Aashiqui


Aashiqui is a 1990 Indian Hindi musical romantic drama film and first installment of Aashiqui series directed by Mahesh Bhatt, starring Rahul Roy, Anu Aggarwal and Deepak Tijori in pivotal roles. The film was known for its music, by composer duo Nadeem–Shravan establishing their careers along with that of singer Kumar Sanu and music label T-Series. Upon release, it received positive reviews and emerged as a super hit movie. The soundtrack album has been rated the fourth best ever by Planet Bollywood on their "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks".
The soundtrack album sold 20million units, making it the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of all time. A cover version of one of its songs, "Dheere Dheere", a copy of Joyce Sims' "Come into My Life", was later performed by Yo Yo Honey Singh and released in 2015. A sequel to the film, Aashiqui 2, with a completely new theme, directed by Mohit Suri with Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, was released on 26 April 2013.

Plot

Rahul is angry with his dad for marrying a second wife, while his mother is still alive; in rage and in fury he pays an uninvited visit to the wedding where he throws his mother's mangalsutra and all the other household items she preserved. He breaks the windows of the wedding car and is hence arrested and sent to the nearest Police station ASAP.
Meanwhile, Anu runs away from an oppressive girls' hostel run by Arnie Campbell, who immediately reports to the police station that she is missing. The police catch her and keep her at a nearby Police station.
While waiting for Arnie, Rahul offers Anu his jacket, which she accepts. Arnie then arrives and takes her back to the oppressive hostel, promising the police inspector that this would never happen again. After they leave, the inspector turns to Rahul and offers him some advice and then lets him go back to his broken home.
Rahul can not stop thinking about the beautiful Anu. The very next day, Rahul returns to the hostel area and spots his jacket hanging outside the hostel and wishes to meet Anu. Since she lives in a girl's hostel there is no way he can enter. Hence, he plays cricket with his friend and deliberately aims the ball into the compound. The security lets him inside to retrieve the ball. Rahul goes inside and sees Anu climbing a ladder. She is very surprised by his presence and falls off that ladder. Rahul was unable to express his feelings for her and writes a note on the electricity bill his mother told him to pay that very day. Anu takes the note and leaves. His mother then is upset that Rahul did not pay the bill and asks his Master to help get the bill back.
The tailor helps Rahul get the bill along with a note where Anu requests him to meet her at the Main City Library the following Saturday. He arrives on time eagerly, where Anu tells him she has nothing to give him except "thank you", but Rahul says nobody can stop him from loving her, not even herself.
Soon after he leaves, Arnie catches her and takes her along to Ooty to be admitted in another hostel. Rahul employs a spy to eavesdrop and see where Anu is going next. The spy learns about Anu's travel plans and informs Rahul, who goes along with his friend to search for Anu and finds the place they are staying in. They find out that Arnie actually intended to get Anu married and lied to her about admitting her to a new hostel, because she would not have come along.
At the hostel, Arnie organises a farewell party for Anu and Anu invites Rahul. who promises to attend the party. After this party, they plan to elope. At the party, he runs away with Anu and then Arnie catches them both using the police. Anu has to return with Arnie and go to Ooty, while Rahul returns to his home.
After a few months, Rahul approaches Mr. Arnie as he can not forget his friend Anu, who he knows is unhappy. Rahul then finds out from Arnie all the details that Anu has a distant relative in Ooty named Uncle Peter who is an alcoholic. Long long ago, Peter had signed the documents and now he had full custody over her.
Rahul asks Arnie about her whereabouts and more details so that he could help her settle and Arnie reveals everything. They both find Anu in a miserable state with Uncle Peter and bribe the uncle for a sum of 15,000 rupees on the condition that he signs the documents and is no longer Anu's legal guardian.
After Anu is finally free from both Arnie, the hostel and Uncle Peter, she wishes to become self-reliant and seeks admission in a typing institute.
One day, she comes across a job advert searching for a model to run for "Jean Cardin "brand of clothes in Mumbai and requests Anu to audition.
Anu agrees and wins a sum of 10,000 rupees along with a free tour to Paris and a secured residence. She thanks Rahul for all his help, but Rahul mentions to her that he loves her deeply and wants to marry her ASAP, to which Anu agrees, but she says she will need some time to prepare.
Rahul's mother, on hearing this story visits Anu and offers some advice, as she knows Anu is an orphan and lonely.
The next day, Rahul comes to the place where Anu is going through a photo shoot session. He hears the man in charge telling her to change into a swimming costume, to which Rahul disagrees. He tells him that they were planning to get married soon and he disapproves of such nakedness. He is even more shocked when he learns that Anu already signed a contract promising she would not get married within a span of two years.
Rahul is heartbroken by this decision and pens her a letter written with his blood.
As life goes on, years go by, and Rahul establishes himself as a singer.
Anu is also successful as a model and decides to further her career under the director Padamsee who persuades her to accompany him to Paris.
When Rahul comes to stop her from boarding the flight, Anu agrees to abandon the director and stays behind to renew their relationship.

