A millennial watches Deepti Naval-Farooq Sheikh’s Saath Saath: A film that aims for your heart 40 years after it released

A humble young fellow with high moral values, Avinash (Farooq Sheikh) meets Geeta (Deepti Naval), daughter of a rich businessman in college. While pursuing his MA, he writes articles for a newspaper to earn money for survival. Despite living hand to mouth, Avinash refuses to give up on his ideals. He speaks against capitalism and media. And, these ideals of Avinash impress Geeta. She falls in love with him and the two get married. Eventually, the girl and boy evolve into a woman and a man organically, while singing “Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera”, just the way any couple potentially would in real life. Their struggle to make ends meet feels relatable.

And, then director Kumar deftly exposes the delusions attached to the elusive feeling of love and romance. Avinash has to put his idealistic ways aside when Geeta gets pregnant. He takes up a job at his friend’s printing press. And, from here we see the transformation of an ideological Avinash into a materialistic man. From refusing to change his article just to make it saleable, he transforms into someone who doesn’t think twice before suggesting publishing pornographic magazines for extra profit. Now, he yearns for a luxurious life.

Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval in Saath Saath. (Express archive photo)

But, Raman Kumar also manages to never let the audience think ill of his hero. Even when Geeta confronts Avinash for turning into a greedy businessman, and he argues that ideology and morality are a sham, you kind of empathise with him because you have seen him go through a rough patch in life.

Besides its relatability, simplicity and portrayal of real emotions, what enticed me to Saath Saath were its two leads, Sheikh and Nawal. Sheikh is charming as a common man who makes even his grey look attractive. Nawal, too, does a good job of being a woman who sticks to her beliefs even when the going gets tough. She is not your coy, ‘bechaari’ 80s heroine who waits for her husband to earn bread and butter for the family. She takes things in control and takes up the job of a teacher. I loved the way she shuts up Avinash when he expresses his dislike for her work. “Chaar kitabe kya padhli, lagta hai mard ko hi kaam karna chahiye, kuch nahi, bas male ego hai,” she tells him.

Deepti Naval in Saath Saath. (Express archive photo)

I’m still humming its lovely song, “Tumko dekha toh..”, written by Javed Akhtar and sung by Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh. Even other songs like “Yeh tera ghar yeh mere ghar” and “Yun zindagi ki raah mein” fit right into the movie.

I strongly recommend watching Saath Saath, streaming on Mubi, as it is a film that seems to be made from the heart and it reaches straight to your heart.