Apne Apne Full Story Explained (1987)
Imagine a rich man torn between his mother's wishes and his true love. That is the heart of 'Apne Apne' (1987). This Hindi drama stars Jeetendra as Ravi Kapoor, a wealthy businessman. He loves Sharda (Rekha), a poor woman. But his mother wants him to marry Seema (Hema Malini), a rich, foreign-returned girl. Years later, Ravi's son Vijay gets into trouble with a dangerous gangster. Ravi sends Vijay to hide at an ashram run by Sharda. What happens next changes everyone's life. This film is a classic family drama about love, sacrifice, and second chances. Directed by Ramesh Behl, it features beautiful music by R. D. Burman. The movie has emotional highs and lows that will keep you hooked. Let me tell you the full story.
A Mother's Cruel Choice
Ravi Kapoor is a rich businessman. He loves Sharda, a simple, kind woman. But his mother, Mrs. Kapoor, hates Sharda. She wants Ravi to marry Seema, a wealthy girl from abroad. Ravi must choose between his mother and his love.
Full Plot
Ravi Kapoor is a rich businessman in 1980s India. He lives with his controlling mother, Mrs. Kapoor. Ravi falls in love with Sharda, a poor but kind woman. His mother disapproves of Sharda completely. She wants Ravi to marry Seema, a wealthy girl who just returned from abroad. Ravi defies his mother and marries Sharda. They are happy for a while. Sharda becomes pregnant. Mrs. Kapoor reluctantly allows them to live in the family home. But tragedy strikes. Sharda has a severe accident. She loses her baby. The doctor tells her she can never have children again. Mrs. Kapoor sees this as her chance. She forces Ravi to send Sharda away. Ravi, weak and heartbroken, agrees. He then marries Seema as his mother demands. Ravi and Seema have a son named Vijay. Vijay grows up spoiled and arrogant. He has no respect for anyone. He gets into a violent fight with a powerful gangster named Samrat. Samrat swears to kill Vijay. Ravi is terrified for his son's life. One day, Ravi accidentally meets Sharda again. She now runs a peaceful ashram called Shanti-Dham. She is happy and respected by everyone. Ravi asks Sharda for help. He wants to hide Vijay at her ashram. Sharda agrees without hesitation. Vijay arrives at the ashram. He does not know Sharda is his father's first wife. Sharda treats him with love and kindness. Slowly, her gentle nature changes Vijay. He gives up his bad habits. He becomes a better person. He also falls in love with Ila, a girl raised by Sharda. Meanwhile, Seema discovers the truth. She is furious that Sharda is back in their lives. She rushes to the ashram to bring Vijay home. At the same time, Samrat and his gang attack the ashram. A violent fight breaks out. Samrat tries to kill Vijay. Sharda sees this and throws herself in front of Vijay. She takes the bullet or blow meant for him. Sharda dies in Vijay's arms. Her sacrifice shocks everyone. Vijay is devastated but transformed. He realizes the power of true love and sacrifice. The film ends with Vijay honoring Sharda's memory by living a good life.
Act Breakdown
Love and Loss
Ravi Kapoor loves Sharda but his mother wants him to marry Seema. He marries Sharda anyway. Sharda becomes pregnant but has a miscarriage. She can never have children. Mrs. Kapoor forces Ravi to send Sharda away. Ravi marries Seema.
A New Generation
Years pass. Ravi and Seema have a son named Vijay. Vijay grows up spoiled and arrogant. He gets into a fight with gangster Samrat. Samrat wants to kill him. Ravi is terrified for his son's life.
The Ashram Refuge
Ravi meets Sharda again. She runs a peaceful ashram. Ravi hides Vijay there. Sharda's kindness transforms Vijay. He falls in love with Ila. Seema discovers the truth and is furious. She rushes to the ashram to take Vijay back.
The Final Sacrifice
Samrat attacks the ashram. He tries to kill Vijay. Sharda jumps in front of Vijay and takes the fatal blow. She dies saving him. Vijay is transformed by her sacrifice. He becomes a good person.
Characters
Ravi Kapoor
Played by Jeetendra
Ravi is a wealthy businessman. He loves Sharda deeply but is weak against his mother's pressure. He marries Sharda first, then abandons her. He later marries Seema. He tries to protect his son Vijay by hiding him at Sharda's ashram. He is a good man who makes painful choices.
Sharda Kapoor
Played by Rekha
Sharda is a poor, kind woman. She loves Ravi unconditionally. She loses her baby in an accident and is sent away by Ravi's mother. She later runs a peaceful ashram. She forgives Ravi and helps him by hiding Vijay. She sacrifices her own life to save Vijay.
Seema Kapoor
Played by Hema Malini
Seema is a wealthy, foreign-returned woman. She marries Ravi after Sharda is sent away. She is possessive and jealous. She becomes furious when she learns Sharda is back. She rushes to the ashram to take her son Vijay away. She represents the selfish side of love.
Vijay Kapoor
Played by Karan Shah
Vijay is Ravi and Seema's son. He grows up spoiled and arrogant. He gets into trouble with gangster Samrat. He is sent to Sharda's ashram for safety. Under Sharda's care, he transforms into a good person. He falls in love with Ila. He is devastated when Sharda dies saving him.
Mrs. Kapoor
Played by Sushma Seth
Mrs. Kapoor is Ravi's controlling mother. She disapproves of Sharda because she is poor. She forces Ravi to send Sharda away and marry Seema. She is the main obstacle to Ravi and Sharda's happiness. She represents rigid family pride and class prejudice.
Samrat
Played by Kader Khan
Samrat is a powerful underworld don. He gets into a fight with Vijay and swears to kill him. He attacks Sharda's ashram to get to Vijay. He is the villain who causes the final tragedy. His violence leads to Sharda's sacrifice.
