Silsila (1981)

From 1981, from legendary director Yash Chopra, with a soundtrack worthy of the epic story, I give you Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Rekha and Sanjeev Kumar in Silsila (a “Series” in English).

This is one of the movies, as with Deewar, where not only do you as the audience find yourself questioning everything you see, and think and believe. But you also realize how many shades of gray one can find in a single lifetime. The movie is about a man who is torn between the pragmatic love between himself and his wife Shobha, played by Jaya Bachchan, and the passionate love of his former flame Chandini, played by Rekha.

Oh I do love this still

Silsila is filled with shades of gray and for me, the only character throughout the movie that is solidly “good” is Sanjeev Kumar’s doctor character. Where the characters of Amit and Chandini (played by Rekha) are stuck in their past and unwilling to let go of it, and Shobha (Jayaji’s character) although moves on and rightfully falls in love with the man that takes care of her, still should not have put herself in the position to have to be married off to begin with. What I am trying to delicately to say is- if you’re going to have sex before marriage, use a condom, whether or not it’s with your future spouse.

This is one of the movies that you can cite when you tell people about a belief that you hold because it truly can help you see things, see people, think about love in different shades. The movie defines marriage and love in a way that most people will never be able to experience in their lifetimes and therefore, will never be able to distinguish or understand between the pragmatic, long lasting love of Amit and Jaya, er Shobha, and Amit and Chandini’s torrid, passionate love.

The movie, in true Yash Chopra style, demonstrates the reality of love and life.

But this one is, was and forever shall be my favorite

This movie’s soundtrack deserves a post of its own. Not only are the dialogues of the movie to die for, the romance in the songs themselves fill you up with dreams and even nightmares, when love is lost. With songs sung in Mr. Bachchan’s incomparable baritone, with Dr. Harviansh Rai Bachchan’s words, the soundtrack of this Silsila is worth listening to…over and over again.

Shashi Kapoor’s brief but memorable scene in this movie is also worth a mention. Although I’m not a big fan of Mr. Kapoor, I have to say, his brief appearance is to be appreciated…the drunk scene with Amit, as always, is memorable.

See what I mean about too handsome?

And Amitabh Bachchan as the poet, playwright and actor Amit in the movie leaves the audience in a khwab, a dream. Looking more handsome than usual, the baritone somehow carries through the movie and into your very soul the words spoken by a skilled poet, and a soul that is searching for someone to accept it.

I love this movie, and I love what it says and narrates about love, life and faith. Whatever the supposed back story, I leave that to your discretion, but I highly recommend watching this movie to question your own beliefs about everything you know.

Time to go find a tulip field,

Ish.

Mili (1975)

Another movie that is easy to love, from director Hrishikesh Mukherjee, 1975’s Mili (‘found’), staring Amitabh Bachchan as the gloomy and grief stricken Shekhar Dayal and Jaya Bhaduri (now Bachchan) as Mili Khanna, the sweet girl that draws out Shekhar from his world of darkness.

This movie is one of the pre-Sholay era masterpieces that manages to draw out Mr. Bachchan’s talents as a versatile, fantastic actor, capable of a wide range of emotions. Combine with Mukherjee’s sense of direction that I am starting to appreciate more and more, with Mrs. Bachchan’s impeccable portrayal of utter sweetness, the movie is gold.

The story revolves around Mili, who is loved by everyone in her apartment complex, and is a ray of sunshine in everyone’s lives- except she has a terminal, incurable illness. Along comes Shekhar Dayal with his man-servant, stricken by the grief of his father having murdered his mother, and having to constantly change residence to find peace away from rumors, from the memories of his parents.

In Mili, he finds peace. And in her love, he finds the strength to live and even become strong to enough to shoulder her burden, and to rejoin the world of color and smile, laughter.

The story appeals to the romantic’s heart…it will make you cry. But you’ll love it completely.

It is a true movie lover’s movie, with enough of Mr. Bachchan’s legendary drunk scenes to keep anyone utterly content. The acting by the entire cast is fantastic with a sweet soundtrack, nothing is out of place. I especially love Mili’s father played by Ashok Kumar and Shekhar’s man servant, whose name I cannot find actually!

