Don

If Zanjeer turned 52 yesterday, then Don celebrates its 47th anniversary today.

Though Don was released on May 12, 1978, at Ganga and New Excelsior 

its journey began much earlier. The film was conceived in December 1974, but took over three years to come to fruition. It was launched by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot, under the formidable writing duo Salim–Javed. The project was initiated to recover losses from Irani’s earlier film and brought together a team that had previously worked on Roti Kapda Aur Makaan—with Pran joining in, again the highest-paid actor on the cast, though still earning less than Salim–Javed. Nariman Irani unfortunately passed away during the making of the Film and it was completed by the actors and director Chandra Barot.

What followed was a 175-minute thrill ride, opening with a gripping sequence introducing Don, followed by a title montage in picture-negative style, backed by an electrifying background score.

From the outset, Don’s arrogance is palpable—immortalized in the now-iconic line:

“Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin, namumkin hai.”

Even after 47 years, the dialogue remains one of Hindi cinema's most unforgettable.

Don is pure escapist cinema—exactly what Bollywood did best in the '70s. With death-defying stunts, car chases through bustling cities, and suitcase bombs, it never takes itself too seriously. Amitabh Bachchan shines, portraying not just Don and Vijay, but also Vijay pretending to be Don—three distinct personas, each delivered with precision.

The film is enriched by a stellar supporting cast including Zeenat Aman, Pran, Shetty, Om Shivpuri, Kamal Kapoor, and Iftekhar.

Its soundtrack by Kalyanji–Anandji is legendary. From the joyful explosion of “Khaike Paan Banaraswala” to the tension and flair of “Main Hoon Don,” the music perfectly complements the film’s pulse. Helen dazzles in “Yeh Mera Dil,” which was notably the first sequence shot for the film.

Despite a low-key release, Don turned into a blockbuster, earning three Filmfare Awards, including Best Actor for Amitabh Bachchan—his second consecutive win after Amar Akbar Anthony. He was also nominated that year for Trishul and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar.

More than four decades later, Don continues to captivate audiences. Widely regarded as one of Amitabh’s finest performances, it retains a cult following. Fans still watch it religiously on TV reruns, quoting Salim–Javed’s timeless lines with joy.

While it was later remade with Shah Rukh Khan and even had a sequel, neither could quite recapture the magnetic aura of the original.

52 Years of The Birth of the Angry Young Man in Zanjeer

52 Years of Zanjeer 

11th May This day in 1973, Prakash Mehra’s Zanjeer was released, a film that that is indisputably a mainstream trendsetter.

It was a film that would turn Amitabh Bachchan's  fortunes, . It was a film that would usher in a new type of hero, one who, deeply troubled himself, did not think twice before dealing with issues on his own - with, or without the help of the law.

There is movielore attached to the film– which does not even seem to be 52 years old — (even though characters like the Chaku-chhuri wali (played by Jaya Bhaduri) and the Pathan (Pran) are rarely to be seen in Mumbai any more. (And the character of Mona Darling(Bindu), the moll, played by Bindu has all but vanished from Hindi films.)

As is folklore now it is known that Amitabh was never a choice for this role. Dharmendra, Dev Anand, Raj Kumar were offered this role.Every single one of them turned it down. Writers Salim-Javed, who were also to become celebrity writers after this film released, had seen Amitabh Bachchan in Bombay to Goa and had been impressed by him. They recommended him to Prakash Mehra, who, with nothing to lose, agreed to sign him on.

Jaya Bhaduri, then Amitabh's steady girlfriend and already a well-known star, who saved the day by agreeing to sign on the dotted line as heroine.

For Pran Zanjeer was a new path ( He was the highest paid of the cast ).Both Jaya and Om Prakash had small but crucial roles in the film.

Ajit, long-time secondary hero, stepped into the villain Teja's white shoes with élan. Attired in stylish suits (his own) Ajit's Teja was to bring back a dashing, dapper, suave villain onscreen.  After Zanjeer, Ajit moved on to being a major player on the villainous front.

Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay was a complete anti-hero, the first on screen. While heroes had played totally negative characters onscreen before, or ones with grey shades, never had there been a hero like Amitabh's Vijay. He did not laugh, he did not cry, he did not sing songs, he did not romance his heroine. He seethed, with an anger that was turned inward. He worked within the parameters of the law, but used its long arm as a catharsis for his own inner demons. He was a simmering ball of anger that was just waiting to explode, and explode it does in the last reel of the film.

Music by Kalyanji Anandji was apt and the songs popular. 

Any review of this film would be incomplete without mention of its script-writers Salim-Javed. 

A tight script with meaningful dialogue .They wrote a hero who reflected the times, with the same pent-up anger of the common man who did not want to wait for a messiah.

There is so much trivia on Zanjeer..but that would  need another article.

Zanjeer is not officially streaming on any platform but a print is now available on YouTube

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He wanted 10 million followers. He got one... who hacked his life

Logout is a taut cyber thriller that dives into influencer culture & digital obsession. Babil Khan impresses, even as the climax stumbles. Smart, timely, and tense—though it stops short of greatness, it’s a solid watch for the screen-addicted generation.

Pratyush Dua (Babil Khan), better known to his loyal online army as "Pratman", has one goal: beat rival influencer Nautankitaaa to 10 million followers for a contact with an MNC. He’s glued to his phone, lost in likes, and basically one hashtag away from a breakdown. That is, until karma—and butterfingers—strike. He loses his phone.

But this isn’t your average “oh no, I left it in the Taxi” situation. Nope. His phone falls into the hands of SK (Nimisha Nair), a mystery woman who doesn’t just return lost phones—she hacks his life claiming to be his Fan No.1. What starts as “Hey, can I get my phone back?” quickly turns into “Why am I taking orders from someone who sounds like Siri but scarier?”

From there, it’s a digital chess match filled with strange demands, emotional meltdowns, and the growing realization that "Pratman" might not just be losing followers—he’s losing himself.

It is the season of social media deep dives. Viewers might be hooked to their phones, but some filmmakers are taking a plunge to present a critique of its perils. Babil Khan’s Logout comes after Vikramaditya Motwane’s CTRL, featuring Ananya Panday as an obsessive influencer. The film is not as experimental but unfolds more as a cat-and-mouse chase that happens in a room in front of a computer screen.

The setting of a smart house, with voice-controlled devices and flashy lights, becomes a fitting reflection of the claustrophobia created by having a beta personality online.

However the  climax feels like someone hit Ctrl+Z on the plot. Cops show up, things get fixed, and you're left blinking like, “Wait, that’s it?”

Worth a view finally it's on OTT.

Parveen Babi : A Tribute

"KOI ISS LIYE PEE RAHA HAI KI AAJ DOSTON KE SAATH HAI, AUR KOI ISS LIYE PEE RAHA HAI, KI AAJ DOST SAATH NAHI". – PARVEEN BABI AS ANITA IN DEEWAR (HER ENTRY)

That's Parveen Babi for you.

Hard to believe it's 17 years she passed away in to eternity.

Born today in 1954 , she would have been 69 today and I am sure as elegant as Zeenat Aman today.

Though she is often just relegated to the term diva, as if being a beautiful presence on-screen requires no talent at all. It would be cruel not to pay tribute to her characters. For example, let us consider the other female star of the 70s – Zeenat Aman. Zeenat was also an emblem for the unabashed female sensuality. In contrast, Parveen Babi’s characters have had no backstory. There is no redemption arc needing to justify why she is what she is.

