A Tribute to All the Families of the World..!

Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! is a love story that charms you with its quintessential Indian family values exploring the heart of an Indian family… An Indian wedding extravaganza with romantic moments that woo your heart…
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! remains the biggest hit in the history of Indian cinema, a film which instilled a new lease of life in the ailing film industry by bringing viewers back to cinema halls.
It ran for over 25 weeks in 150 cinemas, for over 50 weeks in 52 cinemas and crossed the magical 100th week mark in 4 cinemas in India. The film won the National Award for being the most popular film providing wholesome entertainment and also bagged 5 Filmfare Awards and
6 Screen Awards, including awards for the Best Film, Best Actress and Best Director. This was the first Hindi film to run in mainscreen cinemas in U.S.A., U.K. and other parts of the world and creating records unheard of before. It ran for over 50 weeks in Bellevue Cinema, London and at Albion Cinema, Toronto - the first Hindi film to do so. This film takes the credit for reviving the theatrical release of Hindi films abroad.
Every heart longs to belong...
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! is a celebration of Indian traditions. Know more about its story, cast and credits.
    
Reviewing the Reviews
Extracts from reviews in the Indian and International press.

Awards Galore
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! has bagged many awards since its release. Here's more.
The Highlights of HAHK
An exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie and its commercial success.

Premalayam
Hum Aapke Hain Koun was a super hit in Telegu as Premalayam. It crossed the 25 week mark at 7 centres in Andhra Pradesh and ran for over 100 days at 14 centres.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun was also dubbed in Tamil as Ambaalayam and had a successful run.  
Rajkumar Barjatya, Rajat A. Barjatya and Ajit Kumar Barjatya with the former Indian President Shankar Dayal Sharma, at a special screening of HAHK held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

Yours Forever
Hum Aapke was dubbed in English and its International Version is called Yours Forever.

Distribution Opportunities
The original and dubbed language versions of Hum Aapke Hain Koun listed above are available for theatrical distribution. The Television, Cable and other Ancillary rights are available too.

A Celebration of Indian Traditions
"Every heart longs... to belong!"   

 This is the story of Prem and Nisha. A top student, Prem is learning the ropes of business under his elder brother Rajesh and uncle Kailashnath, a big industrialist. In another town, Nisha has just finished studying computers and is the darling of her elder sister Pooja and parents Prof. Choudhry and Kamladevi. Fate brings the two families together and this results in the fixing up of the betrothal of Rajesh and Pooja. This is when Prem meets Nisha and falls in love with this carefree girl, who just brushes past him, making his heart skip a beat - again and again.
And its marriage time for Prem's elder brother and Nisha's elder sister. A typical Indian marriage which is full of gaiety and splendour, where youngsters have a great time with their pranks - not sparing one another.

 Amongst all the rituals, fun and games comes a moment which changes the lives of Prem and Nisha - a physical touch, a close proximity - which makes Nisha shy away in embarrassment - a sensitive moment for which Prem tenders his apology to Nisha while parting. For the first time, Nisha's heart longs to belong.
Pooja's arrival as the lady of the house, joy knows no bounds in Prem's family. Months pass by. Pooja conceives and Nisha is invited to come and stay with her sister and attend the traditional function before the child's delivery. Nisha's arrival is like a dream come true for Prem.

Nisha stays back till the birth of the child, taking over the household chores and becoming very much a part of the family. In soft whispers, Prem & Nisha commit their love for each other and secretly dream of spending a life-time together... when fate strikes a cruel blow in the sudden demise of Pooja.  

Life comes to a standstill. The future of his motherless child worries Rajesh and causes his health to deteriorate. It is here that Nisha's father suggests that Nisha should get married to Rajesh and become the mother of Pooja's child. Love is at a test. The lovers decide to sacrifice their love for the sake of the family. Truly, what a way to love...!

Its marriage time again... Nisha is about to get married to Rajesh, when fate intervenes once again... with Rajesh coming to know the truth behind the lover's sacrifice. Putting his child into Nisha's arms, Rajesh unites & blesses the two lovers, whose hearts longed to belong. 

Awards Galore

National Awards (1995) 

The former President of India Shankar Dayal Sharma presenting the National Award (centre) to Sooraj R. Barjatya (right) and to Kamal Kumar Barjatya (left).
During the National Awards Ceremony, Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! was chosen for the award of "Best Popular Film providing wholesome entertainment".

Jay Borade received the Best Choreographer award.

Reviews :
    
"...Don't be too surprised if you have a grin on your face all through Sooraj Barjayta's `Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!' because it is just that kind of film that brings a smile to your face..."
- SCREEN, Mumbai (Bombay)
    
"Every heart longs... to belong!"
    
"... Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! has the look and feel of a compulsive winner...
Sooraj Barjatya's film is a life-enhancing experience..."
- THE HINDUSTAN TIMES, New Delhi
    
"...In the peppermint-sweet paradise created by writer-director Sooraj R. Barjatya, guys and dolls keep smiling till you wonder if Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! is the world's longest toothpaste ad... HAHK..! is decidedly different and above all, it is la-la-likeable..."
- THE SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, Mumbai (Bombay)
    

" Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, a sappy saga of love, loyalty and family values that has been running to packed theaters, has replaced Sholay as Bollywood's biggest smash."
- TIME INTERNATIONAL

"The appeal of the film must be its total familiarity. No ingredient is new, nothing disturbs. Its reassuring ethos is seductive and soothing, reversing the effects of the global invasion of our culture though not of our economy, implicity asserting the permanence and stability of all the institutions that are at this moment under pressure: joint family, patriarchy, religion and the nation."
- THE TIMES OF INDIA, Mumbai (Bombay)
    
"Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! is the ultimate family film of the decade. With the joint family non-existent and the nuclear one struggling to survive, Rajshri Pictures presents Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! The film is entirely about a marriage and harks back to the time when weddings were the greatest social occasion of Indian society. This was the time when ties were made, links established and the genetic code emphasized. In one sense the film is like a home marriage video. But in another, it is nostalgia for small town India and its family celebrations, now devoured completely by metropolitan India. The film is one of the biggest successes in Indian film history.
- GENTLEMAN, Mumbai (Bombay)
    
"Isn't it great how much Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! has meant for the industry? This is one film and the Barjatya family is one production house to which the Indian film industry should forever remain indebted. Indeed, the names of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! and the Barjatyas will be written in letters of gold when the history of Indian cinema is written. For it is this family film and this film family which have actually changed the course of Indian cinema's history. Bravo!"
- FILM INFORMATION, Mumbai (Bombay)

The Highlights of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!

Song Recording 
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! was off to a musical start on July 2, 1992 at Mumbai (Bombay) Sound Services. Since the film had always been conceived as a musical, the songs had a special role to play and each one was painstakingly composed by Raamlaxman with lyrics by Ravinder Rawal and Dev Kohli, under the watchful supervision of director Sooraj R. Barjatya. Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar has rendered 12 out of the 14 songs and other singers like SP Balasubrahmanyam, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Shailendra with Sharada Sinha accompanying her. 

Shooting
Shooting of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! began on October 6, 1992 amid the scenic locales at Ooty. Producer Rajkumar Barjatya sounded the clapper board for the first shot for which Madhuri Dixit faced the camera. Thereafter, shooting schedules continued at regular intervals till the last shot was canned on January 12, 1994.

 Release with Stereo-Optical Prints
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! was theatrically released on August 5, 1994 with stereo optical prints for the first time in India. Videos of the film were withheld indefinitely, a trend which began with
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!
Besides strict control and monitoring of the prints in order to check video piracy, all the artists and technicians signed an appeal requesting cinegoers to refrain from watching the film on a pirated video cassette, or on cable TV and instead, watch it on the big screen in the splendour of optical stereo sound.
Jubilees...   Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! glittered on 26th January 1995, as it completed its 25th week in 150 cinemas throughout the country.
The film acquired a golden sheen when it completed its 50th week on 20th July, 1995 in 52 cinemas all over India. In addition the film also celebrated its Golden jubilee at Bellevue Cinema in London and at Albion Cinema in Toronto, becoming the first Hindi film to do so.
The film completed a marathon stint of unparalleled entertainment on June 28, 1996 when it surpassed the magical 100th week mark at Mumbai (Bombay), Poona, Aurangabad and Hyderabad.

Merchandising
Contemplating the popularity of the film, Rajshri released a wide range of merchandise of
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, another marketing ploy adopted for the first time in India. The merchandise was a sellout like the movie and Rajshri ultimately had more than two hundred different types of products in the form of posters, letter pads, stickers, writing pads, key chains and many more. 

The HAHK Family of Movies
Premalayam, the Telugu version of Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! was released all over Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 1995 and went on to become one of Telugu cinema's biggest hits, completing its silver and golden jubilees at a number of cinemas.
The Tamil version, Anbaalayam, was released in Tamil Nadu and met with an overwhelming response.

HAHK was dubbed in English and its 1 hour 48 minutes international version was called Yours Forever.
Madhuri Fida Hussain
Renowned painter MF Hussain saw the film about 70 times and declared the combination of Sooraj R. Barjatya and Madhuri Dixit as magic on screen. According to him, Madhuri Dixit is an icon of Indian tradition and a series of paintings depicting these thoughts were unveiled by him.

A Film for All Seasons
Mithun Devangan the 30-years old cook from Mumbai (Bombay) saw Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! 120 days in a row from February 6 to June 5, 1995 at Bandra's Gaiety Cinema.
Ms. Savitribai Suryaavanshi, a resident of Nagpur travelled 12 kms everyday to see the film 335 times at Panchsheel Cinema, Nagpur.  Mr. Mahendra Singh Sokhi from Butibori and Mr. Mehmood Bhai, from June Basti Badnera in Maharashtra are not far behind with 231 and 145 viewings respectively at Chitra Cinema, Amravati.
A British Play Inspired by Hum Aapke Hain Koun, The 'Tamasha' theatre group of London did a stage adaptation of the film and staged a play called 14 Songs Two Weddings And A Funeral' which toured through England.

President's Show
Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! reached the zenith of its glory when the President of India Shri Shankar Dayal Sharma and the First Lady, Smt. Vimla Sharma held a special screening of the film at President's House, New Delhi.