Agneepath (1990)

Before we get to the blog itself, let’s talk about why Agneepath hasn’t appeared on the blog yet.

I’ll tell you why…

The plan had been that I would blog Agneepath on my birthday but life had other plans and when my birthday rolled around, I didn’t have the opportunity to sit down and really do this amazing movie justice. Although, Mr. Bachchan was sweet enough to wish me a happy 23^rd!

Why my birthday you ask?

 I’ll tell you…

Agneepath and I came to this world the same day…meaning the day it was released into theatres, I was introduced to this world, February 15^th, 1990. The movie came out in India, my introduction happened in the capital of West Azarbaijan, in the country of Iran…slightly north of India.

So 1990’s Agneepath, directed by Mukul Anand, is special for more than just being an amazingly made movie. It stars Amitabh Bachchan as the unforgettable Vijay Dinanth Chavan, Mithun Chakraborty, Rohini Hattangadi and Danny Denzongpa as the villainous Kancha Cheena.

I’m pretty sure this is the only movie I can watch over and over again and be able to ignore the terrible 90’s music!

Praising this movie, doing it justice, or simply discussing it, requires a scene by scene break down of the entire experience that is Agneepath.

The plot is impeccable, the storyline flows perfectly, the lesson woven throughout is conveyed effectively, the actors are ideally cast for their respective rolls and if the music had been a little better, the movie would be 100% perfection…the music makes it 98% perfection because the plot is so good, you can let the terrible music go.

I watched Agneepath for the first time with the same dread I watched every other 90’s movie made by Mr. Bachchan (I have learned that I love most of the movies he made in the 90’s!). I was skeptical of the entire thing in the beginning, simply intrigued by the fact that Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s poem Agneepath inspired the movie, recited and woven throughout the movie. But I remember looking up the description of the movie and thinking “great…his name is Vijay…he’s a gangster…it’s Deewar in 1990!”

Oh how wrong, how utterly wrong I was about this movie!

It’s Deewar, Sholay, Scarface, and Godfather thrown together with enough twists and enough gut-wrenching, emotionally driven plot that only Hindi cinema can produce, sprinkle on top the character of Vijay Dinanth Chavan with the flavor and experimentation that only Mr. Bachchan can produce and you have the one, the only, the amazing Agneepath.

It’s one of those movie that I need prep-time before watching.

It is not a movie, it is an experience to watch this character unfold before your eyes.

But Vijay Dinanth Chavan doesn’t simply unfold, he unveils himself, he strips himself of his skin, shows you the scars he carries from all the evil and corruption in the movie, he lets you watch the fresh scars he bears and how he heals himself…Vijay Dinanth Chavan reveals to you the inner struggle, the balance required to keep your identity yours, in his eyes you see the demand made by life, that we all walk the path of fire, that we all find our balance and settle our demons lest we lose ourselves to those demons.

The hypnotic eyes

For me, Agneepath and Deewar are two of the greatest movies ever created, Hindi or otherwise, because no matter how many times one watches either of these two movies, you are left thinking about what is right and what is wrong, and your role in this world that has so many shades of gray you had not noticed before. These two movies of Mr. Bachchan’s, these two Vijays, will always make you reevaluate and re-question yourself…take this from someone who has both the movies memorized!

Words do not do justice to Agneepath or Vijay Dinanth Chavan, this fantastic and unique character that Mr. Bachchan brings to life on the screen for you.

I believe my favorite scene in the movie, one of my favorite scenes, is when Vijay Dinanth Chavan shows up to Mary Matthew’s apartment late at night, seeking comfort from the only other woman beside his mother who was able to give him any solace. In that scene alone, Mr. Bachchan proves how mind-numbingly talented he is. He manages to keep Vijay’s tough exterior but show you the cracks he struggles to keep concealed- he reveals everything through his eyes.

So if you haven’t watch this movie yet- what’s the matter with you?! Please watch it, it is an extraordinary piece of cinema.

Ishtar J. S.

Poora na’am…baap ka naam James, ma ka naam Sarah…gaon, Gavilan…oomar, tayees saal, ath mayneh, ch’ar dhin.........what are the chance Mr. Bachchan is actually reading this? O.o

PS: for those wondering, no, I have not watched the new Agneepath, and I refuse to. As talented as Mr. Roshan is, I doubt he did Vijay Dinanth Chavan any justice....Directors of the world, why mess with perfection?!