A few days back I was viewing ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ on Zee.  I love watching movies on TV than theaters especially these ‘old movies’ (but this is evergreen) are full of memories of the good old times.  Well, nobody went to a movie with family just like that in those days, a romantic movie, a strict no no.  It wasn’t like a few swipes on the smart phone, read the reviews, and then booked the tickets in a jiffy.   It required a word of mouth, consent of elders, planning, budget, and whatnot… Getting to watch your favorite movies again was a rarity back then, but now with DTH repeating it every other week, I forget the count.  While my husband wondered why I glued to the T.V. whenever MPK was played, I pondered how the very first time I watched it back to back in VCR, yet another wonder of yesteryears.

It was 1990 or 1991 when my father was stationed in Pune and four families shared quarters in a lane.  During one of the vacations my neighbor uncle who was outstationed came back for a few days.  Those days Doordarshan played only award winning movies, so he planned to rent a VCR for a day.  Me and my friends shouted in excitement (imagine nine of us jumping).  The VCR guy (film critics of our times) suggested a few recently released movies and gave the video cassettes of a Tamil movie and a successfully running Hindi movie.  ‘Apna show time’ was around 5 in the evening; we grabbed a few cushions and sat munching snacks.  The Tamil movie was a political thriller, which only the elders enjoyed.  It was already 9 and elders were retiring to their beds.  We were to join them shortly, but Ravi coaxed us to stay back (obviously the daredevil of our group).  He switched off the lights pretending to obey and encouraged by Nimi di (uncle’s eldest daughter) Chotu tiptoed to close the bedroom doors of the elders.  Clueless what was happening, we struggle to adjust in darkness.  Someone hushes and the title track ‘Aate Jaate’ silences everyone.  What starts as a slow story captures our attention.  Teen taunts in the movie were identical to ours; the table tennis scene reminded my tiff with Abhi in badminton matches.  I turn around to see his reaction, in dimness all I could see was his peering eyeballs.  The sly looks of handsome Salman, innocence of Bagyashree, and her shuddering at his touch everything was so fresh and alluring in this romance that the ecstasy of ‘Mere Rang mein rangne waali…’ made our ‘Dil Deewana’ for Salman.  Animation of Lakshmikant was equally enjoyable.

Unlike the twists and turns of modern movies, sentiments and emotions were high.  Neither the time nor the fellow beings in the room mattered, will Prem unite with Suman winning the trust of her stern father (Alok Nath) bothered us.  Chotu and Pinto were rubbing their eyes to elude sleep lest they miss the climax fight.  Finally Suman weds Prem and even the kabothar gets its pair.  The “End” card rolls out, but no one moved from their place.  Being Saturday night, some had sprawled across the hall lazily to continue their sleep.  When the lights were switched on we had shock of our life, Ravi’s mother was amid us and wiping her tears.  When did she come?  Before she questioned us we quickly sneak into our bedrooms (secretly crushing on Salman).

In the morning, uncle admonished us for waking till midnight.  “Which movie did you watch?” was the question of each parent.  Moms stare at us and we keep mum abiding to our family norms.  It was a taboo in our households for kids to utter anything romantic…err… even if it were a film’s name.  ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’ – aunty uttering these three words puts off further queries.  She plays the cassette again in a louder volume and as repeat audience we sit with our breakfast plates till lunchtime.  Climax was nearing, aunty was biting her nails when the VCR guy arrives to collect the cassettes.  She refuses to eject the tape and we too join in chorus.  The VCR guy pleads that his next customer is waiting and on uncle’s persuasion we halfheartedly agree.  Aunty curses the guy for his untimely entry and uncle chuckles at her craze for MPK.  It didn’t end there, Prem and Suman became household names in their lives later (their grandchildren are named Prem and Suman).

Now do you understand why I watch ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’ again and again?   Do you have any such interesting anecdote with MPK? Do share!

P.S. This is not a promotional write up for the movie, just a nostalgic trip.