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Ek Rishta (General Movie ,2001)  Starring
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Synopsis
Akshay Kumar sheds his action hero image to play an emotionally charged role opposite none other than the celebrated Amitabh Bachchan
in Suneel Darshan’s family drama “Ek Rishta”. Rakhee pairs with Amitabh (she plays his wife) after a long gap. Other credits in the
film include Karisma (who plays Akshay’s love interest) and Juhi Chawla who enacts the role of Akshay’s sister.
Produced and directed by Suneel Darshan, “Ek Rishta” is a gripping film about strong familial bonds, relationships gone sour and clash
of bloated egos. In the film Big B plays a stern patriarch who rules his family, comprising a loving wife, a son and three daughters,
with an iron hand.
Vijay Kapoor (Amitabh Bachchan) is a successful businessman well past his prime. His intrinsic strength is his wife (Rakhee) who
stands by him in all adversities.
The happy family has three daughters Rani, Priya and Priti (Juhi Chawla) and a son Ajay (Akshay Kumar) who is studying abroad for his
Masters degree in Information Technology. Vijay Kapoor wants Ajay to carry on the family business.
The entire Kapoor family is jubilant when Ajay returns home after completing his studies. But there is a catch. Having inculcated the
most sophisticated business tactics abroad, Ajay wants to start work on his own terms. But Vijay Kapoor does not approve of his
business acumen. He thinks Ajay is naïve and will learn only with time and experience. On the other hand Vijay Kapoor is pretty
impressed with Rajesh Porohit (Mohnish Behl) who is but an employee in his firm.
What’s more Ajay’s sister Priti (Juhi Chawla) has fallen for Rajesh and Vijay Kapoor stands by her decision. In his eyes Rajesh is
what Ajay ought to have been. Differences between the father and the son deepen until they are forced to go their separate ways. But,
as the saying goes, blood is always thicker than water. The twosome re-unite when a spate of unfortunate events hits the Kapoor
family.
As a family drama “Ek Rishta” is a powerful subject that can hold the audience’s interest for the whole of three hours.
Working with an actor of Big B’s caliber seems to have raised Akshay Kumar’s performance by several notches. According to the remarks
made by the film’s director, he has given quite an impressive performance. Big B is his usual competent self and Rakhee and other
actresses give a good account of themselves too.
The only letdown is the corny music scored by Nadeem Shravan.
Review
The title “Ek Rishta” is a bit of a misnomer for this Suneel Darshan directed film. For instead of one rishta the film has
rather a multitude of rishtas that form the complex cobweb of relations between the various characters in the film as they go
about loving and feuding, regretting and forgiving.
Suneel Darshan had all the ingredients to make a blockbuster—a celluloid virtuoso like Big B, a bevy of willowy beauties Karisma, Juhi
and Simone Singh and, last but not the least, the khiladi Akshay Kumar. But despite such an impressive ensemble “Ek Rishta”
turns out to be quite a disappointing fare.
The film lacks singular flow, the screenplay is void of much continuity and editing is dappled with jerks. The story doesn’t have any
fluidity and often hops from one scene to another without congruity. And Nadeem-Shravan’s music score is simply corny but somehow
bearable.
The director convincingly draws the picture of the Kapoor family at the center of which is the stern and patriarchal head Vijay Kapoor
(Amitabh Bachchan) a successful businessman who made his wealth from a scratch with hardwork and dedication. Amitabh Bachchan steals
the thunder with his emphatic presence throughout the film. How he stares, wears the haughty mien of a proud father and over confident
businessman is just laudable and surprisingly Akshay Kumar has reciprocated his intensity in equal measure.
Rakhee in the role of Pratima, Vijay Kapoor’s loving wife, his intrinsic strength, looks too pallid and wan. And Karisma is wasted as
the “just-for-the-heck-of-it” Akshay’s lovergirl, the day dreaming bahu of the Kapoors. It’s totally odd that Nisha is lost in her
reverie, gamboling around the beaches singing “Dil Lagaane Ki Saza” with Ajay while the Kapoor’s are hit by a spate of adversities.
Suneel Darshan had a good idea and a good plot on his mind. He started fine delineating the life in Kapoors’ household, their three
daughters Priti (Juhi Chawla), Priya (Simone Singh) and Rani (Kanika Kohli) and their only son Ajay who joins the family business
after studying abroad for a degree in IT and Management. The only two outsiders so-to speak are Nisha (Karishma), Ajay’s wife, and
Rajesh Purohit, who plays the Kapoor’s son-in-law.
Where the director failed is he made the whole affair too schmaltzy and thought it necessary to bring friction in every relation.
It’s a bit awkward that Vijay Kapoor puts all his trust in his son-in-law Rajesh Purohit (Mohnish Behl) but he doesn’t approve of his
own son’s business tactics. When the temperamental Ajay beats up the trade union leader who calls for a strike in their factory Vijay
Kapoor makes his son apologize. Through this incident Darshan marks the beginning of the wedge between the father–son duo until their
big egos drive them apart and Ajay chooses to live separately. Ajay even marries Nisha without his parents’ consent and presence.
On the other hand the once-ideal Kapoor family begins to fall like a house of cards. Kapoors are unaware that Rajesh is embezzling
their wealth in the garb of a well wisher. Soon there are hordes of creditors knocking at Vijay Kapoor’s door and complaining of the
bouncing cheques et al while the incredulous Vijay Kapoor sits aghast with just one name on his lips—Rajesh.
And when it comes to the limit of auctioning the Kapoor’s house the prodigal son returns home to safeguard his ghar-ki-izzat.
But it takes some time and a few incidents before the father-son duo join hands once again to restore their honor. But the story is
not over yet. Trouble now comes from Nisha’s front. She doesn’t approve of her hubby returning to his parents’ house and files for
divorce. A rift between Ajay and his wife?
What’s more, Ajay’s sister leaves her cheating hubby Rajesh and reunites with her family. There just seems to be no end to this cobweb
of relations gone sour. Suneel Darshan seems to have overdone it.