Shahenshah (1988) - Amitabh's comeback vehicle also starring Meenakshi Seshadri and Jaya Prada

Shahenshah released in the year 1988 and was Amitabh Bachchan’s comeback vehicle after a three year hiatus during which he had become involved in active politics. Directed by Tinnu Anand, the story of the film was written by the superstar’s wife and actress Jaya Bachchan. There was tremendous hype around the film as hordes of die-hard fans of the superstar had been waiting impatiently for his return.

The movie opens with a corrupt and snivelling bank manager Mathur (Prem Chopra) and his partner-in-crime, underworld baron JK (Amrish Puri). Mathur is in a financial mess and he along with JK decides to rob the very bank for which he works. Inspector Shrivastav (Kader Khan) is an honest police officer who gets wind of this plot and is about to crack the case when JK frames in a false case enlisting the help of an exotic dancer Julie (Aruna Irani). Unable to bear the shame of the charges levelled against him, Inspector Shrivastav hangs himself at home after being released on bail. This creates a lasting and powerful impression on his young son, Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan), who retains the noose his father had used to hang himself.

Vijay grows up in the care of Inspector Aslam Khan (Pran) and follows in his dead father’s footsteps to become a cop. Aslam Khan is an honest cop however Vijay is a sycophantic and cowardly inspector, prone to bribery and giving in to powerful criminals. Vijay finds himself in the payroll of JK who now runs a major underworld empire past the cops. Soon a new spectre makes his appearance that calls himself Shahenshah and is a costumed crime fighter. His iron hand is used to attack enemies and smash objects, and Shahenshah's other weapon is a noose. He describes himself as one man army who is out to do the job meant for cops. He not only apprehends criminals but sits on judgement and then executes the punishment. It is revealed a bit later that Shahenshah is actually Vijay, who has created this alter ego so as to punish the guilty and not be bogged down by the corrupt system. He also seeks to avenge his father’s death.

At this time we are introduced to Shalu (Meenakshi Seshadri), a small time trickster who is also out to eliminate JK as the latter had ordered the assassination of her mother Julie. JK then ends up murdering Salim (Vijendra Ghatge) who was about to expose his crime ring. Salim was engaged to Shaheena (Supriya Pathak), the daughter of Aslam Khan. Vijay now decides to openly confront JK. Julie agrees to testify against JK. And JK prepares for an all out war against Shahenshah, Vijay, Shalu and the lot of his enemies. There is a veritable bloodbath on the streets as good fights evil and there is a final showdown where Shahenshah reveals his secret identity and becomes the nemesis for all the culprits.

CAST AND CREW

Directed by Tinnu Anand
Produced by Tinnu Anand
Written by Jaya Bachchan (story), Inder Raj Anand (screenplay and dialogues)
Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Meenakshi Seshadri, Jaya Prada, Amrish Puri, Aruna Irani, Prem Chopra, Kader Khan, Pran
Music by Amar Utpal

Hero - The story of a criminal turned hero (1983)

Hero released in the year 1983, turned its male protagonist (Jackie Shroff) into an overnight star. Jackie had already made his debut (a rather unsuccessful one) in the film Swami Dada under the guidance of Dev Anand. But it needed maverick director Subhash Ghai’s Midas touch to catapult Shroff to the big league of fame and popularity.

In Hero, Ghai takes the time-tested track of star-struck lovers and makes a simple yet heart-warming story of a criminal turning over a new leaf under the influence of love. The movie’s main strength is its outstanding music courtesy Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Ghai’s sensitive handling of the love story. Of course the entire cast also does a commendable job. In the film Jaikishen, or Jackie Dada, as he is called in the film, is a criminal with a heart of gold. He has old scores to settle with the area’s Thakur and his son, a police officer. Pasha (the ever reliable Amrish Puri), a notorious criminal, has been imprisoned by the IG Police, Shrikanth Mathur (Shammi Kapoor). The evil Pasha swears to avenge himself and sends his favourite henchman, Jackie Dada to do this for him. The plan is to abduct Mathur's beloved daughter Radha (Meenakshi Sheshadri) and then bargain for Pasha’s release with the cops.



