Taal (1999) - full transcript

On a sight-seeing road trip of India, U.K. based Manav Mehta meets Mansi, the daughter of a singer, Tarababu. He is attracted to her, and makes his attraction known. She also is attracted to him eventually. Her dad approves of Manav, and both go to Bombay to meet his family. On their arrival itself, they are shunned and treated as second class citizens, and this lasts throughout the day, with the treatment getting worst at every point. Both decide to leave. Mansi decides to improve her career, leaving the past behind, and meets with Vikrant Kapoor, who helps her get started. Both see each other regularly, and soon decide to get married. In the meantime, Manav has not given up hope to marry Mansi, despite opposition from his and her families. Manav relentlessly purses his dream of marrying Mansi, even on the day of her marriage to Vikrant.

This is impossible!

This is manav from bombay.

- Father...
- what's wrong?

Why do you sound scared?
Is the situation tense?

Father... mansi...

so father has found out?

Y es...

"all right. Give the line to him.
- Father, it is manav."

I'm sorry i couldn't
meet you before leaving.

I wanted to talk to you.
But i couldn't.

I'm glad you found out that i...



are you listening?
- Y es. Go on.

I wanted to say the promise
i made to mansi before i left...

...that is firm.
I will marry her.

I've committed myself to her.
And i will keep it.

Y ou are worried because
you are her father.

Scolding her... in your shoes
i too would probably do the same.

"Don't worry. If god is in your
heart, the truth is resolute."

"Don't worry, mansi.
Everything will be fine."

Y our dad is an artist.

Who can understand love
better than an artist?

Call me later. Please.

Where have you been?
I've been calling you for so long.

- But you don't answer.
- Another twist in manav's love story

mansi's father has found out
that mansi loves me.



I mean we're in love.

Forget about love and
look at this photograph.

She's the girl deepmohan
and shaku chose for you.

But i told her father clearly.

And i'll stand by my commitment.

But jagmohan has something
else planned for you.

"This girl belongs to the
kurasia family, nishita."

I too approve of her.

"- The girl has class.
- This is not fair, grandma."

"After hearing my story too,
you show no sympathy."

It's pack up for all these girls.

I'll have sympathy
when you obey me.

Okay.

Y ou will have to marry
the girl i approve of.

"No, grandma. This is not fair.
Y ou're putting me in a tight corner!"

There's this drama going on and
you're initiating another one!

"I love her to much, grandma.
Y ou know how much i love her."

Y ou're my grandma. How
can you do this to me?

First take a look at the picture.

"Don't fall in love.
Rise, my child."

Rise in love.

- What are you doing here?
- The girls are worried about you.

I went to call prabha.

- Bombay?
- Bombay.

I have just one sister
prabha in bombay.

Y es. What did she advise?

What will she say? She said
bring mansi over to bombay.

She herself will talk to her.

Then she will find an
answer to this problem.

"She also said to come straight,
not to inform brother jaggi."

- I'm worried.
- Will you go to bombay?

I can't spend one night here.

I will have to go to bombay.

Mumbai

i'm glad you came to
bombay under this pretext.

- Where is ashwin?
- I divorced him.

- Why?
- He deserved it.

But i have something
from him. My tunno!

After listening to your story...

i have reached one conclusion.

Y ou must go to manav mehta's
house at 7 in the morning.

And shock them.

Just give them a surprise.

I said sir does not
meet anybody today.

Tell him i have come from chamba.

I'm tarababu.
I'm a close friend of his!

I don't have orders to telephone
or wake up anyone before 9.30.

Take a seat on this bench.
I'll call at 9.30 or 10.

But we won't sit here!!
I'm his friend!

Only his friends
come here. Sit down.

Take a seat.

"Father, let's sit."

A tarababu has come from chamba.

- Make him sit out.
- All right madam.

Come and sit here.

Sit down.

- We won't sit here.
- Why?

Can i call up and talk to them?

To the master or their son?

The master is sleeping
and his son is not at home.

He has gone to his grandma's
house. Since last night. Sit.

Brownie...

come here.

"Y our name brownie, right?
- Do you know him?"

Y es and he too knows me.

