Taal
was released in August 1999. Probably I watched this movie in late 1999 or early 2000. Because films used to come in reels and the same reel was used after it was released in Biratnagar/Itahari after a week or 10 days it used to travel to Damak, Jhapa after that Birtamode and the same reel were used in Bhadrapur. So, it used take time to travel to Bhadrapur (the last destination for the eastern region) since its release.
It was Jawahar Talkies of Bhadrapur, Jhapa. I went with some housemates and a roommate, who were absolutely not interested to watch except one(this one is really connected with this story). Those who were not interested to watch just went to theatre because I forced them to go as a result, they decided not to spend much on watching the movie. I had to agree with majority to purchase the ticket of NRs. 9, which used to be called as 1st class. I used to love to watch from Balcony because the seating area used to be central vision to the screen, which used to cost NRs. 15.
Oh please, don’t think that NRs. 15 is not a big amount. Just to give you a perspective, I used to pay NRs. 250. as a room rent on a sharing basis with one other friend.
Please don’t tell me you guys don’t know, what was 1st class, 2nd class, Balcony, Re-Balcony tickets? Well, I can’t help you on this.
Blown away!!!
The middle-class boy heard 600 Crore and 1000 Crore amount of money in the movie. I was like “PEHLE YE BATAO HAZAR HAI YAA CRORE”. A boy who used to get NRs. 500 to NRs. 600 as a monthly expenditure counting 0s in 1000Cr.
Akshay Khanna became one of my favourite Actors, surprised to see Anil Kapoor in a supporting role but he shined more than anybody. Amrish Puri was a soft-hearted family villain nothing compared to Mogambo from Mr. India (the character considered one of the greatest villains in the history of Indian Cinema). The love story was very very different from what was trending. NO FIGHTS but clashes of two different social classes.
The music deserves single paragraph. Just for the music I went to watch the movie again and again and I purchased Balcony ticket BTW. I was like blown away by the songs
Nahi Saamne Ye Alag Baat Hai …and what was that Preyashiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii part. INSANE THAT IS. My most favourite song from the album and one of favourite evergreen songs. Still gives me goosebumps.
Ishq Bina is my second fav song from the album and the rest of the songs are also very good that impacted me a lot.
The impact of music was so deep that on the way to room there was a music store, I went to check if there is an audio cassette of Taal, along with friends. Oh!!! There was. I asked the price and it was a staggering amount of NRs. 90. My small piece of heart came apart and fell because of the price. It was out of my budget. My heart was devasted.
“KEHTE HAIN AGAR KISI CHEEZ KO DIL SE CHAHO… TO PURI KAINAATH USSE TUMSE MILANE KI KOSHIS MEIN LAG JAATI HAI”, which loosely translated into “It is saying that if you desire something from the heart… then the whole universe will work towards getting you that”
From the group, one of my housemates, Binod Chudal, turned out to be a huge fan of music and came to know we share the same feeling about the music of Taal. So, what’s next? We two together decided to buy paying 50/50 for the cassette. Still NRs. 45 was huge money for both of us yet, we both could not lose the chance and we purchased, 50% equity of the property on the condition whoever wanted to keep it, has to pay half amount to another shareholder. We used to play on a shared basis, sometime in his room and sometimes in my room.
Later, I decided to keep it and paid him small amounts of money like 5/10/15 Rupees till the sum is 45. That is how Taal became the very first audio cassette I ever purchased music and my buying cassette journey started.
Happy Valentine’s Day
Amazing super and mind blowing article 🙂 last paragraph should be highlight of the story.loved it.10/10 on this and HAPPY VALENTINES DAY 🥰
wahhh dai… interesting stories…went back to the time..:)
Thank you so much, Sulochana. I am glad you liked it.
Happy valentines day