She was often considered to be Zeenat Aman's rival owing to their glam quotient tag. In fact, she acted alongside Zeenat Aman in Ashanti (1982) and Mahaan (1983)  having her moments. Even in hero-centric films like Deewaar (1975), Shaan (1980) Kaalia and Namak Halaal (1982), she made her presence felt with her serene aloofness. She even stole the thunder from her co-star Hema Malini in Manoj Kumar's Kranti (1981)

Parveen Babi is somewhat of a byword for tragedy in Bollywood; a star who everyone recognises, but nobody fondly remembers. Few, if any, look beyond the shallow sympathy her story of mental illness and failed relationships evoke. Fewer still acknowledge that under this div(a)ine halo, she was a strong person. She was a survivor and still passed away a schizophrenic.

Amitabh Bachchan co-starred with Parveen Babi in eight films - Majboor, Deewaar, Amar Akbar Anthony, Shaan, Kaalia, Mahaan, Khud-daar and Do Aur Do Paanch apart from Namak Halaal, Suhaag and Desh Premee where they were not cast opposite each other.

Parveen also starred in offbeat films like Vinod Pande's Yeh Nazdeekiyan (1982) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Rang Birangi (1983) which is a personal favourite.

In retrospect, Parveen Babi’s characters are a natural extension of her real-life persona. Albeit the word ‘bold’ has lost its meaning due to chronic overuse over the years, I believe she is the true owner of the title. In a country where personal issues are shushed down to present a veneer of normalcy, she chose to be open and vulnerable. She might have become immortal on the silver screen. Yet, she left with us the image of a strong, vulnerable, fragile, and indeed, mortal woman.

She graced the TIME magazine cover too.

Sadly Mahesh Bhatt under the name of Biographical cinema has depicted his relationship with her in Arth (1983) wherein the character of the other woman, played by Smita Patil, was based on Parveen.

He made Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aaye in 1993.

In 2006 a year after she passed he made Woh Lamhe... (2006) based on his life with her.

In 2022 again he has made a serial on Voot " Ranjishe Sahi" with similar biographical lines 

Time now that she is left alone in peace.

And we enjoy the glory of her cinema.

#Repost

Manoranjan..A Tribute to Shammi Kapoor Scripted :21.10.2021

Today is the Birth Anniversary of Shammi Kapoor.

I did a piece of Teesri Manzil but it came out to be a repeat.

So I thought of relookong at Shammi Kapoor's first Directoral

Venture MANORANJAN

There have been numerous Hindi movies which are inspired by English movies.Out of them very few retain the class of the original and are still entertaining.Manoranjan based on Billy Wilder's 'Irma la dounce' is a gem of a movie.the plot as already told is anything Hindi movie had ever seen.The showing of a prostitute as an independent modern woman who is not apologetic about her profession and does not give never ending stories of forced prostitution was unimaginable in the 70's.

Veteran superstar turned director Shammi Kapoor deserves special applause to chose such a subject as his directorial debut after a successful carrier as a leading man.The script although has Indain flavor but regains the essence of the original. He was backed ably his friend and partner 

F.C.Mehra.

The film starts in a train journey where Shammi Kapoor tells his 

Co Passengers about Manoranjan Street.( Dhoop Chaon is his name )

The movie breaks many stereotypes and shows everything about prostitution in a very light and stylish way.No tear jerking ugly looking ladies,no shabby brothels and no superheros.Manoranjanis a bold movie even 46 years after its release.It is generally seen that in a topic like this the movie out of choice becomes cheap and vulgar but still Shammi makes Manoranjan an amazingly entertaining movie.

Every aspect of the movie be it screenplay, dialogues or editing are excellent.The music by R.D.Burman is amazing.

All the 4 songs 'Goya Ki Chunanche' and 'Aaya Hun Main' 'Dulhan Maike Chali' ( which has the three sisters singing together Lata , Asha, Usha )

are very well composed and sung and the best Chori Chori Sola Singaar Karoongi..

