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Dhadakebaaz (1990)

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Dhadakebaaz (meaning powerful) is a Marathi movie directed by Mahesh Kothare. This was the first Cinemascope Marathi movie. The movie mixes many elements including fantasy, comedy, action and romance churning out an entertaining product.

The Plot

The movie begins with a voice over. Many centuries back, there was a magician’s fort near the town of Shivapur. One of the magician’s disciple was Gangaram. One day Gangaram committed a mistake which made the magician very angry. As punishment, the magician shut him inside a brass bottle along with some magical sand. Gangaram would remain inside the bottle for a thousand years until his relative would come to retrieve the bottle. Gangaram needs to fulfil the wishes of his relative by using the magical sand. And he will be set free when all the sand has been spent.

The scene cuts to the present. Lakshya (Laxmikant Berde) is dreaming of a magic lamp where the genie bathes him in golden coins. He wakes up to the grim reality. He is actually in a jail with 2 friends Mahesh (Mahesh Kothare) and Bappa (Deepak Shirke). They are petty thieves and notoriously famous as they keep landing in jail. Mahesh is an ace archer, Lakshya keeps pursuing magic whereas Bappa is a bodybuilder possessing great strength.

They fight and part ways temporarily after leaving the jail but are soon united again. They celebrate with a song of friendship Hi dosti tutaychi naay. They decide never to steal again and earn money through decent means. They soon reach the present day Shivapur in search of work. There is a workers agitation going on. Through a misunderstanding, Lakshya is arrested and taken to the local police station by Havaldar Rede (Ravindra Berde) and locked up.

Lakshya is sharing his cell with Divtya (Bipin Varti) who is a member of Kavtya Mahakaal’s gang. Apparently this is a dreaded gang and the police are desperate to capture the leader Kavtya. In the night, 3 members of the gang attack the police station in order to rescue Divtya. Through some funny actions, Lakshya manages to capture all 3 members and lock them in the cell while Divtya escapes. The police sub inspector Uma Jadhav (Ashwini Bhave) is impressed and releases Lakshya. Mahesh reaches the station to bring back Lakshya and has an argument with Uma. Apparently Uma is well aware of Mahesh and his criminal past.

Meanwhile Lakshya has impressed and befriended a flower seller Ganga (Prajakta Dighe) by saving her from some goons in the market. Mahesh and Bappa also join the fight. She invites them to her house for tea. They find Havaldar Rede in her house. He is her uncle and not happy to see the criminal Lakshya and his friends in his sister Paru’s (Shanta Inamdar’s) house. But the ladies ignore his concerns. Ganga helps the trio by giving them accommodation in the stable. Ganga and Lakshya soon fall in love and sing a romantic duet Phu bai phu.

Kavtya’s 3 members are still in jail and Divtya makes an attempt to rescue them But Lakshya and his friends help the police and the gang has to run away. Meanwhile, Mahesh saves Uma during the fighting and romantic sparks fly between the two.

One day, the goons from whom Lakshya had saved Ganga follow the couple seeking revenge. Lakshya and Ganga run away from the town and take shelter near the old magician’s fort. Lakshya, by accident finds a hidden door and slides down all the way down to land near the magical bottle. He is overjoyed to find the bottle and meet Gangaram, who tells him his story and asks him his first wish. Lakshya immediately tells Gangaram to rescue him and Ganga from the goons. He does so by making both of them fly in the sky.

Lakshya is impressed by Gangaram and his magical sand. Its like a dream come true. They agree on a “whistle” signal for summoning Gangaram whenever Lakshya needs a favour. Lakshya tells Mahesh and Bappa about Gangaram but they disbelieve him. They have received a painting job to paint the Mahadev temple in Shivapur and worried how to get it done on time. Lakshya immediately summons Gangaram who completes the painting in 5 minutes. There is a Mahashivratri celebration song. At the end of the song, Kavtya attacks the town with his gang. Lakshya manages to get Gangaram’s help and counter Kavtya and the gang soon fleds from the scene.

