Hum Bhi Insaan Hain (1989) - Review in English

About the story: Rich and wealthy Dharampal (Kader Khan) tyrannises his wife (Seema Deo) and his daughters Radha (Jaya Pradha) and Rekha (Neelam) as a merciless dictator. Radha is in love with Kishanlal (Jackie Shroff) who as an owner of racehorses and as Dharampal’s rival has worked his way up to wealth. When Dharampal categorically refuses to give the couple his blessings, Radha commits suicide. Rekha gives her heart to the poor worker Bhola (Sanjay Dutt). But of course Dharampal doesn’t approve this love, too, and furiously gives Bhola a whipping in public. With the help of their friends Shankar (Raj Babbar) and Sonika (Sonam), Rekha and Bhola elope with intend to get married secretly. But they get caught, and Dharampal exacts gruesome vengeance: He orders Shankar’s arms to be chopped off and reports Bhola to the police, accusing him of raping and abducting his daughter. Bhola is stunned when Rekha in court testifies against him. After having served his term in jail, he seeks vengeance – and at the same time is confronted by another rival: Kishanlal...


For the first time ever, Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff met each other in front of the camera and immediately started what should become more and more perfect in their future joint films: a good chemistry, tough action fights and (like in Khalnayak and Kartoos) a powerful climax in the end. Nominally, Jackie is the film’s leading hero and also does justice to his role, acting intensely and with steadfast authority. But Sanjay’s role may be considered at least as equal. He is once more the absolute popular figure; you can feel for him when the love of his life abandons him in court, you can suffer with him when Dharampal flogs him, and you can grin when he, invited to dinner in the riches’ house, unceremoniously tucks in and afterwards in the most lovable way puts his foot in his mouth in the sweet "I love you"-scene. Neelam as his partner is equally lovable, and if I should describe Sanjay’s and Neelam’s two dance scenes (which for Sanju’s standards at that time were astoundingly extensive) with one word each, I would say: one of them is sweet, and the other one is wet... ;)

Kader Khan plays the tyrannical paterfamilias with downright casual and often more subliminal sadism. Jaya Pradha, due to her role’s nature, has not very much screentime which is a pity as her few scenes with Jackie are immensely touching. Even Sonam and Raj Babbar are just mere supports, but on the other hand they have the maybe most emphatic scene of the film when, after Shankar has been garbled, they strike up the moving title song "Hum Bhi Insaan Hain" (= Even I am a human being) in a temple and in presence of Dharampal and his family. A scene with gooseflesh effect – similar to the unusual showdown of this film which, at all events, is worth watching.

Produced by Suresh Bokadia; Directed by Mani Vannan
Ca. 145 Min.; VCD: Eagle, without subs
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