Saathiya (film)

''Saathiya'' (transl. ''Companion'') is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Shaad Ali in his directorial debut and produced by Mani Ratnam and Yash Chopra under the banners Madras Talkies and Yash Raj Films. A remake of Ratnam's Tamil film '' Alai Payuthey'' (2000), the film stars Rani Mukerji and Vivek Oberoi, with supporting performances from Sandhya Mridul, Tanuja, Swaroop Sampat, Satish Shah, Sharat Saxena, and Kunal Kumar. The narrative follows Aditya and Suhani, a young couple who elope and marry despite parental opposition, only to find their relationship tested by personal struggles and a sudden tragedy.

Cinematography was handled by Anil Mehta and editing by A. Sreekar Prasad. The soundtrack and background score were composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Gulzar. The music, particularly the title track "Saathiya" sung by Sonu Nigam, received widespread acclaim and commercial success.

Released theatrically on 20 December 2002, ''Saathiya'' received critical praise for its direction, performances, screenplay, and music. It emerged as a commercial success, earning ₹291 million (US$3.4 million) and ranking as the eighth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.

At the 48th Filmfare Awards, ''Saathiya'' received eight nominations and won six awards, including Best Actress (Critics) (Mukerji), Best Screenplay (Ratnam), and Best Male Playback Singer (Sonu Nigam for "Saathiya").

Plot

Aditya Sehgal, a young professional, is devastated when his wife, Suhani, goes missing following an argument over their faltering marriage. As he searches for her across Mumbai, the narrative shifts into a flashback tracing the evolution of their relationship.

Aditya first meets Suhani at a wedding and is immediately smitten. Despite initial hesitation, Suhani gradually reciprocates his feelings. However, their romance is strained by socio-economic differences—Aditya hails from a wealthy business family, while Suhani belongs to a middle-class household. When their parents disapprove, particularly after Aditya’s father insults Suhani’s father, the couple elopes and secretly marries.

Complications arise when Suhani reveals her marriage during a proposal for her elder sister, leading to her expulsion from her home. Simultaneously, Aditya’s parents discover the truth and disown him. Isolated from their families, the couple begins a modest life in a small apartment, struggling with the realities of marriage, career pressures, and domestic responsibilities.

Tensions escalate after Suhani accuses Aditya of infidelity, resulting in a heated argument. Later that evening, Suhani is struck by a car while walking home, unbeknownst to Aditya. Believing she has left him in anger, he waits for her return.

After realizing she is missing, Aditya begins a city-wide search. He eventually learns that Suhani has been admitted to a hospital under a different name and is in critical condition. The driver responsible for the accident, IAS officer Yeshwant Rao, initially claims responsibility. However, his wife, Savitri, later reveals she was the actual driver, and Yeshwant had taken the blame to protect her.

As Suhani regains consciousness, Aditya rushes to her side, confessing the anguish he endured during her absence. Suhani reciprocates, and the two reconcile, reaffirming their love for each other.

Cast

*Rani Mukerji as Suhani Sharma
*Vivek Oberoi as Aditya Sehgal
* Sandhya Mridul as Dina Sharma, Suhani's sister
* Sharat Saxena as Chandraprakash Sharma, Suhani's father
*Tanuja as Shobhna Sharma, Suhani's mother
* Satish Shah as Barrister Om Seghal, Aditya's father
* Swaroop Sampat as Shanti Seghal, Aditya's mother
*Aditya Srivastava as ACP Aditya Singh Rathore
*Tinnu Anand as Daruwala
* Kunal Kumar as Bhaskar
* Anju Mahendru as Prema
*Ujjwal Rana as Raghu
* Karthik Kumar as Shyam
*Shehnaz Anand as Radha
*Pubali Sanyal as Anju
*Aarya Mehta as Choti
* Jaya Bhattacharya as Vidya
*Deepraj Rana as Police Inspector
* Manu Rishi as Doctor
* Vinay Apte as Police Constable
* Sanjay Mishra as Brij, Chandraprakash's friend
* Vaishali Thakkar as Suhani's friend
* Virendra Saxena as Jeevan
*Shah Rukh Khan as Yeshwant Rao IAS (special appearance)
* Tabu as Savitri Rao (special appearance)
*Shamita Shetty as Dancer in the song "Chori Pe Chori" (special appearance)

Production

Development

''Saathiya'' was the directorial debut of Shaad Ali and a Hindi remake of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film '' Alai Payuthey'' (2000). The film was jointly produced by Ratnam under Madras Talkies and Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. Ali collaborated with lyricist Gulzar to adapt the screenplay and dialogues for a Hindi-speaking audience.

Casting

Abhishek Bachchan was Shaad Ali’s original choice for the role of Aditya but declined the offer. The role was then given to Vivek Oberoi, who had recently gained recognition for his debut in ''Company'' (2002).

Rani Mukerji was cast as Suhani. Initially reluctant to take on the role due to her hesitation about remaking an acclaimed film, she eventually accepted after being persuaded by Aditya Chopra.

