A film released in 1989 by director Sooraj Barjatya turned into one of Hindi cinema's biggest surprise hits, largely because its lead pair, both complete newcomers at the time, won over audiences instantly. The film ended up earning roughly 22 times its original budget at the box office.
The Film In Question
The film is Sooraj Barjatya's 'Maine Pyar Kiya', released in 1989. The pairing of Salman Khan and Bhagyashree was an instant favourite with viewers, and the film's songs are still played and remembered 37 years after its release.
A Story The Director Initially Didn't Like
Maine Pyar Kiya was Sooraj Barjatya's very first film as a director, and it went on to become a superhit. What's less known is that Barjatya was not fully convinced by the film's story to begin with. He had initially wanted to cast an established, bigger star in the lead role, but the budget simply did not allow for it. That constraint is what eventually led him to cast newcomers Salman Khan and Bhagyashree instead.
Salman Khan Failed His Screen Test
In a twist that is often overlooked, Salman Khan did not clear the film's screen test. Even so, he was cast as the lead hero. Maine Pyar Kiya was built as a strictly family film, with nothing in it that families couldn't watch together, so much so that even the kissing scene was shot as a reflection in a mirror rather than directly.
A Rich Son, A Poor Daughter, And A Love Story
The plot follows Prem, played by Salman Khan, the son of a wealthy father, and Suman, played by Bhagyashree, the daughter of a poor father. Suman comes to stay at Prem's home, and the two fall in love while living under the same roof. Prem's father, however, is completely against the relationship and ends up harshly confronting his own childhood friend, who happens to be Suman's father. Prem later goes to Suman's house in an attempt to win back his love, but despite every effort, he is unable to get her back.
A 2 Crore Film That Made 45.8 Crore
Sooraj Barjatya made this film on a budget of just 2 crore rupees at the time. Yet it went on to earn about 22 times that amount, collecting 45.8 crore rupees and making its makers rich in the process. Bhagyashree, for her part, continued to be identified with this one film throughout her career.
