Anjaam starts out as a possible, traditional love story between Vijay and Shivani, which, quite unexpectedly turns into a story of unrequited love followed by intense obsession, ego, sadism and revenge. The story develops at quite a fast pace, with one story twist preceding another, killing every possible trace of romance, much to the complete shock of an unprepared, awestruck audience. This is one of the several formula-defying films a young newcomer named Shahrukh Khan appeared in earlier on in his career, risking future career prospects as a leading actor in a film industry which very often resorts to typecasting and marking slots of villains and comedians.
But it wasn't the case this time around, and it only contributed to the image of this young, highly courageous and talented actor, whose efforts in films like Baazigar, Darr, and this time Anjaam, were applauded all over and only enhanced his stature as a credible star-actor. And one can see why. Khan is tremendous in this role. His Vijay is the nice romantic fool on the surface, but underneath lies the soul of a true monster. And the trick is that this time it's not a caricature, it's a real psycho - an eccentric, capricious brat, whose passion and ego drive him to pull out all the stops to have things done his way. The weird mannerisms, the body language, the delivery and the overall creation of this character are done brilliantly by Khan. No matter how real or unreal it could be, it is immensely entertaining and impressive.
The cynosure, the love interest, the victim, the avenger, and ultimately the leading lady of the film is Madhuri Dixit, a beautiful, principled young woman, whose honesty is but the thing that drives the obsessive antagonist nuts. Roles of avenging angels had by then already become almost a standard in Hindi films, with Rekha setting the bar with her unforgettable daredevil act in Khoon Bhari Maang. The character of Shivani is different in story and execution, and it is not as heroic. That said, Dixit is excellent in a performance that easily ranks amongst the best of her career. The transformation from a charming young lass to a woman hardened by what she had to endure is utterly convincing. One wishes she had accepted more roles like this one in better films.
Which brings me to the next point, and it is the film itself. Sadly Anjaam doesn't completely live up to the quality set by the acting. While the film is greatly entertaining, the execution is often faulty. The prison portions, though gripping at times, are for the most part embarrassingly exaggerated. There is a familiar portrayal of the corrupt law and juridical system, against which no man could ever resist if no money was found at their disposal. Anjaam is directed by Rahul Rawail, a famous director. It is his most eclectic work, and is an unusual Hindi film for its time. For the story it tried to tell, it did very well. A strong story development, a stronger second half (which is a good thing), and an ending which is totally overblown and unbelievable. But it's a good watch in spite of the flaws, and the two central performance make up for many of them anyway.
