The trope of star-crossed lovers from rival families falling in love is as old as Romeo and Juliet. But while Shakespeare’s play was a tragedy, Hindi filmmakers—and audiences—want everything neatly tied in red bows. So warring families reconcile, lovers get married, and live happily ever after.
Rahul Rawail’s Love Story (1981) stays true to this tried-and-tested plot—children rebel against their parents’ tyranny, run away from home, and find love. Bunty Mehra (Kumar Gaurav) wants to be a pilot, and Pinky Dogra (Vijayta Pandit) wants to escape an arranged marriage. They run away from home to follow their dreams, bump into each other, bicker constantly, and fall in love. It’s the discovery of their parents’ shared past that amps up the tension in the film.
The year 1981 also marked Sanjay Dutt’s debut with Rocky. A common factor between both movies was Rawail, who had exited both projects over creative differences after directing most of the portions. But it seems to have been a lucky charm, as both films turned out to be successful.
Love Story was the launchpad for nepo babies of the 1980s. Actor Rajendra Kumar’s son, Kumar Gaurav, made his debut as the lead. Kishore Kumar’s son, Amit Kumar, sang the vocals. And Vijayta Pandit, the younger sister of Sulakshana Pandit, starred opposite Guarav. However, fame was short-lived for both actors despite the promise they showed in their debut. They soon faded away from both Bollywood and public memory. Added to the reel life love story was the tumultuous relationship between the actors, and rumours that it was quickly nipped in the bud by Gaurav’s father, Rajendra Kumar.
Bunty and Pinky fall in love
Gaurav’s first appearance in the movie is in a single-seater plane, whizzing over green fields. This quintessential ‘hero entry’ establishes him as the daredevil heartthrob.
Gaurav’s boyish charm and intensity captured the hearts of young women across the country. The gossip about his affair with Pandit, followed by his broken engagement to Reema Jain, only fuelled the frenzy.
Dressed in biker jackets and sporting an impish smile in the film, Gaurav plays the entitled brat, but with the possibility of redemption. He does not want to take over his father’s construction business and runs away. Meanwhile, Pandit excels as the spunky single child of overprotective parents. Their will-they-won’t-they chemistry and banter keep the viewer hooked throughout.
While on the run, they find themselves in the crosshairs of a police raid at a shady hotel. A bumbling cop (Amjad Khan) inadvertently plays cupid when he handcuffs them together. They manage to escape before being taken to the police station.
Now, the two have no choice but to be with each other constantly. Bunty offers Pinky water from a flowing stream, scooping it up in his cupped hands. He also gives her his jacket when she is cold at night. They travel in hay-laden trucks and look after one another, but they get separated when a gang of thugs attacks them. And that’s when the teenagers realise they have fallen in love with each other.
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A musical ‘Love Story’
The film’s romance is conveyed more through its music than dialogue. RD Burman works his magic through the melodious voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Amit Kumar.
Pinky and Bunty discuss their future and sing about their dream home in Dekho Maine Dekha Hai Yeh Ek Sapna. The lyrics, penned by Anand Bakshi, are full of hope and the giddiness of young love.
“Yeh toh bolo hogi kaha pe ladai? (Where in our dream house will we fight?),” Pinky asks in the song. And pat comes Bunty’s reply: “Maine woh jagah hi nahi banayi (I haven’t made that place).”
The peppy tracks Kya Ghazab Karte Ho Ji and Ye Ladki Zarasi Diwani Lagti Hai are set in the film’s first half, establishing the carefree lives of the lovers, before the past catches up.
The prequel to this young love is the cross-connected story of their parents—Gaurav’s father, Vijay Mehra (Rajendra Kumar), Pinky’s mother Suman (Vidya Sinha), and her father Ram (Danny Dengzongpa).
While in college, Vijay falls in love with Suman, but is jealous of her friendship with another student, Ram. He leaves her, gets married and becomes a father. However, his wife dies while giving birth to Bunty. Ram and Suman get married and have a daughter, Pinky. The unresolved love triangle takes centre stage when their children elope.
“This love story has not ended, it will have a reincarnation and it will give you sleepless nights,” warns Suman after Vijay breaks up with her unceremoniously. Suman’s prediction comes true, forcing the parents to confront their past through their children’s romance.
While the young stars carry most of the film, seasoned actors like Amjad Khan, Rajendra Kumar, and Danny Denzongpa give it heft. There is even a cameo by Arun Irani.
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Happy ending
Love Story demands a happy suspension of disbelief. The young lovers are always well dressed in the most stylish ensembles, even though they don’t have luggage. They may be on the run, but there’s not a speck of dirt on either of them.
They also manage to find accommodation in a wooden lodge in the hills, where they start living together. Bunty’s ambition to be a pilot is happily forgotten, as he starts working as a woodcutter. There is also the classic Indian moment of using blood to profess one’s love, as Bunty does to show how ‘serious’ he is about Pinky. Bunty is 19, Pinky is 16, and both of them are married off by the end of the film.
While the two young actors became overnight sensations, they failed to capitalise on the momentum. Gaurav starred in Mahesh Bhatt’s television film Janam (1985) and crime thriller Naam (1986), which were somewhat successful. Pandit too didn’t find much luck as an actor and eventually turned to playback singing.
While its lead actors didn’t fare too well in Bollywood, Love Story had a lasting effect on the industry. It popularised the elopement storyline in the late ’80s and early ’90s, found in films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Dil (1990). The songs became radio hits, and set a template of romance for teenagers of a generation.
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(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)