Satte Pe Satta (1982)

Let’s get back to this project- another labor of love!

Today- we have 1982’s Satte Pe Satta (Seven for Seven) directed by Raj N. Sippy, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role as Ravi/Babu and Hema Malini. Based on the famous America classic Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, this movie has two elements that make movie great….it’s entertaining and it has substance.

The movie is about seven brothers that live like animals, until the oldest brother, Ravi, gets married to nurse Indu, played by the remarkable Hema. And when the younger six brothers meet and fall in love with six girls who work for an invalid young woman…well, the lessons in romance by Hema begin. And Ravi’s love for his brothers lead to some trouble. But this is a Hiindi movie, and the added element of the evil uncle trying to kill his invalid niece is added, and along comes Babu, Ravi’s chilling look alike.

There are many memorable moments and characters in the movie, and it is sprinkled with fantastic songs by RD Burman and comedy only dramatic actors like Amitabh Bachchan can deliver.

But the presence of Babu is the reason why this movie should be looked at more closely by Bachchan fans and those studying Bachchan’s career and talent. In this movie you have Ravi, silly, rough around the edges but a softy at the core who loves his brothers more than anything. Ravi seems like a guy you would love to hang out with…and then you have Babu with chilling light blue eyes and shocks of white in his hair.

Babu is one of Bachchan’s more terrifying creations, up there with Babban Singh of Ki Aag. The combination of the stare, the score by RD Burman, and Bachchan’s talent...creates a murderer, a calculating, cold creature. What makes Babu even more remarkable is the way Amitabh Bachchan manages to soften him up enough that by the end of the movie, you love him as much as you love Ravi.

And that is why we love Amitabh Bachchan. Not many actors can take a character like Babu and make him bone chilling and later, heart melting. If anyone had even attempted to create two different characters within one, as Amitabh did with Babu, then they would surely have failed. And this must be said- Mr. Bachchan looks even more dashing than usual in this movie- even with the jungali beard at the beginning. 

The guys cast as Ravi’s brothers are amazing in keep their characteristic traits, I just wish I didn’t have to see so many men in their undies…was getting kinda awkward there for a second!

And Hema…worthy of starring along Mr. Bachchan!

So listen to the songs, watch the movie…and remember “daru pine se, liver kharab ho jate”.

I never drink, except that one time....

Ishtar