Adalat (released in 1976) - A movie starring Amitabh Bachchan (in a dual role)

Amitabh Bachchan received a Filmfare nomination for his role in this film, which was a dual role. This was the only nomination received. The movie was not a very big hit, but was not a flop also. The movie also starred the following in the movie:
Amitabh's love interests - Waheeda Rehman and Neetu Singh
Others in the movie - Pinchoo Kapoor, Sujit Kumar and Kader Khan
The music for the movie was by Kalyanji Anandji and the movie was directed by Narendra Bedi.
The lyrics for the movie were by Gulshan Bawra. One of the most popular songs from the movie is called 'Behna O Behna'.
The movie was like a number of movies where Amitabh played the role of a person who is from a normal upbringing, but due to certain circumstances, Amitabh becomes a mafia man, who has turned to crime.

The movie is about revenge taken by a good man, who is pushed into a situation where he becomes a mafia man, a rich man and who is faced with the challenges of being involved with the mafia later.
The movie takes the story of a poor man from a village, Dharamchand / Dharma who lives with his family, primarily consisting of his wife Radha and his newborn son, Raju. Dharma's life takes a turn when he saves the lives of 3 people from the city, Ajit, Suresh, and Sujit, from a tiger and they promise to help him whenever he decides to visit Bombay. When Dharma goes through a bad time, he decides to move to Bombay and he is setup as a warehouse manager by Ajit.
However, soon he is involved with the police who arrest him (inspite of claiming his innocence), and sentenced to jail. When he comes out after a couple of years, he realizes that his life has totally changed, and for the worse. He avenges the rape/suicide of Laxmi by Sujit by killing all 3 of them and soon join another gang and becomes really powerful. Raju is sent off for education abroad, and the story moves into a conflict between son (Amitabh again) and his father when Raju wants to marry Geeta. What happens next ?

Yaarana (1981) - Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Amjad Khan and Neetu Singh (Amjad Khan in a positive role)

Yaarana released in the year 1981 and is one of the rare films where Amjad Khan stars along side Amitabh Bachchan in a positive role. Nearly all his other films with Amitabh Bachchan had him playing the role of the villain. The film directed by Rakesh Kumar also stars Neetu Singh, Tanuja and Kader Khan. Its super duper hit songs remain popular till date.

The film begins at a time when the two protagonists are still in their teen years. Young Bishan Kumar (Amjad Khan) lives with his widowed mother and Kishan (Amitabh Bachchan) his best friend. Kishan is a simple village youth who has a god gifted voice for singing. The two friends are inseparable and love each other greatly. However soon they are separated as Bishan moves to Bombay with his uncle and his mother. However the friends swear to never forget each other. Bishan goes on to finish his education in foreign shores and returns home to run his father’s successful business.

Bishan returns to the village in search of Kishan, determined to bring him to the city and launch him as a singer. Initially reluctant, Kishan gives in to his friend’s request and comes to city. Here he meets Bishan’s wife Sheela (Tanuja) and son Munna. Bishan hands over Kishan to Bharatji (a leading musician of Bombay) to train his untrained voice and to Komal (Neetu Singh) he hands over the responsibility of turning him into a gentleman. Kishan is reluctant to let go of his simple village manners but once he realises the efforts of his friend and falls in love with Komal, he learns fast. Soon he becomes a major singing superstar.

Kishan then comes to know that Bishan had taken huge loans from the market in order to fund his training and shows. Bishan has now lost his fortune to his uncle and to his friend’s career. Unhappy with things, Sheela has left her husband. Munna is found in a mental institution unable to speak at all. And most shocking of all Bishan is found aboard a ship holding children hostage and demanding a huge ransom. Can Kishan bring back Munna’s voice? Why has Bishan resorted to crime? Who are the real guys? The climax of the film finds Kishan finding answers to all these questions and proving his worth as a ‘true’ friend.

