Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh

 I cannot write so knowledgeably about Shah Rukh or Salaman or Aamir Khan. But I can about these two, because they were a part of my impressionable years.

Both played a role in shaping our thought processes through many roles they played in films. For example, Rajesh Khanna became a heart-throb of many in his Aradhana, whose songs are popular till date. He followed up with many memorable roles, in Amar Prem as a rich and loveless zamindar who finds [love in an unexpected place, in Safar as an artist on the death row. But the best role in my view was in Anand, with a unique view about life and death.

Amitabh was quite different. Full of angst about issues facing society, and also personal angst as in Sharaabi, he mostly got branded as an Angry Young Man (with Mithun Chakraborty being branded as the Poor Man's Amitabh by some evil journalists (Shobha De, maybe?). Deewar is one of his better roles, and Amar Akbar Anthony and Namak Halaal topped in the Entertainment Quotient. Of course, his comic talent also came to the fore in Chupke Chupke. Abhimaan was too serious for my liking. Muqaddar ka Sikandar was also a decent role. 

About SRK, I think his best role was in Kundan Shah's Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa- my favourite.

My Name is Anthony Gonsalves

No, of course, it isn't. I am simple trying to recall some songs which made an impact when I first saw them on screen. Some like this one, were fun, with Amitabh emerging out of an Egg..egdum jhakaas. Some others-

O manchali, kahaan chali..the music, and the masti in the picturisation caught my attention.

Aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche har zabaan par and from another movie, Badan pe sitare lapete hue..Shammi Kappor's unique dance style.

Hum kaale hain to kya hua dilwale hain..unique lyrics, and Mehmood. Aa ri aaja, nindiya tu lekar kahin udankhatole mein..is a moving lullaby also sung on screen by Mehmood.

Ek chatur naar karke singaar,..by Mehmood and Sunil Dutt on screen.

Zindagi ittefaq hai, kal bhi ittefaq thi, aaj bhi ittefaq hai..Mumtaz does a great job of bringing Asha Bhosle's singing to life on screen.

Mehbooba, mehbooba,..Helen sets the screen on fire. This was popular even before the film released.

Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaayein hum dono- the power of lyrics (by Sahir Ludhianvi) to mesmerise..Mahendra Kapoor's silken voice..

102 Not Out- Film Review

This is a cranky Hindi film-meant as a compliment. Unusual, in many ways.

Usually heroes try to pass of as youngsters. Here, a 70 year old plays a 102 year-old, and a 60 year-old plays a 75 year-old.

There are no women in the cast, except for a brief appearance by one or two.

The format of the film is like a mad game, with some method in the madness.

The length of the film is just right.

So many pluses. There are minor negatives like predictability in parts, but overall a good way to pass two hours, and watch Rishi and Amitabh in very different roles.

Great Actors

Out of the ones I have seen on screen, I would classify these among my greats-

Kishore Kumar, Mehmood, Amitabh Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Prithviraj Kapoor, Om Puri, Smita Patil, Madhubala, Rekha, Kajol, Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Dev Anand.

There are of course many others who were good, but had some flaws- Raj Kapoor imitated Charlie Chaplin a bit more than necessary, though he played the simpleton pretty well.  Rajesh Khanna was very good in some roles, but could not pull off some others, and became a stylised version of himself in his later films. Anand, though, remains one of my favourite (best?) films, and it starred him.

Smita Patil brought an element of mystique to many roles she played. Shabana was also good in some of her roles, many offbeat. Rekha also played some woman-centric roles like in Khoobsurat with great confidence. Her transformation from a raw, dark Southie to the mainstream was remarkable. Kajol is one of the most natural actresses ever, and I wish her career had lasted longer.Of recent actresses, Vidya Balan has acquitted herself well in diverse roles, and may make the list.

Dev Anand gets into this list after discounting some of his later films, which were atrocious, but he pulled off a lot of memorable roles, and acted well in at least a couple of classics like Guide and Tere Mere Sapne, while entertaining a huge fan following in a variety of roles in his early films up until Des Pardes. Johny Mera Naam is a classy masala Bollywood film of his.

Pink- Film Review

Reminded me of some courtroom dramas that B.R. Chopra specialised in. A serious film about a serious issue, and well-made. No distractions, except perhaps the scenes with Amitabh's companion who has no relevance to the story.

