Salma Aga
There have been many films in Bollywood that have faced heavy controversies even before coming on screen, but there are some films that despite these protests not only make a place in the hearts of the audience, but also create history by bringing out the burning issues of society. One such adventure film was BR Chopra’s ‘Nikah’, which was released in 1982. The story of this film was based on sensitive and socially challenging subjects like triple divorce. Earlier it was named ‘Divorce Divorce Divorce’, but in view of the controversies, the manufacturers changed it to ‘Nikah’. However, despite changing the name, the disputes did not end.
The film was entangled in controversies
The film angered a section of Muslim society, which believed that the film was questioning their religious beliefs. As a result, 34 court cases were registered against the film. During the protest, protests took place in many cities, posters were torn, slogans were raised outside the cinema hall and attempts were made to stop the film. The most shocking thing was that lead actress Salma Aga also faced these protests. He received threatening letters in which he was asked to leave India and return to London. This mental pressure could break any actress of that era, but Salma stood up.
The film earns strong
However, despite these controversies and negative publicity, ‘Nikah’ achieved tremendous success. Made in a budget of about Rs 4 crore, the film earned Rs 9 crore and recorded a profit of 225%. It was a clear indication that the audience understood and appreciated the sensitivity of the film and the seriousness of the subject. In the film, along with the strong performance of Raj Babbar, Deepak Parashar and Salma Aga, Ravi’s music composition and Hasan Kamal’s lyrics made ‘Nikah’ a classic. Songs like ‘Dil Ke Araman Tears Me Bah Gaya’ are still on people’s tongue.
Where to see this film now
The success of this film made Salma Aga an overnight star and her acting was highly appreciated. After this, he received offers from many big films. The co-stars of the film also included veterans like Tanuja, Hina Kausar, Iftikhar and Asrani, who strengthened the film. Even today, ‘Nikah’ is considered a film with time ahead. It was not just a romantic drama, but a film showing a mirror to the society that started debate on religion, relationship and women’s rights through cinema. Those who want to watch this film today can see it on YouTube, Hotstar or Amazon Prime.
