Aasha (1980 film)

Plot

Deepak (Jeetendra) is a truck driver who gives a lift to a famous singer Aasha (Reena Roy) when her vehicle breaks down. They become friends. He is already in love with Mala (Rameshwari), whom he marries. Aasha wishes him well calling him "Dost" (friend), even though she has fallen in love with him. Deepak has an accident, and everyone believes that he is dead. His grieving mother tells a pregnant Mala to go away. Mala goes home to her father, but he dies. Upset with everything in her life, she jumps from a bridge into the water. She is saved by members of a temple community but finds that she lost her sight. She gives birth and names her daughter Deepamala, combining her and her husband's names. Her husband turns out to be alive. He comes home and finds his mother overjoyed to see him. She tells him that Mala had committed suicide. He becomes depressed. Aasha re-enters his life and helps him overcome his depression. They get engaged. They become acquainted with Deepamala, now a little girl, selling little God's statutes on the street. They are completely enchanted by her, even though they don't know that she is really Deepak's daughter. Aasha meets Mala and tells her they'll pay for her eye operation, so she can regain her sight. Aasha also invites her and Deepamala to the wedding. After she regains her sight from the operation, she goes to Aasha's wedding and is shocked to see Deepak. She quickly leaves, not wanting to disrupt Aasha and Deepak's lives. Mala's friend (Girish Karnad) tells Deepak that Mala is still alive and that Deepamala is actually his daughter. Aasha cancels the wedding and calls him "Dost" (friend) and tells him to go and reunite with his wife and daughter, which he does. Aasha goes back on stage permanently to sing her signature song "Shisha Ho Ya Dil Ho, Aakhir Toot Jata Hai," which translates into "Whether it's glass or a heart, it will inevitably break."

Cast

Jeetendra as Deepak

Reena Roy as Aasha

Rameshwari as Mala

Girish Karnad as Deepak

Shakti Kapoor as cameo appearance

Hrithik Roshan as (credited) boy dancing in song "Jaane Hum Sadak Ke Logon Se"

Production

Director-producer J. Om Prakash enlivened Aasha by having his camera crew secretly shoot without the boy's knowledge as his beloved grandson -- Hrithik Roshan, who grew up to become one of India's most acclaimed superstar actors, but was in 1980 just a tiny child aged 6 -- danced spontaneously while visiting Grandpa's set during a song sequence. As J. Om Prakash later recounted the events:

'The song was to be shot on Jeetendra. Hrithik was on the sets, and he liked the interlude music very much and started dancing. I had asked my cameraperson and crew to be ready. I asked Hrithik if he liked the song, and he said, "Yes, Deda, it is lovely music." I replayed the music and he started dancing, and we shot it without his knowledge. When the music got over, the entire studio applauded excitingly. The remaining part of the music was to be shot in the same way with Jeetu. After Jeetu's shot was over, he came to me and said, "For God's sake don't shoot a single more shot in this film with this boy, otherwise the audience will hoot my performance!" That was a remark that came from Jeetu [Jeetendra, the male lead of Aasha and a major Hindi filmstar].'

Filmfare nominations

Best Film – 1980

Best Director – J. Om Prakash

Best Actress – Reena Roy

Best Supporting Actor – Girish Karnad

Best Supporting Actress – Rameshwari

Best Story – Ram Kalkar

Best Music – Laxmikant Pyarelal

Best Lyricist – Anand Bakshi for the song "Sheesha Ho Ya Dil Ho"