#12 Baseraa (1981)
If love, sacrifice, and compassion can be personified, it will be the character of Sharada in the 1981 film Baseraa. Rakhee Gulzar’s heart-touching performance will leave you speechless and numb. How can anyone love someone to this extent? This question arose in my mind after watching this timeless classic.
Plot
Sharada (Rakhee) and Purnima (Rekha) are the two daughters of their caring father (A.K. Hangal). They love each other deeply and will go to any extent for the welfare of the other. Sharada is married to renowned businessman Balraj Kohli(Shashi Kapoor). Purnima greatly troubles the newlywed couple on their first night and refuses to leave. Later, the couple starts their married life, and soon, Sharada gives birth to a boy, Sagar(Raj Kiran). Purnima loves Sagar as much as Sharada.
Soon, Purnima’s wedding takes place. Sharada is heartbroken after seeing her off to her in-laws, as she loves her like a mother. While Balraj tries to console her, he receives a phone call. He is in shock after hearing the news. Immediately, he takes Sharada with him and sits in the car.
The Mishap
Despite queries from Sharada, he drives straight to the destination, which is Purnima’s new home. He tells her to go upstairs. Unaware of what has happened, Sharada climbs the stairs slowly with a rising heartbeat. Suddenly, Purnima appears in front of her as a widow. Sharada cannot see this disaster and falls off the stairs, losing her balance. At the hospital, it is revealed that she has lost her memory. The sudden accident puts her in trauma, and she becomes uncontrollable. As a result, she is kept in a mental asylum. Fourteen years passed, and Sagar grew into a handsome young man. He falls in love with Sarita(Poonam Dhillon).
When Sagar brings her home, he introduces her to his parents, Balraj and Purnima. Because years ago, on insisting of Purnima’s father, Balraj had married her. Now they live as a happy couple. Not only this, they have a son named Babboo. Sarita sees Sharada’s photo on the wall and enquires. They tell her a story which moves her. She insists on meeting her to seek her blessings. Sagar takes her to the asylum. Somehow, Sarita feels a strong, deep affection for Sharada.
The Revelation
After fourteen years, Sharada is stable, as per Dr.Gokahale(Iftekhar). Without informing anyone, she travels alone to her home. As Dr.Gokhale informs Purnima about this, she welcomes her sister, but as a widow. Later, Balraj and Sagar are shocked to see Sharada at home. Balraj requests Sarita to keep Babboo with her in the hostel for a few days. Unfortunately, Sharada notices the change in Balraj’s behaviour towards her. His cold, awkward nature doesn’t go unnoticed by her.
Once, Babboo runs away from the hostel and suddenly comes home. Sharada asks about his whereabouts. He points at Purnima as his mother. To Sharada’s dismay, he points at Balraj as his father. She goes into a deep shock at this strange revelation. She refuses to recognize anyone and turns blank. Everyone assumes she has again become mentally stable. They called for an ambulance. Sharada is locked inside a room.
The Sacrifice
Sarita insists on meeting her as she will soon become a doctor. When Sarita enters the room, Sharada threatens to harm her by throwing a pillow and flowers at her. Sarita tells her to take something sharp, as these objects won’t hurt her. But Sharada tells her to stop. Sarita walks fearlessly towards her with a sharp piece of glass. Sharada immediately takes it from her and throws it at their side, saying it will hurt her. This shocks Sarita. She soon realizes Sharada is misguiding everyone, whereas she is mentally OK. But Sharada stops her from disclosing this. She tells her that life has gone far beyond her reach. Everyone has moved on. Things have drastically changed since her return. Also, it would be better if she returned to where she came from.
Purnima refuses to accept this but agrees as Sharada invokes her with Sagar’s name. Soon, the ambulance arrives and takes Sharada. Even though Purnima screams and refuses to send her sister back, she fails to reach the heights of love and sacrifice as her sister.
The Deep Rooted Love
Sharada decides to spend the rest of her life in the asylum and happily gives up her right to be Balraj’s wife and Sagar’s mother. She requests Dr. Gokhale to employ her in the asylum itself. She also tells him not to allow anyone from her family to meet her hereafter. Sharada effortlessly surpasses the limits of sacrifice and compassion and chooses to stay alone, embracing pain and loneliness.
This movie still gives me goosebumps today. I wonder how beautifully the writer wrote the character of Sharada. Undoubtedly one of Rakhee’s finest performances, this film is a must-watch.
Catch up one more Retro gem, only here: https://blogbyhema.com/2020/05/22/a-middle-class-family/
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