When is a molestation a molestation, is the question that the film raises, but in the process exposes many of our wrong attitudes. Also does not show up the police in good light (films rarely do), nor the politically connected classes who bend the law. The judiciary is one which shines, here.

The ageing Amitabh Bachchan pulls off a pretty tough role, barring some unclear dialogues he mumbles early in the film. But in the court scenes, he comes into his own, despite a worthy competitor in Piyush Mishra (recently saw him in Happy Bhag Jayegi-he was brilliant there).

The MCP crowd may not like it, but it's like a sucker punch aimed at their jaw, so it's Ok. The rest, you must watch it. Taapsee Pannu is very good, and so are her two flatmates. The wrong assumptions about North-eastern girls are also highlighted, and Delhi itself doesn't come off looking too good. But then, what are mirrors for?

Review of the Movie Inquilab- Amitabh, Sridevi

This movie, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, and Shakti Kapoor, was released during 1983. Reviewed for the IIMB wall-mag by yours truly. Recycled for the good of society-and MBAs.

INQUILAB: The attaché is missing

Refreshing…..when you wake up! –Ambade

Time-pauss- Dazy, Sardie, ROI in unison.

Wished I was in Colombo- Tharan (from Sri Lanka)

Sridevi had such a small role- unfair! – IIM Junta

The film is all about an attaché which is lost- a lost attaché- Khoya hua attaché. What happens when the attaché is lost? Its parents, M/s. VIP and Aristocrat, launch a worldwide search. And guess where they locate it?

Bees saal baad…Delhi’s Palam airport. The attaché is found masquerading with a beard. Not only that, it has cleverly switched its name. The alias is Koya Koya attaché (note the Oh so subtle change of spelling and the duplication of the word K(h)oya).

The distraught parents are about to pounce on their wayward ‘attache’ when it suddenly disappears, and is later found murdered, after swinging to some rock beats with Amitabh in a disco. And VIP and Aristocrat are left wishing they’d never invented the wheel (for the attaché).

Then there are other attaches. One is a young lass Sridevi who is very traditional and believes in rituals. Like getting herself saved by Amitabh from a bunch of grape-growers. And giving a complex to leeches-from the way she attaches herself (literally) to Amitabh, every chance she gets. The leech would probably go red in the face-and not because of sucking blood.

Amit the Ass. Commissioner decides halfway through that the other side of the fence is greener, and turns to smuggling for a couple of politicians. It is only incidental that one of them is Sridevi’s dad (and hence, his pa-in-law).

Halfway through the second half, he again switches roles- this time, to a candidate for the Garibi Hatao party. One may like to ponder over the speedy movements of our hero from one role to another- will it not lead to a role conflict? Or to his mass reducing to zero as he gains speed as per the formula E = mc square.

The Message: The film’s message comes early in the second half, when Koya Koya Attache gives a dying statement. It claims the reason why it ran away from home was the feud between its parents, VIP and Aristocrat.

The message for you, dear budding executives, is as clear as the sky on a clear night- (Price) wars don’t pay!

Sholay Ke Chaalis Saal

These are some dialogues I remember, almost verbatim, from Sholay, 40 years after..

Arey o Sambha, kitna inaam rakhein hai re sarkar ham pe?
Poore pachaas hajaar..

Hamara naam Soorma Bhopali aese hi nahi hai..

Itni badliyon ke baad bhi, hum nahi badle, ha, ha..

Gaonwalon, ...budhiya going jail..in jail, budhiya chakki peesing, and peesing,..

Yeh suicide kya hota hai?

Kitne aadmi the? ..Woh do the, tum teen,...phr bhi wapas aaye, khali haath..  bahut beinsaafi hai..

Mujhe Gabbar chahiye,..zinda..

Holi kab hai? kab hai Holi?

Yeh Ramgadh wale apni ladkiyon ko kaunsi chakki ka aata khilate hain re?

Basanti, in kutton ke saamne mat naachna..

Bahut yaarana lagta hai re..

To, mausi, main yeh rishta pakka samjhoon?

The posters for Sholay said, "The Greatest Star Cast Ever Assembled, The Greatest Story Ever Told.."  ..just a little bit of exaggeration there, but it was a movie like no other.