The movie tells the story of Raj Malhotra [Amitabh Bachchan],
his wife Pooja [Hema Malini] and their four sons [Aman
Verma, Samir Soni, Sahil Chadda, Nasir]. Raj has a flourishing
job as an ICICI employee and his earnings are enough to
keep the whole family going.
Raj is in his old age and now wants to spend ample time
with his wife. Even after 40 years of their marriage Raj
and Pooja are very much in love with each other. Like
a gardener, Raj has nursed his family of four children
with the hope that one day he and his wife will have comfortable
life.
But fate has something else in store for the couple.
Raj takes premature retirement from his job to spend
more time with his wife. The responsibility to take care
of the couple now falls onto their sons.
But none of them are willing to do so, particularly when
they realize that their father has no money left. So the
Malhotra children come up with a solution – the
father would live with the eldest [Aman], the mother with
the second son [Samir]. And after six months, they would
shift to the third and fourth sons [Sahil, Nasir].
Raj is not happy with the idea as it means separation
from Pooja. It is only a matter of time when their children
start ill-treating them.
This is when the couple’s adopted son Alok (Salman)
steps in. Even though he is not born of them, Alok loves
Raj and Pooja like deities.
Time passes and one day, fortune turns in favor of Raj
and Pooja. And that is when the greedy sons realize their
mistakes and come back to their parents asking for forgiveness.
Although based upon an oft-repeated storyline, Baghban
is rich in emotional drama that is likely to reducer a
viewer to tears. The movie is replete with some moving
sequences like – Lilette Dubey reading Hema's letter
to Amitabh (since the latter has broken his glasses accidentally)
or the 'karwa chowth' sequence, or Bachchan’s song
'Main Yahan Tu Wahan' over phone and, last but not the
least, the climax when Amitabh talks about the parent-child
relationship.
Other highlight of the movie is the Holi song Hori Khele
Raghuveera and the Valentine Day song.
Amitabh Bachchan delivers a scintillating performance
as the doting father who has been the backbone of the
family that falls apart after his retirement. Hema Malini
looks gorgeous even in her old age. The chemistry between
Amitabh and Hema is still groovy.
Salman comes in a marginal song sequence in the first
half and then returns only towards the pre-climax. Alongside
him, Mahima Chaudhary goes unnoticed in a blink-and-you-will-miss
role.
On the whole Baghban is a healthy family entertainer
that takes a look at the lives of parents who are left
in lurch in their old age to fend for themselves by their
children.
