Recently, I came across a decent print of Surindara Suri’s Ahsaas (1979) on YouTube. I remember catching bits of it somewhere previously and being quite amused by its kookiness, so it HAD to be watched. Though Ahsaas remains fairly unknown, it was backed by the era’s leading producer GP Sippy. Top stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Amjad Khan, Bindiya Goswami etc. made friendly appearances in it.
The film is essentially a Bobby-inspired story of rebellious young lovers, warring families (whose idea of feuding consists of throwing casteist insults at each other—even as the film brushes it off with a predictable ‘we-didn’t mean-so’ disclaimer), friends who help the couple elope, and everything in between.
What makes the film briefly interesting is its amusingly amorous lead pair—newcomers Dina (also known as Dena Rondeau, daughter of ’40s star Ramola) and Parvez/ Pervez Masudi—and their trippy adventures toward sexual awakening, which include an extended sequence in which they run around a room chasing a baffled pigeon.
Ahsaas also has a strong ’70s urban India vibe to it. The cultural impact of the Western aesthetics is most apparent in the film’s fashion — especially the range of fun and contemporary-looking t-shirts that the film’s hero and his best friend (a young Rakesh Bedi) are seen sporting. Picking out some faves.
See. So very fun.
A better shot of Bedi’s The Wynners tee.
Bonus: Shirt prints that scream everyone dressed stylish in the ’70s.
[Screenshots courtesy: Goldmines Hindi | YouTube]
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