Jeevan Dhaara (1982) Poster

(1982)

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7/10
The river of Rekha's life
Peter_Young31 January 2010
Jeevan Dhaara is the story of Sangeeta Shrivastav, a young, smart and decisive girl. Sangeeta is the sole breadwinner of her extended family, which includes a helpless mother, an unemployed, alcoholic brother, a widowed sister, a sister in-law, and three kids, one of whom is blind. Sangeeta is already 25, she is in daily struggles with her life and she is longing for the day on which she will tie the knot. However, she knows that circumstances force her to remain unmarried and take care of the family, which was abandoned by her father. Sangeeta is the true man in the house and she is known for her tough and no-nonsense attitude with the members of the family, particularly with the kids. She is strict and uncompromising, but everyone knows that beneath this heavy mask lies a very vulnerable and kind soul. She sacrifices her own happiness by letting any incidental chances to get married and form her own family pass by.

Jeevan Dhaara is quite authentic in its depiction, though the pacing is a bit slow from time to time and I would delete a few unnecessary scenes. The writing is good but at times it has a bit depressing mood to it, though it has its occasional joyful moments. The film's main sub-plot with Sangeeta's friend Kalpana, played by Simple Kapadia and her affair with her mother's lover is quite effective. Rama Rao Tanineni's direction is pretty good, and the music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal is appropriate. The acting is good. Jeevan Dhaara is Rekha's film all the way, and she is thoroughly compelling and moving as she always is, though this is clearly not one of her best parts. She manages to draw the audience's sympathy even though her character is quite unlikable. Raj Babbar is average as her alcoholic brother, and Amol Palekar is fantastic as usual.

Jeevan Dhaara is a nice dramatic feature, it is simple, issue-based, and though I wouldn't call it a particularly great film, it is interesting and watchable mainly due to Rekha's beautiful portrayal.
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7/10
Tear jerker
ArvindVyas15 March 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Rekha is the only earning member in the family - eldest sister, the younger is widow and is now wed to sewing machine. Brother (played well by Raj Babbar) is married and is a no good gambler and drunkard. Father (It was Neelu Phule's) has disowned the family and became a hermit. Mother (Sulochana) obviously is old enough that she only could shed tears over the family situation. And who could forget Amol Palekar - a struggling actor - who is tenent (and can not pay the rent). So you could see it is only to Rekha to support.

Kanwaljeet - perhaps no other actor looked as good while on his prime - Rekha's sweet heart, wants to marry Rekha - but manages to ruin his own life. He brings the flowers for Rekha but this gesture make the younger sister fall in love with him. So even though he is not in love with her for sake of Rekha he should get married to her sister (and so Rekha is off limit forever).

Friend, Simple Kapadia, (nowhere near the good looks of her elder sister) manages to get herself pregnent by someone who would not marry her, tries to commit suicide and is saved by (unfortunate) Amol Palekar (again there are hints of his attraction towards Rekha) and Rekha commits her to Simple.

Now at this point one must start wondering if Rekha would ever get married?

Comes Rakesh Roshan, who is the boss of Rekha and can't help falling in love with her. For a change brother Raj Babbar becomes a waiter in a hotel and starts earning - stops gambling and drinking. So now Rekha can get married. But, on the day of wedding Raj Babbar manages to get himself killed by his money landers. No wedding for Rakesh Roshan either.

The sister-in-law is now wed to sewing machine and Rekha is as usual the sole earning member of now truncated family. And that is the Jeevan

Dhara jiska koi nahi kinana (that is the river of life which has no riverside).

Overall good acting by all people. If you are feeling bad - watch the movie feel even bad but with a comfort - thank god! you are not part of this movie.
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8/10
Great movie!
princeofthieves20034 August 2017
Jeevan Dhara is a great movie about a woman's dedication to her family & friends. Rekha is perfect in that role and helps this heavily emotionally charged movie move forward. She is supported in this by Amol Palekar and Raj Babbar. Both actors deserve credit for their performance in that movie. Let us also not forget the wonderfully talented & beautiful Simple Kapadia (so often overlooked & riled upon by the movie community) for her acting performance here. She managed to add an intensity to the movie which even Rekha could not do. This movie proves that she could have made it as a great actress if only circumstances had not been against her.
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1/10
Amazingly Bad
vishal_wall7 October 2020
One of those films in which everybody is selfish and bad just because writer wants to show one guy good. Rekha is good and everybody else in this film stupid. Horrile.
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