AWARDS WON

Best Supporting Actor - 1982 - Filmfare Award - Amjad Khan

CAST AND CREW

Directed by Rakesh Kumar
Produced by F.A. Nadiadwala
Written by Gyandev Agnihotri, Vijay Kaul, Kader Khan
Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh, Tanuja, Aruna Irani, Kader Khan, Ranjeet, Amjad Khan
Music by Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics Anjan
Cinematography Peter Pereira
Editing by Waman Bhonsle, Gurudutt Shirali

Great Gambler (1979) - A double role of Amitabh Bachchan and also starring Neetu Singh and Zeenat Aman

The Great Gamber released in the year 1979 and was directed by the super hit director Shakti Samanta and had in a double role, Amitabh Bachchan. Essentially a film about look-alikes and mistaken identities, it was a departure for the director in terms of the genre of the film and the hero. Samanta was known for his romantic films and for his close association with Rajesh Khanna. The film did not do too well but is known for its foot tapping songs.

Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) is an expert gambler and has been one for as long as he can never. He has the reputation of never having lost a game. His skills bring him to the attention of the underworld don Saxena (Utpal Dutta). Saxena is keen on hiring Jai as he wants the latter to win large amounts of money from rich people and then to influence them into doing whatever he (Saxena) wants. Jai agrees to play for Saxena without knowing of the bigger plan. One of Jai’s first victim is Nath(Jagdish Raj) a government employee who loses amount of money to Jai and is then blackmailed by Saxena into revealing the blueprints of a top-secret military laser weapon that can hit any target within 50 miles.

The Indian police come to know of this plan and assign the case to Inspector Vijay (Amitabh Bachhcan agajn) who is asked to apprehend Jai at any cost. The only hitch to this plan is that Inspector Vijay is Jai’s look alike but unlike his doppelganger he cannot gamble. There is a confusion of identities and Jai and Vijay both coincidentally are sent to Rome. In Rome Vijay is sent to recover proof against underworld don Saxena by his past henchman. On the other hand Jai is onto a money-making scheme that has him marrying rich girl Mala (Neetu Singh) in order to inherit her money. Mala however mistakes Vijay for Jai at the Rome airport and Vijay decides to go along with this to find out more about his look alike. Jai meanwhile meets Shabnam (Zeenat Aman), a club dancer who has been sent by Saxena to sidetrack Vijay and sabotage his mission to retrieve evidence against Saxena. However Shabnam mistakes Jai for Vijay and Jai gets involved into killing Saxena's former henchman to retrieve the blueprints of the laser weapon. The climax sees Jai and Vijay joining hands to finish off the bad guys.

Despite the heavy duty presence of big stars, the film refuses to take off primarily due to its many twists and turns that at times becomes a tad confusing. However Amitabh Bachchan’s suave portrayal of Jai and his dynamic characterisation of Vijay makes this film worth a watch.

CAST AND CREW

Directed by Shakti Samanta
Produced by C.V.K. Shastri
Written by Shakti Samanta, Ranjan Bose
Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Neetu Singh
Music by Rahul Dev Burman

Deewar (1975) - Superstar Amitabh Bachchan along with Rishi Kapoor in this great hit

Deewar, released in 1975, is considered by many to be a benchmark of what a good commercial film ought to be all about. The film scored highly in all the components that go into making a brilliantly successful film-directing, writing, acting and music.
The strength of the film lies in the fact that it talks of a problem common to us all- the problem of sticking to the path of good and truth at the cost of all.

Anand Verma (Satyen kappu) is a moralistic and upright trade union leader who works hard to better the lives of his fellow workers. His family consisting of his wife (Sumitra Devi-Nirupa Roy) and two songs (Vijay Amitabh Bachchan and Ravi, Shashi Kapoor) is small and happy. Anand however is blackmailed by his corrupt bosses who threaten to kill his wife and sons if Anand does not comply with the terms and conditions set down by the management. Left with no choice, he agrees and the workers turn on him believing him to be a traitor to their cause. He flees from the place, abandoning his family. His family is also persecuted by the angry mob who brand young Vijay’s arm with the words “My father is a thief”. Sumitra Devi is forced to bring her children to Mumbai where she struggles as a day labourer to care for her now homeless boys.

