Erich Segal’s Man Woman and Child & Shekhar Kapur’s Masoom.

Almost 70-80% of the movies are inspired either from a novel or from a short/long story. But when we start comparing the two, it becomes evident that almost in majority of the cases; novels justify the basic idea of creator much more than films do. Hence people who have read the particular novel and have watched the film based upon the same novel, in majority of the cases tend to say that Novel is far more better than the movie. Take Da vinci Code or The Godfather or Primal Fear for example, now all these films are excellent, no doubt about this but those of you who have read the novel would say, “ya , but the novel is better” that is because, you could not get the feeling of satisfaction after watching a movie as compared to reading the novel. Anyway there are few exceptions and Shekhar Kapur’s MASOOM is one of them.
I have seen Masoom thousands of times and recently I also read the novel upon which Masoom is based. Erich Segal’s Man Woman and Child. I adore Erich Segal and I respect every novelist and I always try to take a side of Novelist when it comes to the battle between writers, as Novelist against Screen Writers.
No two products can be compared in any case but the sense of satisfaction that I got after watching Masoom, Man Woman and Child failed to produce it. I would not here tell the End cause it would spoil the whole idea for future readers of the book and audience as far as the movie is concerned. But I have to say that Shekhar Kapur (Director) and Gulzar (screen writer) had given justice to the brilliant idea of Erich Segal’s. For the idea, no doubt, the credit goes to only one man, Erich Segal himself.
Anyway both the creations are fabulous and I strongly will recommend for all the people who haven’t still watched Masoom or read Man Woman and Child to do the same.
I always cry during R D Burman’s two songs “Do naina or Ek kahani” and “ Tujhse Naraj Nahi Jindagi- Female Version”. In fact the great Latabai also could not hide her emotions and have made a little mistake while singing the song, listen to it and those who are good in music would be able to recognize it. Everyone liked it so they decided to keep it as it was looking natural and not artificial. The last scene in the film, the Gun on head (as we say in screen writer’s language) was so much dramatically shot that even audience feel some pressure. I think novel has failed to build up this pressure. End in both art forms are different and I loved both the Ends.
This is pure magic. Those of you who want to see magic, please read Erich Segal’s Mman Woman and Child & Watch Shekhar Kapur’s Masoom.

Cheers
Anand