Veer-Zaara Dvd

Veer-Zaara (Hindi pronunciation: [ʋiːr zaːraː]) is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language period romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra and produced by him and his son Aditya Chopra. It stars Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta as the eponymous star-crossed lovers; Veer is an Indian Air Force pilot and Zaara is the daughter of a Pakistani politician. Veer is imprisoned on false charges, and a young Pakistani lawyer played by Rani Mukerji fights his case. Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Divya Dutta, Manoj Bajpayee, Boman Irani, Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher play supporting roles.

Chopra wanted to make his return to cinema after seven years; he was dissatisfied with the scripts he received. Aditya then narrated a few scenes of a story he had written, which interested Chopra and prompted him to direct it. Chopra intended the film to be a tribute to Punjab; it was to be titled Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum. Set in India and Pakistan, principal photography took place in Punjab and various locations in Mumbai; parts of the film were also shot in Pakistan. The soundtrack album, based on old compositions by Madan Mohan with lyrics by Javed Akhtar, was the highest-selling album of the year in India.

The film was released on 12 November 2004 during the Diwali festival. Veer-Zaara earned over ₹976.4 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of the year in both India and overseas territories. It received highly positive reviews from critics, with praise directed to the story, screenplay, dialogues, music, performances and sensitive portrayal of India-Pakistan relations. It was described by analysts as having themes pertaining to a shared Punjabi culture, secularism and feminism, among others. The film received several awards, including four at the 50th Filmfare Awards, including Best Film and Best Story. At the 6th IIFA Awards, the film won seven awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Music Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. It also won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at the National Film Awards.

Plot

In 2004, the Government of Pakistan decides to review unsolved cases pertaining to Indian prisoners as a goodwill gesture. Saamiya Siddiqui, a budding Pakistani lawyer, is given prisoner 786’s defense as her first case. The prisoner has not spoken to anyone for 22 years. After addressing him by his name, Veer Pratap Singh, Veer opens up to Saamiya and narrates his story.

Zaara Haayat Khan is a lively Pakistani woman whose family is of the political background and high standing in Lahore. Zaara’s Sikh governess (whom she addresses as her grandmother) Bebe asks Zaara to scatter her ashes in the Sutlej river among her ancestors as her last wish. While traveling to India, Zaara’s bus meets with an accident. Veer, an Indian Air Force pilot, rescues her, and she completes Bebe’s final rites. Veer convinces Zaara to return with him to his village to spend a day together on account of Lohri. Zaara meets Veer’s uncle Choudhary Sumer and his aunt Saraswati. Veer realises that he is falling in love with Zaara.

The next day, Veer takes Zaara to the train station for her train back to Lahore, planning to confess. However, he ends up meeting Zaara’s fiancé Raza Sharazi. Before she leaves, he confesses his love to her, accepting that they cannot be together. Zaara boards in silence and bids him goodbye; both believe they will never meet again.

Back home in Pakistan, Zaara realises she too is in love with Veer but that she must keep her family’s honour and marry Raza, a wedding that will further the political career of her father Jehangir. Seeing Zaara breaking down, her maid and friend Shabbo, calls Veer, asking him to take Zaara away before her wedding. Veer quits the Indian Air Force and travels to Pakistan. When he arrives, Zaara runs into his arms in tears, causing her father to fall sick in shock. Mariyam begs Veer to leave Zaara because Jehangir’s high-profile reputation and health will be ruined if news gets out that Zaara is in love with an Indian. Veer respects this request and decides to leave but Raza, outraged by the shame Zaara has brought upon him, has him wrongly imprisoned on charges of being an Indian spy. Meanwhile, the bus Veer was supposed to be on going back to India falls off a cliff, killing all the passengers. When Veer hears this in jail, he believes the amulet Zaara’s mother gave him is what protected his life.

Veer requests Saamiya not to mention either Zaara or her family whilst fighting the case, believing Zaara is happily married by now and he will only ruin her life. Due to this, Saamiya decides to cross the border and find someone in Veer’s village who can prove his true identity. In Veer’s village, she is shocked to meet Zaara and Shabbo instead. Zaara had thought that Veer died in the bus accident 22 years ago. After news of his death, she broke off the marriage with Raza, and her father agreed, getting them divorced himself. Afterward, Zaara and Shabbo left Pakistan and settled in India, in Veer’s village, so that Zaara could keep Veer’s dream of running a girl’s school alive. Saamiya takes Zaara back to Pakistan, and she shares an emotional reunion with Veer. Her statement and evidence prove Veer’s innocence and the judge frees him, apologising on behalf of Pakistan. Veer and Zaara, finally reunited, get married, say goodbye to Saamiya at the Wagah border crossing, and return to their village, living happily ever after.

Cast

Actor Character Description
Shah Rukh Khan Veer Pratap Singh Indian Air Force pilot
Preity Zinta Zaara Hayaat Khan An independent Pakistani Muslim
Rani Mukerji Saamiya Siddiqui A human rights lawyer
Manoj Bajpai Raza Sharazi Zaara’s fiancè
Amitabh Bachchan Choudhary Sumer Singh Veer’s uncle (cameo appearance)
Hema Malini Saraswati Kaur Singh Veer’s aunt (cameo appearance)
Boman Irani Jehangir Hayat Khan Zaara’s father
Kirron Kher Mariyam Hayat Khan Zaara’s mother
Divya Dutta Shabana “Shabbo” Ibrahim Zaara’s friend and maid
Anupam Kher Zakir Ahmed A lawyer against Veer
Atiqa Odho Nawul Hayaat Khan Zaara’s sister
Akhilendra Mishra Malkaat A Pakistani jailor
Zohra Sehgal Bebe Zaara’s governess
Tom Alter Raltaaf Sheikh Zaara’s family doctor