September 1, 2009 09:32AMT This Bollywood movie of the 1980s is a remake of a 1979 Hollywood film The Promise, starring some of India’s
most talented actors. It’s a film with the rare ability to leave you close to tears, but still joyful. Many will remember it simply as Sunita. Rishi Kapoor plays Vikram Rai Bahadur, a young man from a wealthy home. Vikram goes on vacation with his friend Gogi (Rakesh Bedi), and meets a young singer, Sunita Sikkan (Poonam Dhillion), there. Her voice is exceptional her looks, heavenly and her manners so perfect that he falls hopelessly in love with her. Then he must go to great lengths to her affection. Vikram and Sunita eventually decide to marry, but the couple’s happiness is thwarted by Vikram’s mother, who detests Sunita’s poor background. Of course, Vikram ignores his mother’s objections and proceeds to the temple to wed Sunita, with his friend Gogi acting as their witness. However, a horrific car accident prevents them from even reaching the temple. Gogi escapes relatively unhurt, but Vikram is severely injured and loses consciousness, while Sunita’s face is permanently disfigured. When Vikram regains consciousness, his mother claims Sunita is dead, hoping he will quickly forget her. She also tellss the hospitalised Sunita that Vikram would never stoop to marrying a woman as ugly as she has become.
Defeated, Sunita promises never to contact Vikram again and tells his mother she would leave him for ever.