Do you see? He knows us!

I'll set you right later!

"Hello. Shake hand, pal."

I'm sure he'll go
and tell jagmohan.

Brownie. Shut up you.
Lock him in the room!

Creating a nuisance
since morning!

Hello. How do you do.

How are you?
- Welcome.

I'll go and talk to him.

Deep...

thank you so much.

Y es. Everything is all right.

Go inside.

"Excuse me, sir.
- See you later on."

"- We have come.
- Tarababu, when did you come?"

When? We're here since 7.30 am!

That rascal of a guard!
Didrt he tell you?

We've been sitting for 6 hours!

And tell me where is jagmohan?

He's getting dressed. Special
guests have come from london.

He meets them over lunch.

Please be seated.
I'll inform him.

Make them sit in the shade.

Come and sit here.

Would you like
some tea or water?

- Get us some water.
- Right.

Glade to meet you.
- Actually i was waiting for you.

I thought you have not received
the invitation.

Welcome.

Y ou've made them sit here?

They are not non entities.
He is tarababu from chamba.

A dear friend of brother.

He's come from a distance.
Make them sit in the lounge.

In air conditioned comfort.

"- Y ou came without an appointment.
- Sister, we..."

y ou've broken the rules
of this family

"in this house, no one can meet
anyone without an appointment."

"- Y es, madam?
- Seat them inside."

Didrt i tell you
to call them up?

Take a appointment.
Did you hear what she said?

What appointment? Did they take an
appointment to come to our house?

What nonsense!

Y ou? Get out this room.
I say get out.

"- No, father. Let's go.
- We will leave, my child."

We will leave but now
we'll see this drama through.

Y ou people who perform
dramas in every street...

have you come here to perform
for or watch the mehta family?

Y ou have adorned your
daughter well to come here.

To ensnare the prince
of this castle!

Sister...

i am not a sister to pimps like you!

It would be best for
you to return home.

I won't leave without
meeting jagmohan.

He's having lunch with the english
what will you do there?

Wag your tail like a dog?
- Aunty.

"Let jagmohan come. I'll tell
him, the dogs he's tied outside..."

he should tie this english
bitch along with them!

Y ou called me a bitch!

How dare you!

Throw them out of the house!

Tarababu.
- Brother... we've been...

stop! Stop right there!

He called me a bitch!

"Uncle, did he say it or not?"

- He did...
- that's it!

First you drop in uninvited.
Then you call me sister-in-law...

"a bitch!
Y es, i called her a bitch!"

Because your sister-in-law
behaved like a bitch.

"Y es, tarababu from chamba."

"Y our friend, you brother!"

Y ou too may say something against
me if you wish. Go ahead!

Y ou're not in the right state
of mind. Go home now.

We'll talk in the office tomorrow.

- Finally you too said it!
- Y es i did.

Now you please go.

Go.

Didrt even offer us water!

Didrt offer his pal a seat!

Terrific! Y ou came to our
house as an important guest.

With a statue of
mother saraswati!

Lofty talks! Artists
are a form of god!

"
greater than us, the wealthy!"

Y ou are a very sentimental man.

"We call every man
in a band, an artist."

They come wagging their tails
once you show them a note.

Saraswati means nothing.

Y ou are sycophants of wealth!
Y ou drool at the sight of money.

"Only talk big! If you want to be
compensated for your work, sure..."

- and get lost!
- Y ou are right.

And the fact is that
i want to be compensated.

And i want it right now.

Tell me how much money you want.

"Y ou rascal!
- Don't touch me, you rascal!"

Y ou toyed with my emotions!

- Now i got paid for it!
- Stop it! I say stop it!

What are you doing?

Son...
- what is going on here?

Y ou hit my father!

Do you know what you've done!

Nobody dared to say one
insulting word to him!

And you slapped him!

- Son...
- y ou have turned mad!

Go away from here.

Lest i raise my hand too!

Leave!

Raise your hand.
Beat my father.

He did not show respect
to my dad.

Y our father has honour
and my father has none?

Y ou are all alike.

Only wealthy.

- Rich statues.
- Do you want to leave?

Then leave. But i can't let
anyone insult my father or family.

