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.

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.

Namak Halaal (1982)

Today we have Namak Halaal from 1982, directed by Prakash Mehra, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Waheeda Rehman, Shashi Kappor, Om Prakash, Perveen Babi and Smita Patil…a star studded cast for a movie that proves that a dramatic actor is better suited for comedy than anyone else.

Namak Halaal is the story of one Arjun Singh, Mr. Bachchan, who is raised by his grandfather whom he lovely refers to as dadu (the unforgettable Om Prakash) to be a loyal employee, which is where the movie gets its title from. Wanting his grandson to make a name for himself in the world, dadu forces young Arjun to venture into the city and begin working for a famed and eccentric hotel owner, Shashi Kapoor. As luck would have it, someone is trying to kill Kapoor’s character and so Arjun is left to not only protect his “Malik”, but also figure out who…or rather, try to prove who it wasn’t. The story is a little more complicated than what’s written here but, you’ll have to watch the movie for yourself to see the whole story.

And what a movie! It’s a sample of Mr. Bachchan’s abilities as an actor, jumping from slap stick comedy to dramatic moments that will leave you with tears in your eyes. The movie also contains one of the sweetest love stories I’ve seen with Smita Patil as the beloved Poonam. The way Arjun reacts to her is for the books!

One of Mr. Bachchan’s most famous dialogues comes in this movie. Every Bachchanite knows the “I can walk English, I can talk English…” speech. One thing I found out recently about the movie was that it was the first scene that was shot for the movie, and it was all improvised. As Mr. Bachchan related the story during an interview not too long ago, they had kicked out the director and cameraman out of the room when they were filming the completely improvised scene, because everyone kept ruining the shot by giggling…I do not blame them. Arjun is truly one of Mr. Bachchan’s great and memorable characters.

Hindi movies usually are made or broken by the songs sometimes, and the songs in this movie are surely one of its many highlights. I am a music devotee. And out of the 2000+ songs in my music library, I can very confidently say that “Pag Ghungroo” from Namak Halaal is one of my top five favorite songs of all times. There’s enough comedy within the song and the way it melts into a love songs mirrors the movie and the love story that develops. Let’s not forget “Aaj Rapat Jaayen To” or “Thodi Si Jo Peeli Hai”, all vocalized by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. 

I can also guarantee that after seeing this movie, you will never kill a fly the same way you ever again..

The sweetest of love stories!

This is one of those MUST watch movies for anyone who wishes to get a good understanding of Mr. Bachchan’s 40+ years of acting. But I must warn you as well, never a giant fan of Shashi Kapoor...you gotta tolerate his version of an eccentric, millionaire hotel owner in this movie. Well worth it though, Arjun steals the show!

This movie also makes me wish there had been an opportunity for Mr. Bachchan to make more movies with Smita Patil. What a breath taking woman, what an actress! As a movie fan in general, I miss her talent and her beauty on the screen…lucky we have her Poono to remember her by! And Perveen Babi…eh. She’s always a hit and miss with me, and she missed it with this one…tried too hard to look mysterious.

I have to tell you, I’ve watched this movie I think four times these past few days…and I’m pretty sure I’m going to be putting it on again as I post this entry up for you to enjoy!

Enjoy the movie ladies and gents!

Miss Teen Chakke....

PS: The interview with Faridoon Shahryar has some interesting stories and insights into some of Mr. Bachchan's finest movies. It's also one of my sources for these little background stories! 

Shahenshah (1988)

            Let’s jump start this labor of love with one of Mr. Bachchan’s “big daddy” movies, from 1988, directed by Tinnu Anand, we have Shahenshah, which means either “emperor” or “king of kings”, depending on who you ask!

          The story was developed by Mrs. Jaya Bachchan, written by Inder Raj Anand, starring Mr. Bachchan himself as the Shahenshah/Vijay Kumar Shrivastav (fitting if you ask me, the Shahenshah playing a Shahehshah), Pran as Inspector Aslam Khan, Meenakshi Seshadri as Shalu and the always deliciously evil Mr. Amrish Puri as J.K.

            When attempting to give a fair description of this movie, I usually end up introducing it as the Hindi version of Batman…Batman with some Indian spice thrown into the mix.

            The movie revolves around a man who takes on the guise of a bribe-taking, corrupt, incompetent police inspector by day, and the shining beacon of justice and hope and lawfulness, the mythical hero, Shahenshah. It’s a classic superhero movie, with the Shahenshah aptly dressed in a disguise, complete with a chainmail arm and he carries the noose that his father hung himself with.

Vijay Kumar Shrivastav

            The Vijay persona of this movie really cinched it as one of my favorite performances from Mr. Bachchan. The first time I saw this movie, I was a little…unsettled by the paan-chewing Vijay but once I realized the sacrifice he was making to restore order to the city overrun by corruption and crime, I got comfortable enough with Vijay to appreciate his…aloofness. In contrast the Shahenshah, dressed in all black with strikingly silver hair, with Mr. Bachchan’s rich baritone made even richer by the majesty of the dialogue, this champion of justice really does command all the attention on screen. I don’t blame the famed Mukhtar Singh for quickly shutting down his gambling den and going back to being a dairy farmer after his first encounter with the Shahenshah. He is quite imposing.

