Reshma Aur Shera was one of the earlier movies of Amitabh Bachchan, at a time when he was not the established superstar. The movie is an account of betrayal, love, murder, honour, set against the backdrop of the sands and harshness of Rajasthan. The movie was essentially the creation of Sunil Dutt, who also produced and directed the movie.
The movie was well liked by critics, and was nominated for some international (although it did not win too many). Some of the awards it was nominated for include:
- The Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival
- Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (Oscars)
The movie was written by S. Ali Raza, with some beautiful music by Jaidev (for which he won the 1972 National Film Award for Best Music Direction (his first award for music)).
The movie is about the feud between 2 families, and in a story that has been seen many times, where the children of both families are in love. The eldest son of Sagat Singh, Shera (Sunil Dutt) is not the more violent and revenge seeking son, trying to make peace. He is very strongly attracted to the daughter Reshma (Waheeda Rehman) of his father's rival, and she also falls in love with him when she sees how he can be strong for peace rather than for more revenge.
And yet there is a third element, the younger son of Sagat Sing, the mute Chotu (Amitabh Bachchan, who plays the role of a skilled shooter, also heavily influenced by his father). Eventually Chotu goes against the wishes of his brother in terms of not having violence and going in for peace and influenced by his father who wants Chotu to shoot the rival and his son both. And they both die; this causes Shera to hunt for his own brother to kill him. What happens next ?
Shaan, released in the year 1980, almost four years after the blockbuster, Sholay. The common thread between these two films is the director, Ramesh Sippy. Great things were expected from the man who had given Indian cinema its mammoth blockbuster in the form of Sholay. Almost everybody who had seen Sholay was expecting a repeat performance.
DSP Shiv Kumar Sharma (Sunil Dutta) is an honest and diligent police officer who lives in Bombay (present day Mumbai) with his wife (Rakhi) and son. He also has two wayward brothers in Ravi (Sashi Kapoor) and Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) who are petty crooks. The two of them spend most of their time indulging in schemes that are so wildly ridiculous that one feels that the whole purpose of these plots was not to make money but to have some fun. The two brothers meet their matches in a pair of women-the glamorous Parveen Babi and the somewhat gawky yet charming Bindiya Goswami- who are also good-hearted con artists.
The four crooks -- along with Bindiya's sneaky uncle -- form a team, sing some nice songs, and fall into a sweet double-dating sort of romance that perfectly compliments their thieving lifestyles. However the drama is introduced in the form of Shiv Kumar-the moralistic cop-cum-brother’s death at the hands of the film’s main villain, Shaakal(a very bald Kulbhushan Kharbanda). The brothers shocked by the sudden demise of their beloved brother, decide to shun all anti-social activities and also punish Shaakal. The villain smart enough to know that he has these two brothers braying for his blood employs Raakesh (Shatrughan Sinha) a sharp-shooter. He puts pressure on Rakesh by holding his wife hostage and believes he can force Rakesh to kill his enemies. The long drawn out climax sees the mother of all encounters that includes a tank full of crocodiles. In the end, good wins over evil and the wicked meet their just end.
By this time you must be wondering, but that is a perfectly sane “Bollywood” commercial story-line. And it is. Or rather it would have been, had Sippy not gone over board in his sub plots that take away from the main film rather than adding to it. The second weak link has to be Kulbhushan Kharbandda who even in his tonsured look fails to evoke enough menace or scare. But on the whole Shaan is definitely a worthwhile ‘time-pass’ film that has pleasant music and some wonderful acting by the inimitable duo of Amitabh Bachchan and Sashi Kapoor.
AWARDS WON:
1981-Won-Filmfare Awards- Best Cinematography- S.M.Anwar
Videos of Songs:
Pyar karnewale
Jaanu Meri Jaan
Yamma Yamma
Lyrics from the movie:
Jaanu Meri Jaan
Jaanuun Meri Jaan, Main Tere Qurbaan
Are, Main Teraa Tuu Merii Jaane Saaraa Hindustaan
Nazaron Se Na Tol Mujhe, Dil Se Kaam Le
Tuu Jisakaa Vo Tere Bin Kyo.N Kisiikaa Naam Le
Jaanuun Merii Jaan ...
Chhotii Sii Ik Baat Bane, Baat Se Daastaan
Chhodake Sab Baate.N Ha.Nsate Hai.N, Vohii Pyaar Kii Shaan
Jaanuu Merii Jaan ...
Gusse Se Hai Pyaar Badaa, Pyaar Se Aitabaar
Jab Aa Jaae Aa Jaanaa, Main Karuungaa Intazaar
Jaanuu Merii Jaan ...
Jaanun Merii Jaan, Main Tere Qurbaan
Main Terii Tuu Meraa Jaane Saaraa Hindustaan
------------
Pyaar Karnewaale
pyaar karanewaale, pyaar karate hain shaan se
jeete hain shaan se, marate hain shaan se
lete hain kisee kaa jo naam un ko hajaaro salaam
kabhee rukate nahee, kahee zukate nahee, chaahe kuchh bhee ho anjaam
yaar kee galee se gujarate hain shaan se
rastaa naheen aasaan denaa padataa hain imtihaan
ye hain dil kee lagee, ye naheen dillagee, aate hain kaee tufaann
wo doob ke fir ubharate hain shaan se
-----------
Yamma Yamma
(Yamma yamma, Yamma yamma, Yeh khubsurat sama,) ---2
(Bas aaj ki raat hai zindagi , Kal hum kahan tum kahan) ---2
(Kab kya hojae kisko khaber, aa nachle jhumkar)...
(Yeh zindagi ek lamba safar, pal bhar ke sab hum safar).........
(ek raat ke mehmaan sab yahan, kal hum kahan tum kahan).........
(Haste huwe aisii shaan se, deewane jal jaenge)....
(Are jalti shama se milke gale, Parwane jal jaenge)....
(Reh jayga yado ka diyaa, Kal hum kahan tum kahan)...
(Yamma yamma, Yamma yamma, Yeh khubsurat sama,).....
(Bas aaj ki raat hai zindagi , Kal hum kahan tum kahan)........
(Bas aaj ki raat hai zindagi , Kal hum kahan tum kahaaaaaaaaaaaaan)........
+-+starring+Sunil+Dutt,+Amitabh+Bachchan,+Waheeda+Rehman,+Raakhee.jpg)
