A few years ago I had read Irving Wallace’s cold war based novel titled The Second Lady. The novel had an improbable plot involving the replacement of the U. S. president’s wife by a duplicate woman from Russia. But it was well written and the ambiguous ending left it to the reader to determine the outcome. Upon researching, I realized there was a 1980s Hindi movie based on the same plot and I had watched it too. So it was time to revisit Sharara (meaning a spark or flame) and see how it measures up to the book. The film was produced by Hema Malini. The credits mention the producer as R.J. Chakravarthi and director as S.V. Rajendra Singh.

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The Plot

In Sharara, the U.S. president is replaced by an Indian army officer. Raaj Kumar (Colonel Dharam Veer Singh Pathan) is delivering a motivational speech to the Indian soldiers (we do not see them on screen). He tells them there is only aim and that is victory. The Indian army emerges victorious and peace prevails. The events seem to happen near the Jammu and Kashmir border. Obviously the enemy (the country is not named) is not happy.

A foreign agent Zomacko(?)(Tom Alter) is plotting to send a spy called Captain Cameron (or Kamran(?)) to the area where Dharam Veer Singh is currently posted as the commanding officer. Cameron’s job is to infiltrate the army unit and find a top secret file full of military plans. There is an existing spy in the army who will contact Cameron and guide him. So, Cameron manages to slip in by impersonating a soldier and meets the spy. He causes a diversion and accesses Dharam Veer Singh’s office. He lays hands on the file and starts taking photos. However, an alert Dharam Veer Singh returns and confronts both the men. There is a chase and a fight before both are captured and killed. Zomacko is furious when he hears the news. Now he will have to go to India and make alternate plans.

He comes to Mumbai with Jefferson (Bob Christo) and meets more villains – KK (Kader Khan) who talks in an irritating hoarse voice and Mr. Kapoor (Shakti Kapoor). The other villains are Kapoor’s girlfriend (Kalpana Iyer) and Simon (Ranjeet). KK and Kapoor are informed about the military secrets file. KK refuses to undertake the job as this involves dealing with the army.

Enter the dashing Vicky (Shatrughan Sinha). He is KK’s right hand man. He tells that nothing is impossible and is ready to volunteer and steal the file. The enemy agents are impressed. They show him photos of the army headquarters, of Dharam Veer Singh and his wife Madhu (Hema Malini). Vicky is startled to see Madhu’s photo. Does he have any connection with her?

Madhu resembles Champavati or Chandni, a banjara (gypsy) girl that he is familiar with. He wants to substitute Madhu with Chandni, so that she can infiltrate the Colonel’s house and help to steal the military secrets. But he has to convince Chandni first, who is a simple girl. Apparently, Vicky and Chandni are in love. He immediately goes to meet her. He paints a rosy picture of her future life full of money, a big house with kids etc. He wants to train her and make her a heroine. For this, she will have to come with him. She is easily convinced and agrees.

Meanwhile, Dharam Veer Singh leaves for his house in Srinagar. We meet his lovely wife Madhu (who as expected looks exactly like Chandni). She is the dutiful army officer wife, always hoping for his well being and success.

Later, they attend the army unit’s anniversary ball. Vicky attends the ball too, posing as a photographer. He clicks Madhu’s pictures for showing them to Chandni. But his plan is foiled when Dharam Veer Singh notices him and removes the roll from the camera. He is sent away with a warning.

It is announced that Dharam Veer Singh will be awarded the prestigious Param Vir Chakra. On this joyous occasion, Madhu sings the title song “Shabnam ka yeh katra hai, yaad ka ek sharara.

Vicky is not to accept defeat easily. When the Colonel and Madhu are out skiing, he manages to meet Madhu alone, impress her and take her photographs. Mission successful, he goes back to Chandni and focuses on her transformation. Thus begins Chandni’s journey – from the naive gypsy girl to the sophisticated army officer’s wife.

Right from her looks, table manners, driving a car, playing the piano, and skiing – she has to be comfortable and act like Madhu. Vicky trains her accordingly. She is given information about Dharam Veer and Madhu’s families, their house etc. The plan is ready for execution but they are waiting for the perfect opportunity to make the switch.

It comes soon. Madhu will be travelling from Srinagar to Mysore to attend a function. The plan is to kidnap her from the hotel and make Chandni take her place. Things go as planned. Madhu goes to Mysore. She is joined there by her sister Rashmi (Tina Munim) and her friend Deepak (Mithun Chakraborty in a special apperance). Rashmi and Deepak perform a song at the function.

The substitution of Madhu with Chandni is successful. Chandni returns to Srinagar whereas Madhu is kept as prisoner by KK and team. The rest of the film shows how Chandni moves closer to her goal.

Will Chandni be successful in stealing the army secrets? There is danger and intrigue at every point. And the Colonel is shrewd enough to suspect that everything is not right about his wife. Will he expose the impostor and reunite with the real Madhu?

The Music

There are only 3 songs and Shabnam ka yeh katra hai (by Lata Mangeshkar) stands out because of its tune and presentation. The song appears twice. The lyrics are by Anand Bakshi, the composer being Laxmikant Pyarelal.

My Thoughts

Sharara keeps the viewer hooked especially after the replacement is made and the Colonel starts suspecting his wife. But being a Hindi film, it has to include all India movie elements to satisfy the audience’s expectations. And these make the plot less engaging. The Kashmir landscape scenes are well done.

Raaj Kumar acts with his usual style and mannerisms. However he looks too old to be Hema Malini’s husband. Wonder why they did not cast a younger actor. Same with Shatrughan Sinha – there is not much chemistry with the heroine. Hema Malini performs well as the classy army wife and the impostor. The villains are shown ruthless and predictable. Ranjeet, who appears later as one of the enemy agents is impressive.

Overall, it does not meet the expectations of the book, which operates on a grander scale involving US-Russia relations during the cold war, making it a political thriller. Comparatively, the film is weak and predictable. It works only in parts.