            Again, Mr. Bachchan brings on the duality of two different characters, and he does so seamlessly. You never really confuse Vijay the bumbling cop with Shahenshah, costume’s notwithstanding.  

            Amrish Puri, as always, delivers the delicious evilness throughout the movie, makes J.K. worthy of your contempt. And Pran, seamless and perfect as always.

            The songs in this movie are fabulous. I’ve been known to break out into a heart-wrenching rendition of “Oh Behna” every now and then, chasing my sister around…But one of the greatest memories I have of this movie is the first time I saw it, recognizing “jaane de mujhe jaana hai” performed by Mohammad Aziz and Lata Mangeshkar, from my childhood sometime before I was 8 in Iran.

            This movie is a treasure trove for one liners and bits of dialogue that make you either want to dole out justice or fall out of your chair laughing.

            Example of the former: “Rishtey mein toh hum tumhara baap hote hain, naam hai Shahenshah”, literal translation “in relation consider me your father, my name is Shahenshah”. Or in simple, slang translation “who’s your daddy? Shahenshah!” The line is spoken every time the villains ask Shahenshah who he is, and that’s the spine-tingling reply. An example of the former, the laughing part of the dialogue, I think I can just cite all of Vijay’s lines. “Kyon. Kyon…kyooooon?” when faced with Mukhtar Singh is a personal favorite, especially when one combines Mr. Bachchan’s facial expression with the line.

            But I’m especially partial to the line “dunya kile Shahenshah, magaar tumhara gholam” written to Shalu by Shahenshah…as I’m sure most of the ladies watching this movie are.

            Overall, this is one of the jewels in the 180+ movies which Mr. Bachchan has given us over the years. It’s amazingly written, amazingly performed. Even the “cheese” factors in the movie, like the Darth Vader style breathing of the Shahenshah, disappear in the face of the overall movie. The transformation of Vijay the inspector is amazing to watch, the way Mr. Bachchan melds the two characters together. The movie’s so awesome that I was even able to ignore Kader Khan….haha!

The message of the movie is not to be downplayed at all. Unlike some movies which get so caught up in the action or the majesty of the superhero’s story, the true meaning of the movie gets lost. But it cannot be denied in this one, that the message of the Shahenshah is loud and clear, highlighted during the powerful court scene that is the climax.

            Speak OUT against injustice. 

            The movie becomes even better, for me at least, when one considers the “behind the scenes” stories that have emerged concerning this film. For example, the movie was Mr. Bachchan’s return to film after his brief venture into politics, and the fact that the chainmail arm was about 31 pounds...not too bad, unless you consider the muscular disease Mr. Bachchan was dealing with at the time.

            So enjoy this movie!

            Let me just say how freeing it is to be back writing this little blog of mine! Hopefully, I’ll be able to catch up, and get a hold of the 33 movies left on my list!

With love & Respect,

Ishtar

Here We Go! (Again!)

To Those That Have Stumbled/Are Stumbling Across This- Hello!

The last of 180+ movies has been reduced down to only 33 movies remaining to be watched…Almost an entire year has gone by since I started this project of mine.

The lack of blog entries serves as testament to the busy schedule that’s kept me occupied so completely these past few months. With school now at an end, and with a job that is slowly slipping away, I have time again not only to finish what I started a year ago, but I can start documenting them again!

So much has changed since I started this blog, since I started the attempt to watch ALL of Amitabh Bachchan’s movies…and although so many things have been tossed into the “gray” zone of my reality, one thing that’s become clear: my love for Mr. Bachchan, and the endurance of that love and respect as I become more and more aware of what exactly Mr. Bachchan means to me, and how much he’s helped me survive two years of hell on Earth.

So, I’m going to attempt to blog a bit more…get back on the writing horse, as it were. And I’ll be as honest as ever and as I reread some of the previous entries, I promise to edit better hahaha!

Love,

I.S. 

Bbuddah...Hoga Terra Baap (2011)

And now, for Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap from 2011, directed by Puri Jagannadh.

This movie is every Bachchan fan’s dream, and the movie is as successful and as amazing as it is because it is made by a Bachchan fan, starring a bunch of Bachchan fans!

I had very recently joined twitter when this movie was being filmed, and had recently discovered that Amitji was on twitter. I didn’t not know what the plot was about, I just thought it sounded like a cool movie and Amitabh Bachchan, the first actor of whom I remember consciously from my childhood, was in it.

Fast forward a bit to summer 2012 and I finally got to see the movie.

This movie was another first for me…it made me realize just how big of a Bachchan lover I really am! I nearly exploded out of my skin when the song Go Meera Go came on!

Where to start praising this movie, I haven’t the slightest clue!

I think it just stands as proof of Amitji’s badassery, a trait of his that I am a firm believer of, and his coolness, which we are all aware of. The movie is riddled with references to older Amitji movies, maybe references that won’t necessarily be caught by those who haven’t gone on a Bachchan watching spree, as yours truly has. One of the more obvious references has to be the character’s name, Vijju! And the fact that Vijju wears two watches, for which Amitji was famous for, back in the day.