My father means everything to me!

"- Do you understand?
- Y es, i understand."

And now you too understand this.

Here is your love!

And here is your gift!

What will i tell prabha?

Father...

y ou don't cry.

"Let's sit there, father."

Sit here.

My heart is restless

i eagerly watch the path

"my heart is restless and i eagerly
look at the path..."

"life is miserable...
no music appeals to me"

"so come to me, my love..."

let's make music together

let's make music together

i knew they would
treat you this way.

But how could i give
sight to your blind love?

I had just one way
that you see for yourself.

The world has really gone places.

Wasrt it better that
everything happened so fast?

"Y eah! That's right, mansi."

Life comes in chapters.
One ends and the other begins.

"Mama, your card.
- What is this?"

Vikrant entertainment company.
Where did you find this?

Father had it.

Whose card is this?

- Vikrant entertainment company.
- We met this man in a stadium.

- Y ou met him? What did he say?
- Nothing. He recognised me.

He came up to me and
asked if i was tarababu.

He had heard a lot of
my songs on the radio.

My photo had appeared
in the paper...

last month?
- Y es. He had seen that.

All right.
- He was praising me a lot.

He asked me to come to
his studio at 11 on monday.

- Then?
- I said i'd come.

- But who goes!
- Brother!

Do you know who this man is?

"For me, he's a thief.
Plagiarizing my song!"

I don't believe this.

This is vikrant kapur.

The top star of hue
television industry.

Go and wear your clothes first.

Such a big man invites you to his
studio and you want to go to chamba!

This is wrong.

Y ou should go to his
studio at least once!

Who knows what door
fate might open for you!

"The truth is that vikrant
has 4 eyes, not 2."

"Two in front, two at the back."

That is how he sees everything.

Go there. He must have seen you
with the rear eyes and called you.

Go ahead. Good luck.

I'm prabha shankar.
Tv reporter.

I'm tarababu's cousin.

I recognised him the
moment i set eyes on him.

I compose my music myself.

But in every corner of this
country is hidden folk talent...

...which my company discovers.

Y ou sing your songs
for jalandhar radio.

But we listen them here.

"We record those songs, remix them
and earn millions."

Remix?

By remix i mean you catch
a song composed by anyone.

Or steal it. Then add
4 new instruments to it.

Record and remix them
and lay your stake to it.

Art is art whether
it be yours or others'.

The goddess of wealth should
be with you. Tip-toes all the way.

Hello vikrant.

"Sir sadbud! How are you, sir?"

Y ou're rarely seen! The papers
are full of news about you!

Y our name is embedded in my heart!

"Sure you must meet me.
It is your studio, sir!"

Right now i'm
in a board meeting.

Call me in half an hour.
Okay. Thank you.

I love you.
Thank you. Bye.

"If this scoundrel calls up again,
tell him i'm not in the studio."

Y ou must be thinking
what a fraud i am!

But this is the
language of our business.

We talk with love at our
enemies and fight with friends.

They are new so they don't
understand the tongue of bombay.

Don't you speak?

What can i say?

Say that again.

What can i say?

What can i say?
What a phrase!

Good voice too. Do you sing?

She sings better than me.
- And do you dance?

She's a graduate in dance.
And song.

That means i was right.
I was right in thinking and...

my guess was right that
here is a star of chamba.

"This is my friend, confidante,
secretary, manager, partner..."

"and the main executor of
this company, banerjee."

Sutarbhai has come from
baroda for the charity show.

I'll deal with him now.

Tell him we're booked all year.
One show will cost 50 lakhs.

No charity. We'll work
only when he pays up.

Take your own limit. Okay.

This charity business
is a fraud!

They make money and ask
us artists for concessions!

"I have told him, tarababu.
I'm a man of the 21 st century."

"Whether it's a marriage,
party or award function..."

pay up and i'll make music!

Tarababu... we artists
are priceless!

I'm very happy to know
you respect artists so much.

I wish to respect you
with all my heart.

"But honestly, emotional
people scare me a lot."

Y ou must first learn
to be practical.

"- That's what i tell them.
- For example, take..."

y ou've always remained poor
and will always remain poor.

