Meri Aan (1993; Special Appearance) - Review in English

In this film Sanjay does just a special appearance!

About the story: After his exams, Salim Khan (Ayub Khan) tries his luck in Mumbai. Rukhsar (Sabeeha), his renter Qawwal’s (Roopesh Kumar) daughter, falls in love with Salim who, however, gives his heart to Farheen (Farheen) whom he meets in a stormy rain night. Farheen’s brother, police commissioner Ashfaque Khan (Mukesh Khanna), approves of his sister’s choice – until he finds out that Salim is the younger brother of the underworld don Sher Khan (Shahbaaz Khan) whom Ashfaque has been chasing for ages. Furiously he humiliates Salim, forbids Farheen any further contact to him and appoints another bridegroom for her. But at the wedding, uninvited guests appear, namely Sher Khan and his partner Kaliya Patil (Deepak Shirke) who finally want to settle old accounts with the police...


Meri Aan is a film the world does not need (except maybe Ashfaque’s final message to Kaliya). Obviously the Eros folks knew this so they quickly decorated their DVD release with a portrait of Sanjay Dutt which attractively decks nearly a quarter of the cover. Just too bad that Sanjay doesn’t play any role in the film’s story at all. He only appears towards the end in one scene as himself: as guest star Sanjay Dutt at a charity event (for which producer and director Roopesh Kumar thanked him in the credits with the words, "I am grateful to Shri Sanjay Dutt for his kind gesture towards me"). So the DVD with Sanju on its cover is something usually called bluff package, so by rights, I should now give out a warning. Weren’t Sanju’s guest appearance just so touching and mind-blowing...

First of all he addresses his fans, gratefully acknowledging that he owes everything he has and is to their love. This is all the more touching if you know that this scene was shot shortly after Sanjay’s arrest for alleged terroristic conspiracy and his first relase on bail in 1993, so these words of thanks to his fans who didn’t abandon him really came out of Sanju’s heart. Secondly, the event Sanjay appears at in the film features a qawali contest, and of course the guest star insists on taking part in it – especially as Ravindra Jain wrote a tailor-made Qawali for him, a cheerful song entitled "Sanju Hai Naam Mera" (My name is Sanju). And the way Sanjay and Sabeeha as competitors interpret this qawali is heart-fresheningly positive and sweeping. Sanju looks beautiful in his red shirt, his tight black trousers and with his long mane, and he obviously enjoys the act which, after all, lasts eight minutes. He puts his back into his performance, is full of spirit and brimming with life. It is a real treat watching him. (And at the latest with this performance, Sanju definitely has redeemed himself for his qawali debacle as the 12-year-old debutant in Reshma Aur Shera. *g*)

As I said: You don’t need the movie Meri Aan per se. But if you love qawalis and/or Sanjay Dutt of 1993 in all his puma splendour, the film is worth its selling price for these eight minutes "Sanju Hai Naam Mera" are simply overwhelming. You mean I’m raving too much? Maybe. But what can I do when Sanju bowls me over with his hip swing and his words "I am the intoxication which can take over your senses"... ;)

Produced and directed by Roopesh Kumar
141 Min.; DVD: Eros, English Subtitles (including songs)
© Diwali