The movie is one of the most amazing collaborations between the future and blessed Mr. and Mrs. Bachchan.

I’m going to go play with the stars,

-Ish

Alaap (1977)

I finally get to gush over 1977’s masterpiece Alaap (Modulation- in singing terminology, or a Music Prelude*), directed by the legendary Hrishikesh Mukherjee, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Om Prakash, and Chaya Devi as Sarjubhayi. 

This was one of the movies that was very easy to fall in love with. Not only did it speak to the musician in me, but the plot of the movie and the flow is so unique, and so amazingly touching. I haven’t seen a movie that can parallel a song, or a passion for music, quite like this.

The story revolves around the son of an affluent man, played by Om Prakash, who is unwilling to allow his son to further pursue his passion for singing. Upon finding out that Alok, played by our Mr. Bachchan, has been keeping company with a once-famous singer Sarjubhyaii, played by Chaya Devi, a series of events occur which lead Alok to leave the wealth and fame of his family and become a part of a family that is bound by love and music.

The progression of the story is like music, the tempo steadily rising, with dramatic and aptly placed crescendos and rests that speak louder than a beating drum. Why this movie hasn't received more love or more recognition, I cannot understand it. It combines so many elements and there is something for everyone.

And let me tell you about the music! The soundtrack of the movie by Jaidev is a lesson in classical Hindi music, with all its fantastic instruments and other-worldliness of the musical experience, of the true music lovers addiction to music.

There is a moment in this movie, a scene with Rekha and Asrani, where the brother and sister are fighting, and the sister is hungry and asks her brother to fulfill his promise to their father- that he would kill her instead of letting her go hungry. Rekha is, as always, remarkable in her role. She throws of an air of innocence and sweetness that wins your heart just as it steals Alok’s in the movie. This is one of her finest performances.

And let us not forget Om Prakash, playing the father of the family who refuses to allow his son to defy him and pursue his love of music over a career in law. I’ve always loved Om Prakash, whether he is the strict Triloki Prasad of this movie or the lovable Dadu from Namak Halal or Sharaabi’s Munshiji. He embodies every role he plays and this movie, as with a piece of music, he starts out with a blast, a thunderous crescendo and slowly melts into a soft melody at the end of the movie.

Amitabh Bachchan as Alok is at his best, embodying integrity, righteousness without its nasty connotations and singing or playing the various instruments with such heartfelt passion. The way he is around his adopted mother in the movie, Sarjubhayii, will melt your heart…It shocks me endlessly why this movie does not get mentioned among the top 10, or at least 20 of Mr. Bachchan’s greatest movies.

Please watch this movie! You will not regret it! And keep an eye out for Sanjeev Kumar’s special appearance and a parallel love story within the movie that spans decades. 

Agey meri ma, keeraya lene....

-Ishtar

*Definitions provided by Messrs. Saxena and Sharam via Twitter...eternally grateful :)

PS: This one of the only movies for which I could not find the original poster for...any help tracking it down is welcome :) 

Main Azad Hoon (1989)

Main Azad Hoon (“I Am Free/I Am Azad” in English) from 1989, directed by Tinnu Anand is the movie of today, with Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Anupam Kher.

And let me tell you, what a movie!

An adaptation of Hollywood’s Meet John Doe the movie is one of the movies starring Amitabh Bachchan that makes my historian and social activist’s heart flutter with utter joy. It shows India and Indian politics in a light that’s similar to my beloved Inquilaab (link: Inquilaab). Leaving my decidedly left leaning political beliefs aside, 

the movie’s ability to highlight a problem and make it such a personal narrative is admirable.

Then again, Javed Akhtar’s ability to bring down such a stratospheric issue to the level of “every man”, to make a movie’s plot and character seem so personal is a talent, and when combined with the soulful Mr. Bachchan….well, where can you go wrong?

One of the first things I noticed about this movie is Mr. Bachchan’s awesome hair...and the passion that is awakened in his eyes when he speaks about the ordinary man’s every day struggle, and how extraordinary it is…And even my attempts to keep my left leaning politics out of the picture failed during Azad’s first speech on the stage.

The movie is a powerful one with a cast capable of very capably delivering the message of the movie.

I present to you the hair. 