Filming

Cinematography was handled by Anil Mehta, while editing was done by A. Sreekar Prasad. The film’s soundtrack was composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Gulzar. Several songs, including “Saathiya” and “Chalka Chalka Re,” were filmed across urban and suburban locations in Mumbai, with a focus on natural lighting and handheld camerawork to enhance realism.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of ''Saathiya'' was composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Gulzar. It features nine songs, most of which were adapted from Rahman’s original compositions for Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film '' Alai Payuthey'' (2000). Two tracks, “Mere Yaar Mila De” and “Naina Milaike,” were newly composed for the Hindi version, replacing “Evano Oruvan” and “Alaipayuthey,” respectively. Rahman experimented with a blend of Carnatic influences and contemporary arrangements, incorporating classical, Sufi, and electronic elements.

The title track “Saathiya,” sung by Sonu Nigam, was particularly well-received and went on to win several awards. According to ''Box Office India'', the ''Saathiya'' soundtrack was the second highest-selling Bollywood album of 2002, with approximately two million units sold—just behind '' Humraaz''.

Reception

The music album was praised by music critics for its innovation and lyrical depth. Taran Adarsh of ''Bollywood Hungama'' described the music as “melodious and easy on the ears,” naming the title track as the standout. ''Cine Urban'' commended the digital sound mix and visual presentation of the songs in the film, while '' Mrbrown'' highlighted “Chhalka Chhalka Re,” “Chupke Se,” and “Aye Udi Udi Udi” as musical highlights. ''Glamsham'' wrote that Rahman created “a different genre of music” with a unique, upbeat sound that stood out among his contemporaries.

At the 48th Filmfare Awards, ''Saathiya'' won Best Music Director (A. R. Rahman) and Best Male Playback Singer (Sonu Nigam for “Saathiya”).

Reception

Box office

''Saathiya'' emerged as a commercial success, earning approximately ₹291.5 million (US$3.4 million) worldwide. It ranked as the eighth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.

India

In India, the film collected a net revenue of ₹152.55 million and a gross revenue of ₹247.1 million. The film had a strong opening, with a first-day collection of ₹5.3 million and a first-week total of ₹37.8 million.

Overseas

Internationally, ''Saathiya'' grossed approximately $925,000 (₹45.2 million). In the United States and Canada, the film earned $312,660.

Critical reception

''Saathiya'' received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise directed towards its performances, direction, music, and realistic portrayal of romantic relationships. Several reviewers, however, noted issues with pacing and narrative consistency.

Writing for ''Nowrunning'', Subhash K. Jha described the film as "a gentle study of love and marital blues in urban India" and praised its realistic tone and spontaneity. He commended Rani Mukerji and Vivek Oberoi for their "believable" performances, and highlighted the film’s technical merits, particularly A. Sreekar Prasad’s editing and Anil Mehta’s cinematography, which he called "wonderfully chiselled and lively."

Sukanya Verma of '' Rediff.com'' noted that the film’s simple narrative structure was effectively executed, avoiding unnecessary subplots. She appreciated director Shaad Ali’s focused storytelling and observed that the lead pair’s chemistry added emotional depth to the film.

Manish Gajjar of the ''BBC'' described the film as "a touching love story with a difference" and praised the lead performances, noting that "Oberoi shows great promise" and that Mukerji "plays the character with great conviction." He also lauded A. R. Rahman’s soundtrack as "melodious" and highlighted the film’s direction and emotional tone.

In a review for '' Variety'', David Rooney called the film "a slick, emotionally satisfying romantic drama." He praised the musical score by A. R. Rahman and described Mukerji’s performance as "expressive," effectively capturing the transition from youthful romance to mature resilience. Rooney also cited the production values and cinematography as contributing to the film's overall appeal.

Udita Jhunjhunwala of ''Mid-Day'' commended Mukerji for her "understated" portrayal of Suhani, stating the role "fits her like a glove." She criticized the first half for "choppy editing and rushed pacing," and felt that the climax was "overly commercial," but acknowledged the film’s emotional sincerity.

Taran Adarsh of ''Bollywood Hungama'' was more critical, rating the film 1.5 out of 5. He praised the soundtrack and cinematography but criticized the screenplay, stating that the second half "falls flat" and that the film "relies too heavily on its music to sustain interest."

Accolades

The film received several accolades, including six Filmfare Awards, three IIFA Awards, three Screen Awards and four Zee Cine Awards

Legacy

''Saathiya'' is regarded as one of the more influential romantic dramas in Hindi cinema from the early 2000s. The film was noted for its realistic portrayal of post-marital conflict and for subverting conventional Bollywood tropes by not adhering to a traditional "happily ever after" narrative structure.

The film marked a significant milestone in Vivek Oberoi’s early career, becoming his third box-office success in his debut year following ''Company'' and ''Road''. It also played a pivotal role in establishing Rani Mukerji as a leading actress in Hindi cinema. Although she had experienced only moderate success prior to ''Saathiya'', her performance in the film was widely praised and is often cited as one of the most defining roles of her career.

The song “Chalka Chalka Re,” adapted from the original Tamil track “Yaaro Yaarodi” from '' Alai Payuthey'' (2000), gained renewed visibility when the original version was featured in the 2008 English-language romantic comedy '' The Accidental Husband''.

References

External links

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{{Mani Ratnam

2002 films
2000s Hindi-language films
Indian romantic musical films
Hindi remakes of Tamil films
Yash Raj Films films
Films about marriage
Films scored by A. R. Rahman
Indian romantic drama films
2002 directorial debut films
Films directed by Shaad Ali
2002 romantic drama films
2000s romantic musical films
Films produced by Mani Ratnam
2002 musical films