Well it's plain and simple, Rekha does not only deliver one of the best performances of her career, but one of the best performances ever seen on the Indian screen, or what we call mainstream Hindi cinema. Rakesh Roshan's direction deserves special mention. He successfully remakes the Australian mini-series "Return to Eden" into a feature film in a modern, urban Indian setting. The story is quite interesting, though it's much more engaging in the second half. So what's it about - Rekha plays Aarti, a wealthy, unattractive widow with two kids who reluctantly marries a man who has deviously befriended her kids but wants nothing but her money. The rather shocking scene in which she is supposedly killed by her husband is followed by Aarti's transformation from a gentle, unassuming woman to a strongly determined lady who will do anything to take revenge on those who made her life miserable and separated her from her children. And she arrived back in her city in the form of a to-die-for, extremely beautiful model named Jyoti. From then on her true journey begins.
This story, obviously not the most realistic and credible on paper, is strongly enhanced by the film's execution and narrative style, as it develops at a fast, steady pace. The script isn't perfect, but the treatment helps make it a cut above the usual revenge sagas of the time. The film has it all: drama, thriller, action, but it is just a very good film as a film and works as complete entertainment no matter what genre it belongs to. Of course there are some unnecessary scenes of comedy here and there, but they are not that significant. Khoon Bhari Maang is made on relatively high production values: the editing is good, the cinematography is effective, the sets are well chosen, the costumes are fantastic, and the film is a very atypical commercial Hindi film of the 1980s in its overall feel. Rajesh Roshan's music is memorable. "Jeene Ke Bahaane Lakhon Hain" is wonderfully sung by Asha Bhosle, "Main Haseen Ghazab Ki" presents the film's topmost dance-musical performances, but the film's ultimate, trademark tune is the "family unity" song "Hanste Hanste", which, in its three different versions, is a pleasure to listen to and probably best associated with the film.
Easily one of the finest actresses of India, and probably the country's most charismatic star, Rekha is exceptional in this author-backed role, even within the constraints of an imperfect script. Her portrayal is simply indescribable, with facial expressions, body language and dialogue delivery spot on all through. She carries every scene naturally and makes the almost fantastical transformation from Aarti to Jyoti incredibly convincing. As the more traditional and simple Aarti in the initial portions of the film she is unrecognisable, displaying the right amounts of confusion, simplicity and modesty. But it's the new Aarti (naming herself Jyoti) who gives her full scope to become a winner. She is not only stunning, but acts with impressive confidence and aplomb, delicately letting the viewer sense the pain of a deeply hurt deceived woman, the struggle of a tormented mother, and the steadfast determination of a strong-willed avenger. This is an unforgettable bravura performance.
Other than the show-owner Rekha, the entire cast is very good, with Sonu Walia standing out. She is fabulous as Nandini and acts with aplomb throughout the film. It's sad that such a talented actress did not have the opportunity to make something of her career. She reminds me of today's Sushmita Sen. Two beauty pageants, beautiful, sexy and classy women, and two extremely underrated actresses. Kabir Bedi is excellent as the bad guy Sanjay. He plays the part so well that there seems to be nothing easier than to hate him. The kids are great and very convincing. Sulabha Deshpande in the small part of Leela is outstanding as she always is, and Shatrughan Sinha provides good support in his significant guest appearance.
Khoon Bhari Maang is nowhere a great film, but it grows on you. The film has many great moments which manage to tug at the heartstrings. My favourite scene is when the kids dedicate a song to their "dead" mother on their parents day at school, while she is sitting in the audience. The first time Jyoti appears on-screen comes across as quite a surprise, and it gives the film a great boost. Another moving moment is when the boy meets Aarti and notices the similarity between "this woman" and his own mother but the absence of the birthmark on her face disproves him. Same with the scenes where the dog recognizes Aarti and runs towards her, or the family's mute ranch employee. The last scene is extremely touching. The second half is overall full of great moments which is exactly what fans of Hindi films love. And to sum it up, if you have not watched Khoon Bhari Maang yet, I highly recommend you to do so. Its flaws notwithstanding, it remains an enjoyable dramatic thriller with an all-time great performance by Rekha.
