Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (QSQT): A Memoir, Through My Lens

Trying to pen this down differently - looking back at one of the most engraving movies of Bollywood through my lens. As it was happening back in 1988. 

Late 80s…I was still in my teens. Back then teens used to be in the age group 14-18, unlike todays which can even be referred for aged 10;). It’s been 30 years - Long enough to forget the mundane aspects of life, but not so long to unravel the tender moments which are itched into your mind forever. 1988 – Just to set the context / for reference: Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli made unbeaten 664 playing for Sharadashram in Feb ‘88 when I begun following them (Sachin more so). And faintly remember reading for the first time about a Motorola Cell-phone same year. I was spellbound even to imagine a futuristic gadget seen in TV Show ‘Star-Trek’ coming to a reality. Aside while I was getting more attuned to the Western music, through Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’, George Michael’s ‘Faith’ and Maddona’s ‘True Blue’ albums, a Bollywood Musical was about to be becoming my heartthrob, which was way different than the copied / cheaply remade Disco music of 80s Bollywood. 

I used to hardly watch any Bollywood / Hindi movies, probably a bit more Hollywood Fan (Even then;)). But used to follow Bollywood, and Chanderi was the Marathi fortnightly I was a big fan of – It was my window to Bollywood / movies and through it got to understand the nuances of movie making at a very young age. It played a huge part giving me an insight a) to look at Movie Making as an art and b) understand what happens behind the scenes. Also the other source was the 8.30 AM Chitralok on All India Radio - Vividh Bharati show. (The show is still on). And of-course Chitrahaar used to air on DD once in a week. Around March/April 1988 could get a sneak peek into the QSQT songs on TV and Radio and it instantly struck a chord with me. Also was getting to hear about the ad-campaign running in Mumbai - Big hoardings without having any photos of actors / any clue about the movie, just one-liner stating "Who is Amir Khan? - Ask the girl next door!” And similar small posters at the back of Mumbai Rickshaws those were glued by the duo of Amir and Raj Zutsi (another actor in the movie and Amir’s relative). Wow, that generated such an immense curiosity about the movie amongst the teens and the Youth.

‘80s produced some landmark romantic movies in Bollywood, starting with Love Story, Ek Duje Ke Liye, Betaab, Hero, QSQT, Maine Pyar Kiya (MPK), Aashiqui et all (Continued till early 90s). Love Story the 1981 release while I was still a kid and touring North-India with my family, I remember watching it in a theater at Agra. When I look back, I guess I was more smitten :D by the heroes than the female leads till my teens. For instance, I became an instant fan of Kumar Gaurav after watching Love Story so much so that I pestered my parents and bought tall-cowboy-brown-leather-boots (with a zip on the side, which Kumar Gaurav dons thru-out the movie) after we returned to Pune. LOL! It must have given a damn funny look to me, but I remember using the boots at various functions / events for few years then. The next 2 movies which made impact were obviously Hero and Betaab. But still remained a big fan of Kumar Gaurav for few years till mid 80s. Ek Duje Ke Liye could not lure me into it, because I guess it being a tragedy. And that’s probably the sole reason, I decided not to watch QSQT in theater. But somehow started getting impressed more by the male lead, Amir Khan than Juhi. In-fact I have already begun idolizing yet to become GOD of Cricket - Sachin Tendulkar (fondly Tendlya then) and Shahrukh Khan (SRK) from Fauji around same time. Hmm, but wait….wasn’t I a fan of any female celebrity yet? - No it's not what you are thinking about me;). I suppose it was more looking upto the male leads as my teenage idols. Madhuri Dixit’s (Tezaab) and Julia Robert’s (Pretty Woman) entry was just around the corner for me to follow few fairer gender, & to give me (and probably all of you reading this) a semblance of me being straight ;) I guess criminally enough I am missing mention of Steffi Graf who's in the circuit from early 80s. But a German Tennis Star was almost like an extra-terrestrial by early 80s standards, to have a crush on her by a kid in smalltime Pune, India;)

So back to QSQT- Immediately after the release it created huge rage amongst the Youth. It started sinking in the world around me. It’s like life's suddenly became colorful, laden by happiness and morning glory (Too poetic? - But that was the reality).

·         Very appealing Title: The word Qayamat and the longish title could have created a distance between the movie and the viewers, however the short-form QSQT made the trick. It was probably the first abbreviation referred for a Bollywood movie title. It sounded really cute - must have pulled the younger audience to theaters just out of novelty & curiosity (Well few other heavy words / Titles Bollywood carried later Shanakht (announced/incomplete), Zalzala, Tezaab, and then had to wait for almost 20 years to replace the buzz around the word Qayamat by Kaynat, made famous by the drunken SRKs monologue in 2007 flick ‘Om Shanti Om’

·         Amir's hair style: Wow many around me used to sport that thru-out 80s and 90s (a few lucky ones haven’t given up even now J, a close friend Anand).

