A man is forced by circumstances to kidnap his own son. He begins life afresh with his son, away from his wife and everyone who knew him. All is hunky dory until a page from the past life flips into present and puts him on crossroads where he would have to fight to stay together with his son.
Indra Kumar-directed Rishtey is the story of a once-happily-married couple that separate due to misunderstandings created by the girl's scheming father.
The film revolves around Sooraj (Anil Kapoor) who is a doting father to his son, Karan. The child is under the impression that his mother Komal (Karisma Kapoor) is dead. But the truth is that Sooraj separated from Komal to live in isolation with his son after she turned her back on him many years back.
Over the years Sooraj has tried best to be both mother and father to Karan, but a subdued desire for motherly love still lingers in the little one's heart.
The duo's humdrum life gets a bit excited with the entry of Vaijanthi (Shilpa Shetty), a fisherwoman who walks swaying her lissome figure and chattering endlessly.
Attracted towards Sooraj, Vaijanthi tries her best to get his attention, but to no use. She dons the garb of a typical Bhartiya Nari and undertakes the Karvachauth fast to take the Komal's place in the household.
It is then the story goes into flashback to tell the viewer about the reason that made Sooraj and Komal part ways.
As it turns out, Komal's father (Amrish Puri) is a rich man who doesn't approve of the man his daughter loves. But Komal defies all the conventions and marries Sooraj much against her father's wish.
But Komal's father is not the one to give up so easily. To drive the rift between his daughter and her husband whom he doesn't approve of, Komal's father leads her to believe that her man has strayed and she swears off him. Now the old man wants to even kill their baby. In the face of these circumstances Sooraj is left with no alternative but to run off with his son.
Seven years pass, till a twist of fate puts Komal and Sooraj face to face with each other. Komal who has repressed her motherly love for so many years is suddenly filled with strong affection for Karan. She's adamant in getting her son back.
Komal's father throws his trump card and challenges Sooraj that in order to get back his son he must arrange Rs. 15 lakhs in three months to show that he was capable of bringing up his son.
Determined to stay with his son Sooraj returns to the fighting arena as a boxer, which could prove quite fatal for him.
Rishtey is based on a fresh storyline that doesn't have much scope for puerile romance and schmaltzy sentiments. However, the film does get mushy at times as Indra Kumar resorts to melodramatic clichés.
For instance, in the first half when Sooraj runs away with his son a distraught Komal gets into 'diva'-static mood, dons a black sari, violins et al and begins to show suicidal tendencies.
Performances from both Anil and Karisma are top class. Shilpa Shetty too walks away with accolades playing a 'forever chattering' fisherwoman.
Rishtey is about the complexities of human relationships and how these relationships often change the course of a man's entire life.
Movie Review : The Rishtey Review (1/10) A man is forced by circumstances to kidnap his own son. He begins life afresh with his son, away from his wife and everyone who kn...
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