One thing I really respect about this film and would like to highlight is the tastefulness of the music that is presented. Usually in Hindi cinema the tradition of music within the film creates a disturbance in the flow of the film (ie one of my favorite movies Agneepath). But in this one, the music is artfully done in form of a steady, revolutionary song that contributes to the drama and seriousness of the movie.

I hold this movie in high regard and recommend it highly for your viewing pleasure, and ask you to be Azaad. 

Main bhi Azaad hoon,

IS

Sholay (1975)

To honor the fact that my mom finally watched this film after having fist seen it in the cinema when it first came out, and since I’ve raved about Ki Aag, I present to you the blockbuster that was, is and shall always remain a legend, Sholay from 1975, directed by Ramesh Sippy.

The movie stars Amitabh Bachchan as Jai, Dharmendra as his counterpart Veeru, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan and the always incomparable Amjad Khan as the traitorous Gabbar Singh.

What can be said about this movie that hasn’t already been said? I think all the praises have been uttered, all the critics have spoken their final word.

There is a clear, undeniable break in Hindi cinema, a “before Sholay” and”after Sholay”, a most welcome break from the suffocating romances that were being pumped out. The movie is so good, it traumatizes you whenever and however often you watch it. The comedy that is inserted periodically throughout the movie is a shock to the system, creating an amazing contrast in the audience…you go through a million emotions while watching this movie. 

It’s a full smorgasbord of emotions.

But I would like to present to the jury the fact that I prefer to watch Deewar (the watch count has exceeded 200 since September). Although Deewar is much worse on the trauma front of things, I can argue the move is better made, the story more relatable in a sense. Or is that just me? (link to Deewar)

So I open the question to you, Sholay or Deewar?

Tumhara naam kiya Ishtar?

-IS

Note: 

I found this picture and thought it worth sharing

Do Anjaane (1976)

Today we will meet two strangers or Do Anjaane, from 1976 directed by Dulal Guha, staring Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Prem Chopra and Uttpal Dutt.

This was one of the first movies I crossed off my “watch every Bachchan movie list”. I watched it long before I started this system to keep track of the movies. When I revisited this movie last night, I remembered why I had fallen in love with this movie the first time around! It’s a perfect movie! Wonderful acting by the entire cast (even Prem Chopra), great music, a wonderful plot that weaves in morals and lessons throughout and, the greatest contribution to this movie’s title as perfect, two child actors who are actually really good!

I tried to describe the plot to my friend and came up with the description of Alexander Duma’s Count of Monte Cristo with amnesia instead of jail. You have the elements of a noble, hardworking member of the middle class, a wife after fortune and fame, and a traitorous best friend, and a little child that is the ruler of your heart. The story flows perfectly the lessons about life, fame, fortune and family are not lost throughout the length of the film, and everything comes together at the end in a perfect crescendo.

It’s really not that hard to fall in love with this movie. Rekha and Amitji (who play Rekha and Amit on screen!) intertwine together like music, they’re ability to create chemistry on screen is undoubtedly one of the more attractive parts of this movie. Rekha’s Rekha in the film is “what kind of a wife NOT to be” and Amitji’s Amit is a prince among men, a hardworking man with a high maintenance wife that does not deserve him.

But oh, revenge is sweet!

As amazing as Rekha and Mr. Bachchan are together, the two child actors that are in this movie, who play his son pre and post amnesia are simply amazing, and adorable. The younger child is so cute! The older version of Mithun is one of the only child actors I’ve seen who can convincingly portray emotion, as seen in the reunion of Amit Roy with his son after he returns to Calcutta, after regaining his memory.

There is also Uttpal Dutt’s character in the movie (I believe) keeps mixing up Bengali and Punjabi/Hindi words and expressions together, and a young Mithun Chakraborty who pops up as Amit and Rekha’s neighbor.

This movie is truly a gem in cinematic history. I know the amnesia story has been done countless times before but never with such style, such grace, peppered with Mr. Bachchan’s legendary drunk scenes. I rate Do Anjaane as one of the must see movies of all times, and definitely in the most highly rated categories of Mr. Bachchan’s movies.

Ek Ajnabee,

IS

PS: there was a strange lack of pictures or stills from this movie, apologies!