Jackie takes on the identity of a cop and under the pretext of saving Radha from the local goons abducts her. As fate would have it, the inevitable happens and the two opposites fall in love. Soon Radha comes to learn about Jackie’s true identity but instead of giving up on him, she chooses to repose her faith in this relationship. Determined to make an honest man out of Jackie, she convinces him to surrender o the cops. Jackie by this time is also convinced of his errant ways and is determined to do the right thing. He surrenders to the cops who imprison him for two years. Radha, finds a confidante in her brother Damodar (Sanjeev Kumar) and tells him all about her love for Jackie. In his bid to help Radha, Damodar asks his friend Johnny to pretend to be in love with Radha, thinking this would deter their father from getting her married off before Jaikishen is out of prison. Meanwhile, Jackie completes his term and starts working in a garage, in his bid to lead a life of honesty. But Shrikanth is not convinced of his honest intentions. In another twist, Damodar discovers that Johnny is a drug dealer. Around the same time, Pasha gets out of jail and kidnaps Radha to punish both Shrikanth and Jaikishen. Whether Jackie is able to save his true love and whether Shrikant finally accepts Jackie constitutes the climax of the film.

Songs and lyrics from the movie Hero:

1. Tu mera jaanu hai tu mera dilbar hai (link)

2. Pyar Karne Wale (link)

3. O Baby sing a song (link)

4. Nindiya se jagi bahar (link)

5. Lambi Judai (link)

Damini (1993): Honesty requires a lot of courage

Damini was a movie released in 1993, styled as the movie made about a courageous woman. At that time, it was common knowledge that Rajkumar Santoshi was extremely enamored of Meenakshi Seshadri, and this movie was a show of his dedication. It was a woman oriented film, a role that Meenakshi Seshadri had literally never got in her career; and the movie turned out to be a great movie. The movie starred, besides, Meenakshi, Rishi Kapoor (as her husband who is stuck in the moral land where he has to choose between his wife and his family), Sunny Deol (as the drunkard lawyer who is impressed by Damini and recovers to fight for her), Amrish Puri (as the lawyer fighting against Damini) and Kulbhushan Kharbanda (as her father-in-law who turns against her when she starts her fight for justice).
The movie had some great music by Nadeem Shravan and was produced by the combination of Aly Morani, Karim Morani and Bunty Soorma. The movie also earned Sunny Deol an award for his performance as Best Actor (Filmafare and National Award) in a supporting role. And of course, some of the dialogs in the movie that were spoken by Sunny Deol enhanced his reputation as a he-man; sample these:

* "Yeh Dhai kilo ka haath jab kisi pe padta hai na aadmi uthta nai uth jata hai.."
* "Tum kabhi chidiyaghar gaye ho pinjare mein band sher pe bache bhi mungfalian faenkte hai khuli zameen par sher ka saamna karoge to mard hone ki galatfahmi door ho jayegi "
* "tareeqh per thareeqh ..tareeqh per tareeqh..tareeqh per tareeqh..milti hai to sirf tareeqh"
* "judge order order kahta rahega aur tum pitte rahoge"

The movie is about the love between Rishi Kapoor (who is the son of a wealthy family), and Damini (Meenakshi) who is from a much poorer family. Rishi sees Meenakshi giving a performance, and falls in love with her. He woos her, and finally marries her, even though his family is not happy with his choice. Things are fine, till the day of Holi when Damini sees the maid Urmi being raped on the terrace by the younger son of the family along with friends. She is shocked, and eventually decides to reveal the truth, even though it would mean jail for her brother-in-law and disgrace for the family.
Rishi Kapoor is morally struck by this, since his family cannot understand why Damini would do this, and put pressure on him to get his wife to withdraw her testimony. However, Damini is not willing to withdraw, and the family (along with the lawyer Amrish Puri) get her declared as insane and committed to an asylum. In danger over there, Damini runs away and runs into a drunk and out of work lawyer, Sunny Deol, who saves her from the hoodlums who are chasing her. He is impressed by her story, and decides to fight her case, leading to several confrontations with Amrish Puri. In the end, Rishi Kapoor supports her in court, and several of the family members are convicted for the rape and for trying to subvert justice, along with Amrish Puri.

