Do Aur Do Paanch (1980)

We’re going to keep with the comedy line again and present to you from 1980, Rakesh Roshan’s Do Aur Do Paanch¸ with another star studded cast with Amitabh Bachchan leading the way along with Sashi Kapoor, Hema Malini and Perveen Babi.

The movie is about two thieves who always seem to be crossing paths at the inopportune moment, often trying to steal the same thing. There are events within in the underworld and it is announced that there is a great prize for the person who manages to kidnap the son of a wealthy industrialist. The organized crime branch, which employs Sashi Kapoor’s Laxman under “Uncle Jagdish” played by Kader Khan, and Mr. Bachcna’s Vijay both get jobs as teachers in the school the child, Beetu, is at. The movie is hilarious, with the two thieves undermining each other when they get to the school, trying to get to the child and it slowly becomes darker and gets to an incredibly touching, incredibly horrifying song at the climax.

Let’s first talk about Beetu’s father in this movie, Dr. Shreeram Lagoo as the loving, protective father who employs a massive force of security to keep his precious child safe. Dr. Lagoo has got to be one of my favorite characters actors, have loved him ever since I first saw him in Lawaris. He has that rare ability to present a character’s dual nature; he leaves enough room in his characters for redemption. I truly loved this movie and think that the movie as a whole would not have been as memorable or as watchable without him as the father of the wanted child. He’s amazingly compassionate in this role, pitted against Kader Khan’s Jagdish. 

Secondly, let’s talk about Kader Khan…You may have gathered that Kader Khan is not one of my favorite people in this world and his Jagdish, everything from the God-awful wig he wears, the failed attempt at looking badass, to the odd sounds his footsteps make…or when he says “bhatije” (nephews). I do not like Mr. Khan, and I make no secret of it. He just can never make any of his characters believable enough, or inspire any kind of compassion in the good characters he plays.

I won’t go on a rant about Shashi Kapoor’s failed attempts at “cool” today, I think I’ve poked enough fun at Kader Khan without having to point out that Mr. Kapoor has erm, moobs…(note the scene his and Mr. Bachchan’s characters are running to the train station…)

As always, the movie’s underlying theme comes through Mr. Bachchan’s character describing the reason why he became a thief in the first place. He points to his stomach and states that he became a thief because of his hunger, then society labeled him as such and the title of thief sticks.

But all this doesn't happen until after a fair amount of comedy that is carried out between the two characters, including a song that is performed by Laxman with a drugged out Perveen Babi. There’s also a scene with a naked Shashi Kapoor in the lake, and Mr. Bachchan’s Ram being fed poori’s to death by 250 students…There are many scenes, many one liners from the movie that can be taken away. And the ladies in this movie are amazing as well, neither Perveen Babi nor Hema Malini annoy me in this one, which is pretty rare. And one of my favorite differences in the movie is that the good guys are played by the guys I’m used to seeing as the bad guys!

The most startling moment in the movie comes towards the end, once the two thieves have reformed, when the children of the school are poisoned and must not fall asleep. As Mr. Bachchan’s Ram races to the city to get more doctors and nurses to treat the kids of the school, Laxman and all the adults at the school sing to the kids and play with them to keep them awake. But the expression on the adults’ faces as they watch the kids try to stay awake, it breaks your heart. There is something incredibly haunting about the song “Soti Hai Yeh Raat Sone Do”, sung by Kishore Kumar, perhaps it’s because compared to the sillier songs of the movie...or the thought of greed killing children that bothers me.

Do Aur Do Paanch not only teaches you that no matter how hard you try, 2+2 does not equal 5; it also highlights Mr. Bachchan’s comedic talents.

The duality that I have begun to see within the Shahenshah of Bollywood is displayed here for the entire world to see.

Your favorite PE drop out,

I.S. 

PS- "Aay! Aay! Laxman bacchao! Aaay Laxmaaaan bacchao! Laxman! Ahhh! Oof! Laxmaaaan! Mujhe bacchao! Ah. Oof. Laxman. Ah. Ooh." -Mr. Bachchan's Ram.