Pukar (1983)

Let’s change things up a bit and do a movie I watched recently, 1983’s Pukar (meaning "to cry out" or "call it")  directed by Ramesh Behl staring Amitabh Bachchan as Ramdas aka Ronnie, Zeenat Aman and Randhir Kapoor.

The movie made me proud to be an Indian…here’s the twist, I’m not Indian.

Okay, gotta be honest and hate to break it to you guys but the movie is not one of the best, the music is fabulous, acting is…there, the story is sort of there. As with Major Saab, the movie failed to convince me of what was happening.

It’s about Ronnie, who violently refuses to be called Ramdas and hates the revolutionaries that are attempting to throw the Portuguese out of Goa. Through a series of occurrences, Ronnie is convinced that the revolutionaries murdered his revolutionary father, and therefore he becomes a big shot goonda and works with the police to stop the movement. His girlfriend (they never specify in the movie if she becomes his wife) played by Zeenat Aman begins to work with Randhir Kapoor and other revolutionaries to overthrow the Portuguese.

It’s watchable but if you have all of Mr. Bachchan’s movies at your behest don’t pick this one. I recommend you just get the soundtrack, and throw yourself into the beautiful music of RD Burman.

I have two problems with this movie 1) Zeenat Aman, 2) the sudden flip in Ronnie from the bad guy, to the good guy. The plot never really connects it…the identify change from Ronnie to Ramdas is so hastily done. And Zeenat Aman…whether or not you think she is physically attractive (she’s not but that’s just me) her acting is so horrendously shallow! And her hair, dear me! What was happening with the hair). I can even ignore Randhir Kapoor’s Hitler-like mustache but I cannot ignore the hair.

Now I have a question for those of you who have ventured on to this blog and are reading this: what was the timing of this movie in respect to the Coolie accident? Mr. Bachchan’s physical appearances changes dramatically, along with Ms. Aman’s hair, so I’m wondering if there’s any correlation between the accident and these strange disconnections.

I can listen to RD Burman’s music and Amitabh Bachchan’s voice forever and never complain! The soundtrack is very lively, as long as you don’t watch the “still life” images from the song “Sumandar Mein Naha Ke” sung by the unforgettable RD Burman. “Tu Maike Mat Jaiyo” performed by Mr. Bachchan and Mr. Burman is beautiful during any month, and “Jaane Jigar” is equally enjoyable.

I kinda have to admit though, I get a kick out of Mr. Bachchan’s movies where he plays a villain. I was almost hoping that Ronnie stays the bad guy with Prem Chopra, bad guy galore!

Had the movie’s plot been slightly better developed and formulated to make the transition of Ronnie to the patriotic Ramdas less abrupt and more gradual. For me, the ending and transition was rushed, almost as if the filmmaker wanted to get the movie over with. 

Inquilaab Zindabad!

-Ish.