Scene Highlights
Sharda's Accident
Sharda is pregnant and happy. She has a terrible accident. She loses her baby. The doctor tells her she can never have children again. This is the moment that destroys her marriage. Mrs. Kapoor uses this tragedy to force Ravi to send Sharda away.
Vijay vs Samrat
Vijay, arrogant and spoiled, gets into a violent fight with gangster Samrat. Samrat is powerful and dangerous. He swears to kill Vijay. This scene sets up the entire second half of the film. It shows how Vijay's bad behavior puts everyone in danger.
Sharda Meets Vijay
Ravi brings Vijay to Sharda's ashram. Vijay does not know who Sharda is. Sharda treats him with kindness and love. This is the beginning of Vijay's transformation. The audience can feel the emotional weight of this reunion.
Seema's Confrontation
Seema discovers that Sharda is back in Ravi's life. She is filled with rage and jealousy. She rushes to the ashram to confront Sharda and take Vijay away. This scene shows the conflict between the two women and the tension in the family.
Sharda's Sacrifice
Samrat attacks the ashram. He is about to kill Vijay. Sharda sees this and runs to protect him. She takes the fatal blow meant for Vijay. She dies in his arms. This is the most emotional scene of the film. It changes Vijay forever.
Cast & Context
This film brings together three of Bollywood's biggest stars: Jeetendra, Rekha, and Hema Malini. Jeetendra was known for his romantic and action roles. Rekha was celebrated for her powerful dramatic performances. Hema Malini, the 'Dream Girl' of Bollywood, plays a negative role here, which was rare for her. The pairing of Jeetendra and Rekha was popular in the 1980s. This was also the last film directed by Ramesh Behl, who had earlier directed hits like 'Kasme Vaade' and 'Jawani Diwani'.
Themes
Love vs Duty
Ravi is torn between his love for Sharda and his duty to his mother. He chooses love first, but then bows to duty. This conflict drives the entire story. Sharda's sacrifice shows that true love is about selflessness, not duty.
Sacrifice and Redemption
Sharda sacrifices her life to save Vijay. This act redeems Vijay's spoiled character. It also shows that love can transform even the most selfish person. Sharda's death is not sad—it is a powerful lesson in giving.
Class and Family Pride
Mrs. Kapoor rejects Sharda because she is poor. She values wealth and status over her son's happiness. This theme shows how class prejudice destroys families. Sharda's ashram, where everyone is equal, is the opposite of this.
Motherhood Beyond Blood
Sharda becomes a mother figure to Vijay, even though he is not her son. She loves and protects him more than his own mother Seema does. This theme shows that real motherhood is about care, not biology.
Music & Soundtrack
ComposerR. D. Burman
The soundtrack of Apne Apne is composed by R. D. Burman. The song 'Apne Apne Se' is a beautiful duet by Lata Mangeshkar and Suresh Wadkar. 'Idhar Bhi Tu' and 'Tune Kiya Kya Jadoo' are also popular. The music adds deep emotion to the film's dramatic moments.
Similar Films
Both films feature Rekha playing a woman who develops maternal feelings for her ex-lover's son. The plot structure is very similar.
Directed by the same director Ramesh Behl, this film also deals with family drama and an errant young man being reformed by an elder.
Another Ramesh Behl film where a son is a gunda and causes trouble in college, similar to Vijay's character in Apne Apne.
Both films explore themes of love, sacrifice, and family pressure, with a similar emotional tone.
Ending Explained
In the final scene, Samrat and his gang attack Sharda's ashram. They want to kill Vijay. A violent fight breaks out between Samrat's men and the ashram residents. Vijay is cornered. Samrat is about to strike him with a weapon or gun. Sharda sees this from a distance. Without a second thought, she runs and throws herself in front of Vijay. She takes the fatal blow meant for him. Sharda collapses and dies in Vijay's arms. Vijay is shocked and heartbroken. He realizes that this woman, who was a stranger to him, loved him more than anyone. Her sacrifice completely changes him. He gives up his arrogance and bad habits. He decides to live a good, honest life in her memory. Seema, who came to take Vijay away, witnesses the sacrifice. She is humbled. Ravi is devastated but also grateful that Sharda saved his son. The film ends with a message: true love means giving everything for others. Sharda's spirit lives on through the good she did.
Apne Apne is worth watching if you love classic Bollywood family dramas. The performances by Rekha and Jeetendra are strong. The music by R. D. Burman is excellent. The story is emotional and has a powerful message about sacrifice. However, the film has a slow pace in the middle. Some dialogues feel outdated. The logic of Sharda's sacrifice might feel forced to modern viewers. But if you enjoy 80s Hindi cinema with big emotions and family conflicts, this film will touch your heart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apne Apne is a 1987 Hindi drama about Ravi Kapoor, a rich man torn between his mother and his true love Sharda. Years later, his son Vijay gets into trouble with a gangster. Ravi hides Vijay at Sharda's ashram. Sharda sacrifices her life to save Vijay.
The main actors are Jeetendra as Ravi Kapoor, Rekha as Sharda Kapoor, and Hema Malini as Seema Kapoor. Karan Shah plays Vijay, Mandakini plays Ila, and Kader Khan plays the villain Samrat.
Yes, the movie has a very emotional and sad ending. Sharda, the kind and loving woman, dies while saving Vijay from the gangster. Her sacrifice is heartbreaking but also beautiful.
The music for Apne Apne was composed by the legendary R. D. Burman. The songs include 'Apne Apne Se', 'Idhar Bhi Tu', and 'Tune Kiya Kya Jadoo'. The soundtrack is very popular.
The main message is that true love means sacrifice. Sharda gives her life to save a boy who is not her son. The film also shows that love can change even the most spoiled person. It teaches us to value people over money and status.