·         Raj became a popular name: I reckon it must be one of the most favorite names for boys born in 90s.

·         Juhi's wardrobe in Bandhani prints: Especially the bright hues of Red, Yellow, Green & Whites as well

·         The backpacks (or sacks): It used to be a rare commodity then, but later became every college going guy's primary fashion statement to carry it on one shoulder than as a backpack. (Before that many were flaunting fake small Adidas sacks in faux leather and nylon strings; I had 2 of those: one maroonish-purple and other sea-green)

·         The Bike: Red Ind-Suzuki (wasn't TVS-Suzuki by then) used by Amir was an instant hit.

·         Wall Calendars went into metamorphosed role (got to know how differently the dates in calendars can be marked for count-down; however, I never could get a chance to implement the same;))

Though I couldn’t become a ‘Raj’ of someone's dreams by then, went through a soft dew-drop-moment-of-life, around the same time. On one of the early May ‘88 evenings after a light drizzle, and lot of ‘Anxiety’ in the air, me and a friend (Jitu) were in the terrace of our unoccupied apartment. We were playing the cassette of QSQT a bit louder (no guesses – it was on the de-facto Panasonic 2-in-1 tape-recorder) we could hear the same songs being played from the ground-floor apartment. Out of nowhere 2 young girls appeared in the backyard of the apartment, and they were dancing to the tune of 'Aye Mere Humsafar', occasionally gazing at us. Well that was the moment of life then. Considering my commitment to the Khans and Tendlya then, no prizes for guessing - Well absolutely nothing happened after that moment, probably just leaving the girls irritated by we not giving them any bhav L (one of them went on to became leading actress of a Marathi movie)

Coming back to the world of QSQT, only Mansoor Khan can make look his heroine (Juhi) sweet and loving while she is using a soil (drainage) vent pipe on the terrace, as a prop and dancing around it in ‘Aye Mere Humsafar’. Also can’t forget his superb command on the songs shot using Panning, Trolly and Slow-Mo techniques (‘Gazab Ka Hai Din’ and Amir jogging in the back-drop of Setting Sun are classic shots - incredible treat for the eyes!). Unfortunately enough, Mansoor found his solace somewhere in South India – very far from any Bollywood / Tollywood as he was settled in real Woods - doing organic farming. Lucky him and unlucky audience for missing on some would-be amazing movies (Though ‘Jaane Tu Yaa Janne Na’ was his last movie as producer and very much in his own league, a stunning movie made with the new-comers)

After writing this much, still can’t remember when for the first time I must have watched the movie, for sure I didn’t watch it in theater, delayed a lot due to its sad ending. Watched a few times on VCR and TV Channels but loved to watch the songs umpteen times. I suppose the biggest success of the movie was its connect with the Youth and more importantly through it’s amazing songs, music and singers. Anand-Milind created Musical History and legacy of their own to bask in the glory, for almost next decade or so, before parting their ways.

QSQT has definitely created and provided a template for movie makers, music companies and banners to mint money for next decade or so: Get a light hearted romantic / RomCom story woven around core of beautiful melodies from the music banks of the music companies or musicians, throw-in fresh leads / relatively new pairs, release the music first, create a buzz about the movie and then launch the movie. It worked wonderfully well till mid-90s, before the musical aura of most of these creative artists and companies have begun to disappear.

About the lead actors Amir and Juhi, though they appear to be a fresh pair/ debutants, both have worked in at least a movie each as young leads – Holi and Sultanat respectively. While Holi was a small-time movie by Ketan Mehta and almost went unnoticed, Sultanat was a big budget typical Mukul Anand flick, unfortunately was doomed at the Box Office (almost ending Karan Kapoor’s (Shashi Kapoor’s youngest son) and Juhi’s careers. Juhi recuperated thru QSQT to became an established star/actor, Karan couldn’t, and settled in the UK as a Pro-Photographer.

I was recently watching a 30-Year reunion of the QSQT cast and crew, only Amir and Juhi and to some extent Raj Zutsi and Makarand Deshpande could be related to what we have seen them in QSQT, rest all have moved on with their life and were barely recognizable.

BTW Amir has really lived upto (probably more than) his ‘Papas expectations’ and made a huge name for himself.  Amir’s salary in QSQT was INR 15,000, now he must be getting at least INR ~150 Crores in the movies like Dangal, where he is entitled for a profit sharing contract. QSQT also helped root the kingdom of Khans in Bollywood, where Salman and SRK followed the suit with MPK, and Baazigar later. The closest any Khans have come were the trio of Feroz, Sanjay and Akbar, however barring Feroz none created much of an impact, neither even Feroz as compared to the current clan of Khans.

Later that year in 1988 another blockbuster Bollywood flick was released, which probably is the most watched Hindi movie by Yours Truly J and it made a lasting impact on me. This had another not longish but weird / unheard title, which helped building the curiosity of public much before the release! But more on that; Break Ke Baad! If you want, you can have 1,2,3 chances to guess J.