Videos of songs from the movie:

Damini - Tandava Dance



Dialog - Taarikh pe taarikh



Dialog - between Sunny and Amrish (Dhai kilo ka Haath; Judge order order karta rahega)



Jabse Tumko Dekha Hain Sanam



Gawah Hain Chand Taare






Lyrics from the movie Damini:

Bin Saajan Jhoola Jhuloon (Sung by Sadhana Sargam Kumar Sanu)

--FEMALE-- Aa aa aa aa, aa aa aa - 2 (Bin saajan jhoola jhuloon Main vaada kaise bhooloon) -
2 Jee karta hai yeh mera main udke gagan ko chhoo loon
--MALE-- (Main pankh lagaake
aaya Saawan ka mausam laaya) - 2 Pyaar mere maine tujhe apne dil mein basaaya --FEMALE-- Bin
saajan jhoola jhuloon Main vaada kaise bhooloon (Harpal tere pyaar ko tarse mera dil Door mere
aankhon se hai sapnon ki manzil) - 2 Itne akeli hoon main, yaadon ki saheli hoon main Ab to ek
paheli hoon main, aaja
--MALE-- (Main pankh lagaake aaya Saawan ka mausam laaya) - 2 Pyaar
mere maine tujhe apne dil mein basaaya
--FEMALE-- Bin saajan jhoola jhuloon Main vaada kaise
bhooloon Jee karta hai yeh mera main udke gagan ko chhoo loon
--MALE-- Main pankh lagaake
aaya Saawan ka mausam laaya Pyaar mere maine tujhe apne dil mein basaaya
--FEMALE-- Bin saajan
jhoola jhuloon Main vaada kaise bhooloon
--MALE-- Tadpe kitne saal tak, aur na ab tadpa Kehti
hai yeh dooriyaan, seene se lag jaa
--FEMALE-- Tera rasta dekhte rehte the yeh nain Tu na jaane
saajna kaise kate din re
--MALE-- Ho, phoolon pe jawaani aayi, rut kya suhaani aayi Nayi
zindagaani laayi, na jaa
--FEMALE-- (Bin saajan jhoola jhuloon Main vaada kaise bhooloon) -
2 Jee karta hai yeh mera main udke gagan ko chhoo loon
--MALE-- Main pankh lagaake aaya Saawan
ka mausam laaya Pyaar mere maine tujhe apne dil mein basaaya
--FEMALE-- Bin saajan jhoola
jhuloon Main vaada kaise bhooloon Jee karta hai yeh mera main udke gagan ko chhoo
loon
--MALE-- Main pankh lagaake aaya Saawan ka mausam laaya Pyaar mere maine tujhe apne dil
mein basaaya

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Jabse Tumko Dekha Hai Sanam Lyrics

jab se tum ko dekhaa hain sanam kyaa kahe kitane hain bechain
jab se tum ko chaahaa hain sanam kyaa kahe kitane hain bechain

pahalee najar mein kiyaa ayesaa jaadoo, naa hosh hai, naa hain dil pe mere kaaboo
ye soch ke ghabaraoo, aashik naa ban jaaoo
jab se tum ko maangaa hain sanam nind hain naa muze kahee chain

toone churaalee meree nind saaree, kitanee sataaye muze bekaraaree
teree yaad jo aatee hai, koee dard jagaatee hai
jab se tum ko paayaa hain sanam dekhoo sapane din rain

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