Language: Hindi
Starring: Raghuvir Yadav, Master Abhishek, Kalpana Iyer
Director: Pankaj Parashar
Dissatisfied by his lonely and restrictive royal lifestyle, a young prince experiences joy and liberation when he befriends a mystical man from another planet.
In the Eighties, Pankaj Parashar was considered among the sassiest filmmakers. Among the films and numerous TV commercials he directed, the Beverly Hills Cops styled zippy thriller Jalwa (1987) — with a pumped up Naseeruddin Shah in lead no less, the trendsetting detective TV series Karamchand (1985), and an immensely enjoyable blockbuster Chaalbaaz (1989) remain Parashar’s best known work. His brand of cinema: stylish, technically polished, entertaining, and at times wacky.
Aasman Se Gira is perhaps Parashar’s wackiest outing. The plot is simple: a blooming friendship between people from two different worlds, literally. The young prince aptly named Koutuk (Abhishek) is curious about the world and its ways. Trained for statesmanship, he is kept in seclusion by his vain, mean aunt Mashila. When faced with a man from another planet, Koutuk sees a chance at friendship. He names his new friend Trishanku and promises to find a way to send him back to his home planet. As the two set out on an uncertain journey — with Mashila’s guards on their heels — Koutuk and Trishanku meet several fascinating people and imbibe new experiences.
Set in the historic splendor of Rajasthan, the zaniness of the characters couldn’t have been more striking. Kalpana Iyer as the outlandish Mashila could well be a composite of Cruella De Vil and Snow White’s Evil Queen. Her whimsical act is gloriously matched by Raghuvir Yadav’s Trishanku. As the bizarre headgear sporting and funny language spewing alien, Yadav dances, sings (the film has some fantastic banal songs), and performs with just the right verve that a fantasy children’s film requires. The versatile actor finds an easy camaraderie with his pocket-sized co-star Master Abhishek, who is likely to remind you of Master Manjunath of Malgudi Days (1987) fame.
Aasman Se Gira also has a host of Bollywood stars in guest appearances including Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Amjad Khan and Anupam Kher.
Project Indian Children's Films 