The choreography and song picturisation make these songs even more popular. Sanjeev Kumar gives an amazing performance in the movie.His comic timing,expression and famous dialog delivery are excellent.He is comfortable in the scenes where he is shown as the timid man opposite a rather independent and commanding Zeenat Aman.But my favourite scene is when he has an outburst and blasts Zeenat thus showing that it is only natural for men to behave this way even if he was enjoying taking orders from the lady.I guess Manoranjan is Zeenat Aman finest performance.She actually showed that being bold just did not mean body exposure but acting in movies which are bold in their content also.Her performance is the highlight if the movie. The rendering of her takia Kalam with Sanjeev Kumar ऐसी वैसी  is superb,

Unfortunately except for B.R.Chopra who took out an excellent performance from her in 'Insaaf Ka Taraazu', no-one could extract a performance the way Shammi Kapoor  did in this movie utilising her acting expression in addition to her oomph(not even  Raj Kapoor in the over-hyped Satyam Shivam Sundaram).

Shammi kapoor had put on a lot of weight shows his class and acting weight in some scenes.

Shammi Kapoor wanted to play the role of Sanjeev Kumar .He had seen the film's English version in 60s .But when he directed the film he felt he was to old and cast Sanjeev Kumar. Dev Kumar as the strong villain suited the role to T with his takia Kalam Dunda Kar Doonga (Shammi Kapoor again signed him as a giant in his other directorial dud Bundlebaaz).

Paintal, Madan Puri ,Asit Sen ,Agha are adequate.

Manoranjan marked a departure from the popular cinematic depiction of sex work as something which was ‘forced upon’ women. It was perhaps the first Bollywood film where sex work was presented as an ‘enjoyable’ activity without moralising it. In the film, the lead character choses sex work on her own will. The depiction of women characters as emotional, irrational, weak and dependent on men, was sharply rejected by Zeenat Aman’s portrayal of Nisha. Tnis credit can be given to Shammi Kapoor for breaking the stereotype.

When released in 1974 Manoranjan did not do well at the box- office, probably because it was very bold. However over the years it has formed the position of a classic.

On the whole Manoranjan is an excellent movie but could even today raise eyebrows today 47 years later.

The Sai Paranjape-Faaroque Sheikh Equation

Down Memory Lane

19th March was Sai Paranjape's birthday.

Today 25th is the late Farooque Sheikh's 76th Birth Anniversary.

One's mind goes back to 

1981 and 1982-83 when both worked together as Director Actor in Chashme Baddoor and Katha.

Farooque Sheikh :

In the world of mainstream Hindi cinema, actors need stock ingredients to deliver salable performances. Farooque Shaikh was never on the list. However 

Farooque Shaikh’s untimely death at the age of 65 in 2013, has left a void in Indian cinema that still hasn’t been filled. After working in theatre, Shaikh got his first break in MS Sathyu’s landmark film Garm Hava (1973),

Labelled as a serious actor Farooque Shaikh found his comic groove with Sai Paranjpye’s Chashme Baddoor (1981), a delightful tale of three room mates who fall for the same woman, Neha (Deepti Naval). This was the first time that Farooque Shaikh and Dipti Naval were cast together, and the two went on to become one of the most charming on-screen pairs in the ’80s.

This was followed by Katha by the same team a year later..

Shaikh’s crowning glory was this brilliant turn as the boastful and gregarious Bashudev (Bashu) in Katha ; When Bashu comes to live with the shy and timid Rajaram Joshi (Naseeruddin Shah), his shenanigans turned life in the once-peaceful chawl upside down. Bashu is the proverbial hare to Joshi’s tortoise, beating him to woo Sandhya (Deepti Naval). The shameless and unrepentant Bashu, who juggles his relationship with Sandhya with an affair with his boss’s wife (Mallika Sarabhai) while also flirting with her daughter Jojo (Winnie Paranjpe), is easy to detest. Instead, Farooque Shaikh makes him irresistible.

Both these films are remembered even today for their clean and light comic approach.