I mean come on! How much cooler can you get?

The character of Vijju is a former Mumbai gangster, one of the founding fathers as the movie states. It’s a beautiful throwback to the gangster roles like Deewar or Kaalia, the way he speaks in the movie, the way he carries himself, is exactly consistent with the Angry Young Man persona…in fact, this movie’s simple explanation that the Angry Young Man is now an Angry Old Man. To explain the roles of Hema Malini and Sonu Sood would give the plot away and I refuse to explain.

I will say this, however, that when Go Meera Go came on, I did explode out of my skin. I remember I was studying while watching the movie and the song made me so hyper, I was able to stay up late into the night to finish homework, with the song on repeat on my iPod. The combination of the four most famous Bachchan songs, ramped up a bit and sung by the Shahenshah himself is, with Abhisheck Bachchan providing his voice to the chorus of the song…it’s just beautiful.

The song has been known to keep from falling asleep on long, four hour drives….
And the acappella, with Amitji's incredible baritone, is a work of genius! I can listen to the soundtrack for this movie for hours....
Here's a secret though.
I do! haha
I am currently listening to Go Meera Go and find myself predictably hyper.
Listen and dance!

The movie is brought together more perfectly through the outfits, the badass motorcycle, the tiger jeans, sunglasses, and the humor that is present throughout the movie, including Raveena Tandon’s unforgettable guest appearance as Kamini, and her screeching of “Vijju darling!”

What more can I say about this movie? It is a Bachchan love fest! And if you are reading this then I am assuming you are lover of Bachchan like myself, a Bachchan connoisseur perhaps, so watch this movie as a favor to yourself!!

Mahaan (1983)

In the midst of my own loss, I dedicate today’s blog to Mahaan ('great' or 'famous' in Hindi) and its director, S. Ramanthan, who passed away only a few days ago.

From 1983, Mahaan is an incredible movie starring Amitabh Bachchan (of course!) and a star studded cast, a true who’s who of Hindi cinema, with Waheeda Rehman, Zeenat Aman, Perveen Babi and of course, the only and only Amjad Khan as the villain in this story.

The first time I heard about this particular movie was during an interview with Amitji conducted in the not-too-distant past, where he discussed a few aspects of the movie. For example, he pointed out that during one of the songs with Zeenat Aman, a memorable number called “Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Gol” in Nepal, the crowds seen in the final cut of the movie were the fans that had gathered to watch Amitji with Ms. Aman perform. S. Ramanthan had apparently resigned himself to the fact that the spectators had to be a part of the shot.

Another thing I learned about this movie first, and the reason it intrigued me, is that it is a triple role for Amitji.

I am usually very critical of actors who attempt to portray two characters in a single movie, let alone three characters! Many actors believe that by simply altering a physical trait, they successfully play two different characters. I knew Amitji capable of doing the dual role, having seen both Don and The Great Gambler before (both will be given their due on this blog soon!) However, I was dubious and excited about seeing him perform three characters.

And, as always, Amitji not only delivered three very separate, very distinct characters, but he went above and beyond by convincing you that three different people were standing before you. And now Mahaan is one of my favorite movies, and contains one of my favorite scenes that Amitji is in.

The plot is a basic Desi flavor, with enough twists and turns to create its distinction. The story begins with the introduction of an upstanding lawyer named Amit, blissfully married to Janki (Waheeda Rehman), who is expecting. But Amit’s inability to conform to law breaking, his need to speak the truth and prove the truth, lands him in trouble with Amjad Khan’s character, inevitably separating him from his Janki. Amitji’s aptly named character Amit goes into hiding in the open in Kathmandu, Nepal as Rana Ranvir Singh, forever separated from his wife Janki.

She, meanwhile, gives birth to twins, but as life would have it, her two boys are separated and she is unaware that she had twin boys. She keeps one son, who grows up to become a brave police officer Shankar, the son separated from her becomes one of Amitji’s most memorable characters, a wanna-be actor named Guru.

I think this movie truly displays Amitabh Bachchan’s versatility as an actor. As I stated before, the characters of Amit (the father) and his twin sons, Shankar and Guru, never get mixed up. They are very distinct from each other, from their facial expressions, their very essence as characters; down to their voices seem to be three different individuals. I cannot express this magic in writing, it has to be witnessed firsthand, Amitji’s skills as an incredible, world-class actor have to be felt in first person in the case of Mahaan. 

The character of Guru, the joker in the family of this movie, is one of Amitabh’s most memorable. There is a particular scene that, upon watching, had me falling from my seat laughing, and quoting endlessly. He’s a very fun character, and remains a joker throughout the movie, a true foil for his brother Shankar.

Under the direction of S. Ramanthan, the distinction of the three characters was successfully made through a combination of camera angles and much more behind the scenes inspirations for Amitji I’m sure. I am also sure that the heroine’s of the movie were capable of separating the three Amitji’s under the super vision of Mr. Ramanthan.