Cast

Produced by Super Cassettes Industries Limited & Vishesh Films.
Aashiqui was credited as an all-time blockbuster at the box office in 1990 mainly due to its music, a low budget of 20 lakhs upon which it grossed 2.50 cr. with the shows running to full houses.

Awards and nominations

Soundtrack

The music for Aashiqui was composed by the duo Nadeem–Shravan and lyrics were written by Sameer, Rani Mallik and Madan Pal. The soundtrack largely falls under the filmi-ghazal genre, based on the ghazal style. "Tuu Meri Zindagi Hain" song was the rip off from 1975 album by Tassawar Khanum.
Track #TitleSingerMusic DirectorLyricistStarringLength
1"Jaane Jigar Jaaneman"Kumar Sanu, Anuradha PaudwalNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal05:15
2"Main Duniya Bhula Doonga"Kumar Sanu, Anuradha PaudwalNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal05:19
3"Bas Ek Sanam Chaahiye "Kumar SanuNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy06:14
4"Nazar Ke Saamne"Kumar Sanu, Anuradha PaudwalNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal05:36
5"Tuu Meri Zindagi Hain"Kumar Sanu, Anuradha PaudwalNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal04:46
6"Dil Ka Aalam"Kumar SanuNadeem–ShravanMadan PalAamna Shariff, Rohit Kumar05:01
7"Ab Tere Bin"Kumar SanuNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal05:46
8"Dheere Dheere Se"Kumar Sanu, Anuradha PaudwalNadeem ShravanRani MalikRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal05:31
9"Mera Dil Tere Liye"Anuradha Paudwal, Udit NarayanNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal04:36
10"Bas Ek Sanam Chaahiye "Anuradha PaudwalNadeem–ShravanSameerAnu Agarwal06:11
11"Jaane Jigar Jaaneman "Kumar Sanu, Anuradha PaudwalNadeem–ShravanSameerRahul Roy, Anu Agarwal03:59
12"Dil Ka Aalam "Nitin MukeshNadeem–ShravanMadan Pal04:40

Sales

Aashiqui became the highest-selling album in the history of Indian music industry. In an interview, Bhushan Kumar said that no music album has been able to break the music record of Aashiqui. The soundtrack album sold 20million units. This made it the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of all time, as well as one of the best-selling albums of any genre in India. It had a big impact on Bollywood music, ushering in ghazal-type romantic music that dominated the early 1990s, with soundtracks such as Dil, Saajan, Phool Aur Kaante and Deewana.. Initially Aashiqui was a music album planned by Gulshan Kumar on the name CHAAHAT, while Mahesh Bhatt heard the songs he suggested
to make a film. Aditya Panscholi gave the voice to Rahul Roy.

Reception

Rakesh Bandhu of Planet Bollywood gave the album 9 stars saying, "Aashiqui was a success in its own right. It is truly a beautiful collection of compositions by the Nadeem-Shravan." The soundtrack became very popular upon release, becoming the best selling Bollywood soundtrack of the year by a wide margin.

Dheere Dheere

A cover version of the song "Dheere Dheere Se" was later performed by Indi-pop artist Yo Yo Honey Singh, released as "Dheere Dheere" in 2015. The song's music video features actors Hrithik Roshan and Sonam Kapoor. As of April 2018, the song has received over 400million views on YouTube.