Aankhen
India,1993David Dhawam
Aankhen deserves its place in this collection both in its own right as on of the most successfull Hindi films of all time and an example of one of the most popular comedy terns of the 1990s the pairing of he star Govinda and the director David Dhawan. Few successful films sustain comedy throughout, generally reying on comic episodes enacted either by the star. or comedians(such as johnnie walker or johnny Lever)
Govinda, mostly in Dhawan’s Films. Created his own style, often wacky, slapstick and somewhat downmarket, if not outright the 1990s notably Dhawan made hit films with other stars throughout the 1990s notably (1997), Biwi No.1 (1999) which make hime one of the decade’s most successfull firectors, while Govinda has become a major star (and also an Mp)
In his earlier films, Govinda came to be regarded as vulgar, not least for his own (bad) taste in dance gesture and ganish clothing Shoobhaa De called him ‘an obscenity’ on account of his hip-thrusting and suggestive dancing However he is popularly known as the Virar ka Chokra’ the lad from the Bombay(downmarket) suburn Viral and has always had a loyal audience among the ‘masses’ rather then the ‘classes’ ( as the cinema audience is popularly divided) It took some time for Govinda to be appreciated as a comic star and a dancer but now he is seen as a one man show. One of the few star capable of holding
together an otherwise mediocre film, and is praised by many as a great star. He was undoubtedly the greatest dancer in Hindi films in the 1990s one of only a few who possess natural rhythm and style
Ankhen spotlights these elements of Govinda’s work from his vulgar yet immpeccably timed dancing in hugely
catchy songs, such as ‘o lal duppatewali’, to his mad fast-talking dialogues and excellent comic timing hindi films often use dobling (identical twins, lookalikes and so on) but Aankhen takes this device to its extremes. Govida(Munnu) and chunky pandey (Bunnu) star as two good-for-nothing sons of rich businessman, Hasmukh.They get caught up in a plot to replace the chief Minister with his double, a Villain transformed by plastic surgery. meanwhile Munnu’s dodouble. Gaurishankar (Govinda Again), Appears from real Munnu is mistaken for his double by the entire village. Hasmukh’s long-lost identical twin appears and helps the others to catch the criminals. A monkey is another member of the Munnu-Bunnu comedy tearm, enjoying a more interesting and developed role than the female stars
Amar, Akbar Anthony Movei
1977
This is one of the great masala films a riotous blend of comedy action and romance. Threeboys are separated from theri parents on
Independence Day when their father leaves them at the foot of a statu of Mahatma Ghandi, each one is subsequently brought up by differebt parents, one aHind(Amar-Vinod-Khanna) one a Muslim(Akbar-Rishi Kapoor) and one a christian (Anthony-Amitabh Bachchan). The family is separated although the mother (Nirupa Roya) Knows Akbar and Anthony but, as she was blined in an accident dows not relise they are her sons.
The fact that the boys real parents are Hindus and the Hindus sonis policeman reinforce the underlying Hinduness of all Indians, although there is much lip-service to the religiosity of thecatholic priest and the sincere prayers of akbar to shirdi Sai Baba, whose devotes include Hindus and Muslims, which result in his blind mother;s miraculous cure as two rays of light emanate from the eyes of the image. Thus begins the plot’s denouement but a great deal more must be untangled before the family can be reunited
Romantic love remains divided by comunity(Amar fails for a Hindus girl, Lakshmi-Shabana Azmi Akbar for Salma-Neetu Singh and Anthony for jenny Parveen Babi) and while the Hinndu’s Romance is sincere and reforming, the Muslim attracts the doctor by singing(camp) qawwalis (’Purdah re purdah’) and bringing eunuchs to shaem her father in to permitting the romance (’Tayyab Ali, Pyar ka dushman) Amitabh Bachan, in one of his greatest comic performances, takes on the role of the tapori or streetwise man, perfected in his stylised dialogue alnd his denim flares. His drunken scenes are much celebrated, but the wonderful jumps out of an egg sing’ My name is Anthony Gonsalves’ is unforgettable
The audience knows the whole story, while the characters only find out their origins later in the film the credits roll as the three brothers are liked up to a machine unknown to medical science that transfuses blood from them directly to their mother each unaware of the blood relationship The film;s knowingness provides further fun during the fight that restores order at the end of the film with Vinod Khanna one of the great 1970 heroes dressed as a one man band and the great Angry Young Man Amitabh in a priest’s costume while Rishi Kapoor the romantic heri of the 1970s plays the accordion that is incorporated into the backgroung score as ‘fight’ music. It also provides asong opportunity with Anhonee ko honee’ A madcap hilarious film, showing how much fun Hindi film comedy can be.
Anand Movie
1970
Rajesh Khanna was at his peak as a superstar when he took this role in an altogether smaller budget, less commercial film, It proved to be awise move, as this performance is widely regarded as his best
Dr Bhaskar Banerjee(Amitabh Bachan) wins a prize for Anand , the book he has written about his friendship with a adying man. In flashback. we learn of Anand(Rajesh Khanna), who is dying man. In flashback we learn of Anand (Rajesh Khanna) who is dying of cancer but wants to enjoy minut of what is left of his life. He and his doctor, Dr. Bhaskkar, become friends.
Amitabh Bachan was an unknown actor at the time and as three years before Zanjeer launched on his path to becoming Hindi film’s greatest susperster His emotional ins\tensity and silence were a good foil to Rajesh Khanna’s exuberance and he won awards for best supporting Actor, although many feel that his performance eclipsed taht roles, including Durga Khote, Dara Singh, Lalita Pawar and Johnny Walker
The film is said to be inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s friendship with Raj Kapoor. Amitabh’s role as Dr Bhaskar was modelled on the director (who was even called Babu moshai, which was based on Raj kapoor’s name for him)while Anand was based on Raj Kapoor Certainly, Anand has many characteristics of the immature but exuberant males that Raj Kapoor (in Andaaz) and others. including Shah Rukh Khan in some of his earlier roles, have played
The most popular of salil choudhury’s songs for this film was ‘kahin door’(sung by mukesh) which has remained a perennial favourite and has recently been released by Jagjit Singh. The other his other hit song was Manna Dey’s Zingagi kaisi ha paheli’
Hrishikesh Mukherjee took up this theme of friendsip again in 1973 with Namak haram, in which Amitabh Bachan and Rajesh Khanna once again star as close friends. but here the similarities end, as the later film charts the breakdown rather than the cementing of a friendship.This is one of many films by Harishikesh Mukherjee that I would like to have included here instead I have had to restrict myself to three that five a food idea of his range. Anand and Abhimaan are benchmark films with outstanding performance while GoL Maal is one of his many very popular comedies.
