''Biwi Ho To Aisi'' () is a 1988

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" ...

film, directed and written by J. K. Bihari and starring

Rekha Bhanurekha Ganesan (born 10 October 1954), better known by her stage name Rekha, is an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Hindi films. Acknowledged as one of the finest actresses in Indian cinema, she has starred in more than 180 fi ...

Farooq Sheikh Farooq Shaikh (25 March 1948 − 28 December 2013) was an Indian actor, philanthropist and television presenter. He was best known for his work in Hindi films from 1973 to 1993 and for his work in television between 1988 and 2002. He returned to ...

and Bindu . The music was scored by the duo of

Laxmikant–Pyarelal Laxmikant–Pyarelal were an Indian composer duo, consisting of Laxmikant Shantaram Patil Kudalkar (1937–1998) and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (born 1940). He is known by the nickname “Pyromaniac” due to his flaming style of music. Laxmikan ...

. The film marked the on-screen debut of

Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...

and Renu Arya.

Summary

The story is a

family drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

that revolves around the lead pair, played by

and

Farooq Shaikh Farooq Shaikh (25 March 1948 − 28 December 2013) was an Indian actor, philanthropist and television presenter. He was best known for his work in Hindi films from 1973 to 1993 and for his work in television between 1988 and 2002. He returned to ...

, who play a married couple. It's about how the character Shalu overcomes all obstacles in her married life to win over the acceptance of her domineering mother-in-law Kamla ( Bindu).

Plot

Bhandaris are an affluent upper-class family. The household is fiercely dominated by Kamla ( Bindu) who is the matriarch of the Bhandari family. She takes care of the family business while her stay-at-home husband Kailash (

Kader Khan Kader Khan (22 October 1937 – 31 December 2018) was an Indian actor, screenwriter and film director. As an actor, he appeared in over 300 Bollywood films after his debut film in the 1973 film '' Daag'', starring Rajesh Khanna, in which h ...

) is a gharjamai. Kamla wants her eldest son Suraj (

) to marry a girl whose social status matches theirs. However, contrary to her wishes, Suraj follows his heart and marries the not so rich, yet talented village belle Shalu (

), which infuriates Kamla to no end. Together with her comical, but scheming secretary (

Asrani Govardhan Asrani (born 1 January 1940), popularly known simply as Asrani, is an Indian actor and director whose Bollywood career has spanned five decades. He has acted in over 350 Hindi films. Asrani has played the lead roles, character roles ...

), Kamla vows to throw her out of the house with their shrewd and cunning tactics deployed against her. Meanwhile, Shalu tries to be a dutiful daughter-in-law by trying to win the heart of Kamla. She has the full support and understanding of her father-in-law, Kailash, who treats her like a daughter, and of her young brother-in-law Vikram a.k.a. Vicky (

), who sometimes cannot bear the atrocities meted out to his sister-in-law and gets vocal in protests against his tyrannical mother. After endless attempts at humiliation and personal attacks, Shalu finally hits back in her style and her true identity is revealed towards the climax. She shocks everyone with her diction and articulate speech in sharp contrast to her crude village belle identity. Her father Ashok Mehra (a family friend of the Bhandaris) reveals her true identity. Kamla learns that Shalu is the Oxford-educated daughter of Mehra, who, in connivance with her father-in-law Kailash, had won her way into the family, in order to teach her a lesson in humility and humanity. Kailash gets vocal against Kamla for the first time. Kamla realises her error and repents for her behaviour towards the family when they all decide to leave her and the house. Kamla sincerely apologises to all and happiness finally enters the Bhandari household.

Cast

as Suraj Kailash Bhandari *

as Shalu Ashok Mehra / Shalu Suraj Kailash Bhandari *

as Vikram Kailash Bhandari (Vicky), Suraj's brother * Bindu as Kamla Kailash Bhandari *

as Kailash Bhandari *

as Secretary P. K. Patialewala *

Om Shivpuri Om Shivpuri (14 July 1938 – 15 October 1990) was an Indian theatre actor-director and character actor in Hindi films. A National School of Drama, New Delhi alumnus, Shivpuri became the first chief of the National School of Drama Repertory Co ...

as Ashok Mehra (Shalu's Father) * Renu Arya as Vikram's love interest

Soundtrack

The soundtrack is available on T-Series.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=168516 1980s Hindi-language films 1988 films Films scored by Laxmikant–Pyarelal