Y ou sang in the mountains and we
made remixes and earned millions!

Take a look. This contains
songs composed only by you!

"I'm trying to tell you,
join our company."

"Write songs for us,
mansi can sing..."

and be a model dancer in our shows.
Begin a new life. Simple.

Give us 2 days to think.

"Sure, think it over. Y ou may
reject our accept our company offer."

Thinking like this won't help.

Y ou are a girl of the 21 st century.

Simpering away at home won't help.

Y ou've seen what language
the men of today use.

Think with your head.

What will you achieve
by returning to chamba?

Make a mockery of yourself?
The burden of marrying 2 sisters?

A heavy with debt school of your dad?

How will you yourself live?

How? How???

I have no idea of your past.

"But it's very essential for you to
experience pain, sorrow for success."

Y ou also seem to have
suffered quite a bit.

Y es. Y ou are right.

I have suffered like the
hero of hindi films...

...whose father left his
mother when he was a child.

My mother sewed and
got me an education.

Taught me music.

And then she died.

The same sad story.

This is my mother.

She left behind some
principles of the 20th century.

Here it is.

Principles of the 20th century.

Sacrifice is supreme.

"Do good and forget about it.
Do your duty, don't expect rewards."

"After completing b.a., i worked
on these ideals for 5 years."

"What was the outcome? I
starved, had no food to eat."

I used to play this rattle.

And banerjee would take
photographs.

Then our life took a new turn.

We met a man called jaidev uncle.

He gave us these 7 tenets
of the 21 st century.

7 commandments.

"He said kapu,
change these old tenets."

Change into a modern man.

The first rule is love remains
healthy with give and take.

Give and take.

First do good to yourself.

Me first.

All efforts are useless unless
backed with expectation of reward.

What is the profit?
What is desire? What's the result?

Shop dressing is more important
than honesty. Business.

Envy is essential to
win in any competition.

Jealousy!

Greed is necessary to become rich.

Cut the others down to
size in order to be one up.

Cut it. Cut into size.

I followed them for 7 years and...

...turned into vikrant
kapur from kapu.

Y ou mean you really
turned out to be practical.

This is bombay.
Everything is a show.

It's called showmanship.

The decoration is publicity and
the dressing is marketing.

Now you will see
where we take mansi.

Only if she clears the test.

Tell her the company
contract rules.

Y ou have to give
a video test and sing.

- What's the other condition?
- The other condition is...

y ou can't get married
during this period.

- Pardon...?
- No marriage...

"no friendship, nor love
or romance."

We sell pain not buy it.

"Manav, at least listen to
what deepmohan is saying."

He may say anything but
the staff told me everything.

Shaku aunt is at fault.

And at issue is the
honour of the family.

I see. So you will teach
us civilised behaviour!

Absolutely. How should a wealthy
man behave with a poor man...

y ou have to learn that.

The tarababu who was
treated as a king in chamba...

he was made to sit with the dogs.

The one they said was
saraswati incarnate...

was called a slave of laxmi?

"9 hours! For 9 hours, grandma
father and daughter sat in the sun."

Somebody who was humiliated
in this manner...

what would he do if not
boil over with anger?

What is your point?

In 2 days daddy will
return from london.

Y ou will have to clearly tell dad
of the way you behaved with them.

What do we tell brother?

Somebody slaps him and
he should quietly bear it!

No! We'll not tolerate
this nonsense.

Any nonsense. Do you
understand mr manav.

If breaking a glass or raising
your voice proves the truth...

then i have broken 7 glasses.

That implies my truth is
7 times stronger than yours.

I'll explain the real truth.

When a 21 year old boy
gets blinded by love...

this is just the way he behaves.

Then he wants to change not just
his but the fate of the family.

We won't let you change
the fate of the entire family.

Fate has changed.

Y our manav now belongs to another.

Take a look if you'd like.

This is manav's mansi.

She will be the
daughter-in-law of this family.

And someday all of you'll be taking
a family photograph around her.

That's my promise to you.

To you.

Y ou and you.

"Grandma, may i leave?"

Oh beloved...

