all time classic and greatest romantic movie". Ye lamhe ye pal hum barson yaad karen ge ye mausam chale gaye to hum fariyad karen ge". Miss you Sridevi ji,the greatest Indian actress of the century,most beautiful actress of all time and biggest female megastar of Indian cinema.

Best by far

[gauravjuneja91 · 10/10 · 26 July 2014]

Best Acting , Best direction , Best Songs , Best Cinematography, powerful story line, and , no nonsense Bollywood type Masala!!! This movie will be liked by all at least once in one's life for sure , most probably during middle ages or beyond , and once liked , will always be liked no matter how many times this movie will be watched. Truly one of the best Masterpiece from Yash Chopra. However , it was Sridevi whose stupendous performance was beyond words can describe!! Her Non glamorous looks , actually , added lot of glamour in the film. With one of the best dialogues of all time , this movie is treat for both heart and mind!!

What a cringey story!

[jumbobiscuits · 3/10 · 4 February 2022]

What if someone's daughter looks like a younger version of their beloved wife. Will they be justified in feeling attracted to their daughter? Is this for real? What a disgusting story! Excuse me while I throw up. How is this considered a masterpiece what the heck is this? All good actors are wasted to the royal member's member who only stands up to one face no matter who it is attached to and even if she could literally be his daughter. Extremely cringe justifying disgusting and perverse thoughts of this main character.

Cinema at it's Best

[reiya-32720 · 10/10 · 9 May 2020]

Whenever you romanticised cinema or want to fall in love with life watch Lamhe, This movie is the reason why cinema is so beautiful. This movie takes you to a beautiful journey in the sands & forts of Rajasthan where Sridevi, Anil kapoor , Waheeda Rehman play their part to perfection. Than story moves to totally different zone in London and Sridevi , A.Kapoor transform themselves in a new avatar, they will make you realise what high quality acting is all about,cinematography of Honey Irani will make you a part of the royals. A beautiful ending will make you feel warm, and you will have great memories as you walk out of the theatre with a promise to come back again.