Vijay grows up with a sense of acute victimisation. He sacrifices his education and starts working from a very young age to help out his mother. Soon he catches the eyes of an underworld boss who offers him the opportunity to leave behind his impoverished lifestyle by joining the world of crime. Ravi’s life follows an exactly opposite direction. He is an excellent student and grows up to become an upright police officer. Soon Vijay falls for Veera (Neetu Singh), the daughter of the Police Commisioner, while Vijay falls for Anita (PArveen Babi) a “loose” woman. When their mother comes to know of Vijay’s nefarious activities she leaves him. The brothers have a famous confrontational scene (“Mere Paas Maa Hai”-Our mother is with me) considered to be one of the best written scenes of Hindi films. The climax sees Vijay repenting for the wrong choices he made in his life and his mother forgiving her errant son as he lies dying in his arms.

Deewar is a must watch film on many counts. First of all Salim-Javed’s story and screenplay is very powerful and thought provoking. Secondly, Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Vijay as the wronged son who strays off the right path is superlative. Parveen Babi as the liberated working, smoking, drinking and sleeping with her lover before marriage is also very good. But the film belongs to Yash Chopra who as the man wielding the baton does a marvellous job.


CAST

Directed by Yash Chopra
Produced by Gulshan Rai
Written by Salim-Javed
Starring Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy, Parveen Babi
Music by Rahul Dev Burman
Cinematography Kay Gee
Editing by T.R. Mangeshkar, Pran Mehra

Kabhie Kabhie - A very sentimental movie

Kabhi Kabhie is a great movie, released in 1976, produced and Yash Chopra who has a number of romantic movies to his credit. Kabhi Kabhie is a part of that lore, with a mix of some great human emotions, superb romantic pairing, and of course, excellent music. The music was by Khayyam, with lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi (and the music got both Khayyam and Sahir Ludhianvi awards) with the music being counted as one of the great musical notes of film music. The movie starred Waheeda Rehman, Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Raakhee Gulzar, Neetu Singh and Rishi Kapoor. The movie also earned Yash Chopra a good amount of money, being a commercial success (and was the second such pairing of Yash Chopra with Amitabh and Shashi, Deewar being the first such movie).



Of course, Yash Chopra's movie also explores human relations that are on the edge of what society always used to accept in other movies, so he showcases widow re-marriage, relationships before marriage, and post marriage (watch Silsila for a perfect example of that). Kabhi Kabhie is the story of 2 different generations. The first generation is that of Amitabh Bachchan, and his relationship with Rakhee at college. However, their story cannot move ahead, and she married Shashi Kapoor in deference to the wishes of her parents. Amitabh also needs to move on, and he marries Waheeda Rehman, who is a widow and also has a child named Pinky (and Amitabh does not know about her past relationship). Pinky is adopted by another couple. Amitabh and Waheeda soon have a daughter called Sweetie.
The next generation is when the son of Rakhee and Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, falls in love with Pinky, again at college and they decide to get married. Pinky (Neetu Singh) discovers that she is adopted, and wants to get Waheeda to acknowledge the relationship, while Waheeda is fearful of the reaction of Amitabh. At the same time, Sweetie also loves Rishi, and Amitabh would be all for this daughter's happiness. When does the secret finally come out ?

Songs and lyrics from the movie Kabhie Kabhie:

Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein (link)

Main Har Ek Pal Ka Shayar Hoon (link)

Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon (link)

Mere Ghar Aayi Ek Nanhi Pari (link)

Pyar Kar Liya To Kya (link)

Tere Chehere Se Nazar Nahin (link)