"i understand it now...
i understand the feeling"

"y ou were confused earlier;
your predicament is now solved"

she's got something. She's good.

"Y es, sign the contract."

Cut...

"hey man! Man, i'm talking to you."

Y ou are in front of my heroine.
Please move away. Y ou...

slightly loose nut.

"Mister, we're working."

Please stand behind the public.

"Look, i must meet mansi."

Mansi? Do you know her?

"Y es, very closely."

How is she related to you?

Beloved.

Pardon?

My beloved.

Just a minute.

"Mansi.
- Y es, sir."

Do you see that boy? He says he wants
to meet you. Y ou're his beloved.

- Is it a fact?
- No sir.

Neither am i anyone's
beloved nor do i want to see him.

- Shall i tell him that?
- Y es sir.

"Final.
- Y es, sir."

"Brother, she says she
neither wants to meet you..."

nor does she know you
nor is she your beloved.

Understand.

I have to meet her.

Meet her after the shooting.
I'm acting like a gentleman.

Y ou too act like one.
Please go there.

Let us work. Please.

Start sound.

"Mansi, stop."

I can guess your sorrow.

I have made a mistake.

I respect you even more
after finding out the truth.

Do you know why?

Because a girl who holds the honour
of her parents higher than her love...

sacrifices her love
for their honour...

only that girl can be
the wealth of a family.

She can be a good wife to a man.

I've come to apologise to you.

Y our father should
apologise to my father!

"Because he slapped him?
No, that was wrong."

Absolutely wrong.

I respect my father
just as you respect yours.

"Mansi, it's done.
The job is done!"

Vikrant says the contract
will be signed today.

Today is an auspicious day. I've
read the contract. Just sign it.

- Just do it. Come on.
- Come on.

Y ou are vikrant's heroine
for three years from today.

The star of...
- tomorrow.

Sign here.

Y ou threw these in my house.

I'll string them into
a necklace once again.

And you will have to wear it.

"If god resides in me,
i am honest..."

y ou yourself will come
running into my arms someday.

Y ou...

on your own.

"- So, met her?
- Y es."

Decision taken?

- Y es.
- What?

She signed you on and resigned me.

"She turned you down?
- Y es, she turned me down."

"Look friend, i don't know your
story but i do know this..."

the girls and boys who enter the
world of stardom hang in the sky.

Stars in the sky.

They never come down to earth.

We are beyond already my friend.

Y ou probably don't know the girl.

She will come and to me alone.

And you will send her to me.

"- Me...?
- Y es, you."

I'm businessman.
After all business.

Y ou will send her
as a businessman.

"One thing is sure,
i love your self-confidence."

And good luck.
- Y eah.

Manav.

"Welcome back, daddy.
- Is what you said to deep true?"

Absolutely true.

These people humiliated
tarababu and mansi.

That was wrong. That is
why he humiliated you.

That too was wrong.
But... it is also true...

"y es, carry on."

I love mansi.

I've promised to marry her.

What will you do now?

Will you leave home?
Call us names?

No. No... that will never happen.

Something that sullies
your family or your name...

i will never do that.

"No scenes, no pettiness.
No violence"

i will neither leave you
nor elope and marry mansi.

That is my promise to you.

Good.

If i refuse to let you
marry mansi...?

Y ou won't do that.

No. Y ou won't do it.

The love of mansi and me
bloomed under your web.

It grew.

The only difference is that you
loved tarababu like a businessman...

and i loved mansi like a man.
Like a human being.

This won't happen.

Mansi will not come
to this house.

No...

never.

All right.
If my love is not true...

she will never come.

But if god resides in my heart...

if i am honest...
if my love is true...

y ou yourself will bring
mansi to this house.

Y ou...

and it will happen.

Not anymore...

"no, not anymore, my love..."

i can take it no more

"the nightingale sings
in the forests..."

