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1997 Indian film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pardes (transl. Foreign land) is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Subhash Ghai. Distributed by Mukta Arts, it stars Shah Rukh Khan, and newcomers Mahima Chaudhry and Apurva Agnihotri in lead roles, with Alok Nath, Amrish Puri and Himani Shivpuri in supporting roles. The film was shot at various locations in the United States (Los Angeles, Las Vegas), Canada (British Columbia, including Vancouver) and India (Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, including Agra).
Pardes | |
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Directed by | Subhash Ghai |
Written by |
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Produced by | Subhash Ghai |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Kabir Lal |
Edited by | Renu Saluja |
Music by | Nadeem-Shravan |
Distributed by | Mukta Arts |
Release date |
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Running time | 191 mins |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Budget | ₹10 crore[1] |
Box office | ₹40.95 crore[1] |
Pardes theatrically released in India on 8 August 1997. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise for its soundtrack and Khan, Chaudhry, and Agnihotri's performances; however its story and screenplay received criticism. It grossed over ₹409 million (US$4.9 million) worldwide, emerging as a commercial success at the box-office, ranking as the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, behind Dil To Pagal Hai (also starring Khan), Border, and Ishq.
At the 43rd Filmfare Awards, Pardes received 12 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Ghai) and Best Actress (Chaudhry), and won 3 awards – Best Female Debut (Chaudhry), Best Female Playback Singer (Alka Yagnik for "Meri Mehbooba") and Best Screenplay (Ghai).
The film was remade in Telugu as Pelli Kanuka (1998) starring Jagapati Babu, Lakshmi & Banumathi Ramakrishna. It was released on the eve of celebration of 50th anniversary of the Indian independence.
On a trip to India, wealthy NRI Kishorilal, who harbours extreme affection for his home country, is impressed by his friend Suraj Dev's daughter, Ganga. Believing her to be the perfect match for his son, Rajiv, he arranges for them to marry. Rajiv will visit India to meet Ganga, and they are given time to accept or reject the match. Kishorilal tasks Arjun, his adopted foster son, to prepare Ganga's family to receive Rajiv.
Arjun sets about "westernizing" their household, and Rajiv arrives to India a few days later. Rajiv, who has had a western upbringing, is shocked by Indian customs and traditions. Nevertheless, he approves of Ganga after seeing past her outward conservativeness. Ganga agrees as well, though Arjun has helped paint a better picture of Rajiv than what he might be. Ganga is bid farewell by her family, and flies to the US to live at Kishorilal's house, a month before the actual wedding date.
Ganga tries her best to adjust to her new American life, but faces resistance from Rajiv's family, who find her backward and unsophisticated. Rajiv is frequently short-tempered as well, leaving Ganga to seek support from Arjun. When Rajiv's aunt notices their closeness, she sets about plotting against Arjun. He is made to relocate for work reasons, while Rajiv and Ganga take a trip together to Las Vegas. After spending the day sightseeing, they return to the hotel, where Rajiv insists they have sex before marriage. He ignores Ganga's stated wish to wait, then forces himself upon her in a drunken state. Ganga fights free of him and runs away. Arjun finds her in a distressed state at a train station, and flies her back to India.
Back in the village, Ganga's family kick Arjun out, believing he intends to elope with Ganga behind Rajiv's back. Ganga is locked up inside a room for having brought shame upon her family. A fight breaks out when Rajiv shows up in the village. He wishes to exact revenge on Arjun for siding with Ganga, and the two seemingly resolve to fight unto death. Kishorilal intervenes and demands an explanation from Arjun. Arjun claims to be in love with Ganga himself, but clarifies he only tried to protect, and not steal her, from Rajiv. Ganga exposes Rajiv for his actions in Vegas, leaving Kishorilal shocked and embarrassed. He orders Rajiv back home, then announces that Ganga can return as well, but as Arjun's bride this time. Ganga and her family are overjoyed. She marries Arjun and lives happily with him in the US.
Pardes | |
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Soundtrack album | |
Released | 1997 |
Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
Language | Hindi and English |
Label | Tips Zee Music Company |
The soundtrack was composed by Nadeem-Shravan and the lyrics were penned by Anand Bakshi. For their work, Nadeem-Shravan received a Filmfare Award for Best Music Director nomination and won a Screen Award for Best Music Director. This was the only album where K.S. Chithra sung a Hindi song for Nadeem-Shravan.
Ghai wanted A. R. Rahman to compose the music of this film, but he was too expensive and didn't fit the budget of the film.[2] However, they collaborated on Ghai's next, Taal (1999).
Track list
No | Title | Singer(s) |
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1 | "Nahin Hona Tha" | Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan, Hema Sardesai, Sabri Bros. |
2 | "Meri Mehbooba" | Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik |
3 | "Yeh Dil Deewana" | Sonu Nigam, Vocals by Hema Sardesai, Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani |
4 | "I Love My India" | Kavita Krishnamurthy, Hariharan, Aditya Narayan & Shankar Mahadevan |
5 | "My First Day in USA" | Hema Sardesai |
6 | "Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain" | Kumar Sanu |
7 | "Jahan Piya Wahan Main" | K. S. Chithra, Shankar Mahadevan |
8 | "I Love My India" (Part 2) | Kavita Krishnamurthy |
9 | "Title Music" | Sapna Awasthi, Shankar Mahadevan |
Planet Bollywood started their review by saying, "The music of Pardes is one of Nadeem-Shravan's best ever."[citation needed]
Pardes grossed ₹34.83 crore in India and $1.7 million (₹6.12 crore) overseas, for a worldwide total of ₹40.95 crore ($11.4 million), against its ₹10 crore budget. It had a worldwide opening weekend of ₹3.4 crore, and grossed ₹6.19 crore in its first week.[3] It is the 4th-highest-grossing film of 1997 in India.[4]
It opened on Friday, August 8, 1997, across 210 screens, and earned ₹61 lakh nett on its opening day. It grossed ₹2 crore nett in its opening weekend, and had a first week of ₹3.64 crore nett. The film earned a total of ₹22.83 crore nett, and was declared a "super-hit" by Box Office India.[3] It is the 4th highest-grossing film of 1997 in India.[5]
It earned $1.7 million (₹6.12 crore in 1997) outside India.[3] Overseas, it is the 2nd highest-grossing film of 1997 after Dil To Pagal Hai, which grossed $3.3 million (₹12.04 crore in 1997).[6]
Pardes received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. Praise was given to the music and the cast's performances; however the story and screenplay of the film received criticism.[7][8][9]
India Today cites it as one of the first major Bollywood pictures to succeed in the United States.[10]
In their book, New Cosmopolitanisms: South Asians in the US, Gita Rajan and Shailja Sharma view the film as a dichotomous depiction of the good NRI versus bad NRI, with Khan depicting the good immigrant, who assists the rowdy Indian American playboy Rajiv (Apurva Agnihotri), the bad. Khan's character of Arjun is perceived as a metaphor for cosmopolitanism or Indian cultural nationalism in the wider sense, in direct contrast to Rajiv who represents wealthy Westernization and all its negative vices and connotations.[11]
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