"a fire breaks out...
i don't care"

"a snake bites me...
i wouldn't care"

"even if the skies fall...
i wouldn't care"

"i wouldn't care if
any calamity happened"

"but i'd never be able to bear
the pain of my broken-heart"

"come now, my beloved"

"do come now, my beloved"

"the heart sees
no reason"

every moment passes by...

but the heartache remains

"even if he has forgotten everything,
i do remember so much"

"the plant that the vines engulf,
withers away"

"where it hoped for roses...
it is left with thorns"

"no medicine, no prayer can
ever save you from love"

love is unfaithful

"without it, however,
you are ionely"

"do not give your heart, they advise;
and they give their hearts away"

"they steal your sleep;
and keep you awake all nights"

"happiness and cheer,
they are for someone else"

"no promise, no effort
works then"

"this is one of the
worst afflictions"

an extra-ordinary story of special
success of an extra-ordinary girl.

"...of mansi shankar, whom you
will meet at the mtv party tonight."

Welcome to mtv indian music
viewers choice award.

We're here in search of a star.
The search ends right here.

Because we have mansi...

from the winner of the
mtv viewers choice award.

"The day i saw mansi, in 5
minutes i had understood..."

she will be the greatest
star of the world!

I'm grateful to kenstar for
giving this honour.

Kenstar makes a star that as mansi.

I watched mtv but never dreamt my
song would be on top of its' charts.

Then what did you dream about?

That was another dream.

Mtv has given us this honour today.
I'm really excitement and cool.

Twice the amount of blood
is pumping through my veins!

Manav is here.

I'm very excited.

Now six times the amount of
blood is flowing in my veins!

Brother...
- hello hi.

"- Y ou and here?
- Y es, i'm here."

- How come?
- I came just as you came.

Are you too a kenstar winner?

Not yet but maybe i'll be lucky.

May i talk to you for a minute?
- Sure.

"Frankly pal, i like you a lot."

I too am fond of you.
Y ou are interesting man.

"But y our highness, y our majesty..."

mtv has thrown such a
grand party in our honour.

And you landed up again to
ruin it in the form of a lover!

Do you like this?

Not a form of lover.
I am a lover.

- Whose lover?
- Hers.

"Look, this is a business party."

It's the first day of her success.
- That is why i have come.

Like a gentleman i request
you to sneak away from here.

Please.

I told you mansi belongs to me
and i belong to mansi.

- That is why i have come.
- But she refuses to acknowledge you.

"Sir, she's in a temper!
Y ou do fight in love."

So you are fully convinced
that she will return to you?

"Y es, cent percent.
And you will send her to me."

Banerjee... he is a mad guy.

He is became mad. He is crazy.
Show him the way out.

Ladies and gentlemen...

tonight is for mansi shankar!

And the chief guest tonight is...

"a young, a dashing and
handsome guy..."

mr manav mehta.

I like to request manav mehta...

to give away the kenstar trophy
prizes the star of the year.

On behalf of all student
to mansi shankar.

The only son of the chairman
of mehta and mehta company.

He won the maximum awards
in his college in london.

Not only in indian music but
in indian literature.

"Well a great indian,
from great britain."

Manav mehta.

Interesting situation.
I like it.

The mtv guys invited him
here as chief guest.

Where are the drinks?
- Drinks?

Y ou don't want to be this.

Y ou are manavsi.

"Say it. Say, you don't love me."

No.

But don't live this false life.
Please.

Shall i leave?

I'll wait for you.

Bye.

"Sir, your comment on this please."

I'm really very excited.
I'm freeze.

Now my blood is flowing
12 times faster!

Any more question.

"Take a meter reading, vivek.
Y es, perfect."

- Y our beloved was saying...
- i don't want to hear it.

That's not happening.

It's very simple.
Go like this.

And attitude.

"Whatever it be, he has class."

Y ou want have some?
- No thanks.

I met prabha. She
told me all about manav.

Y ou should make friends
with him.

What's the harm in it? Parents
are always the villains in love.

He's in love with you.

Enough! Stop it!

It's very important that
i remind you at this point...

"according to your company contract,
no artist of your company..."

"...has the right to make friends,
fall in love or get married!"

Y ou are raising obstacles in my
work and career with your talk!

I don't like working like this!

I don't want to work here!
I don't want to work!

She's a wounded lioness.
Why do you trouble her?

"I'm impress, banerjee."

In today's world you find arrogant
girls not self respecting ones.