Kavtya is shown as wearing a skull mask. He is angry at the humiliation. His gang members keep an eye on the trio and find out about the magical bottle. They inform Kavtya who makes plans to steal the bottle.

Does he achieve it? Will the police be successful in capturing Kavtya? And what happens to Gangaram? All is revealed in a Sholay type climax.

The Music

Pravin Davane (lyrics) and Anil Mohile (music) do the honours. Typical of Mahesh Kothare movies, the songs are rhythmic rather than melodious. Hi dosti tutaychi naay and Ninne preminchenu were popular. And you have the staple parody song where Gangaram (voice of Sudesh Bhosle) imitates multiple actors including Dada Kondke, Shatrughan Sinha, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Raaj Kumar supported by the parody versions of songs like Gangu tarunya tuza befaam, Mach gaya shor, Duniya mein logon ko, Kabutar jaa jaa, Jumma Chumma and My name is Lakhan. All fun to watch with Lakshya’s antics.

My Thoughts

Dhadakebaaz is a fast faced movie. There are multiple characters and the story keeps moving ahead. The action and chase sequences are well done. The special effects seem dated now with all the advanced technology available. Amongst the cast, its Laxmikant Berde who stands out with his easy screen presence and humour. His reactions and comic timing are too good. And he actually performs a double role as Gangaram. Gangaram’s look seems to be inspired from Dada Kondke. He is lovable in both the roles. The other actors perform nicely but Laxmikant steals the show.

Kavtya Mahakaal’s identity is never revealed. His voice is similar to Gabbar Singh’s character from Sholay but hardly impactful. He appears comical and not the evil villain one would have expected to scare the whole town. This was Prajakta Dighe’s debut movie and she appears confident. Ashwini Bhave doesn’t have much to do. Her romantic relationship with Mahesh seems forced. But overall Mahesh Kothare succeeds in making an entertaining movie and keep the viewer hooked.

Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool (1969)

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Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool (ABGP) is based on a Marathi play by writer Vasant Kanetkar and is presented by Ashok Kumar. His brother Anoop Kumar is the producer and direction by Satyen Bose. ABGP is a tale of principles, the right way and the wrong way. What happens if your life long principles crash in an instant? Where does this lead you?

The Plot

Principal Vidyanand (Ashok Kumar) is the “adarshwadi” college principal. He was appointed by the current trustee Seth Dharamdas’s father on account of his honest and non-corrupt nature. He has dedicated his life to the well being of the college. The vice principal Shyam Rao (Anoop Kumar) has been Vidyanand’s protégé and is like a family member. Vidyanand’s wife Sumitra (Nirupa Roy) is a doctor. And he has a not so shareef friend Shambhu (Pran) with a third wife Neelam (Helen).

Things are happy going. Vidyanand and Sumitra have lost their own son and treat the college children as their own. 

There is an extra smart student Chandrashekhar/Chandu (Deb Mukherjee) who keeps playing new pranks like coming to college on a donkey. He is a poor boy who aims to be educated as well as rich one day. His love interest is played by Krishna (Alka). The other professors are fed up of Chandu’s antics and complain to Vidyanand.

Vidyanand has a strong conversation with Chandu regarding his ongoing education and future plans. He admonishes him of his casual approach towards education and money. He has to be clear of his life’s ambition and how to pursue it. The dialogue between Vidyanand and Chandu is one of the more impactful scenes of the movie.

Later, Chandu is selected for police training and leaves the city. He is happy he has found new parents in the form of the kindly principal and his wife. And has assurance from Krishna she will wait for his return and they can get married. Which they do!

But things cant be calm for long. Seth Dharamdas (Raj Mehra) is the college trustee and main antagonist. He wants a free hand in the running of the college and invest in new buildings meaning more profit. But Vidyanand is not agreeable as the building contractor is Dharamdas’s close relative with a dubious reputation who was recently involved in a newly constructed building’s collapse.

One thing leads to the other. Dharamdas manages to corrupt the other professors including Shyam to do his bidding. Shyam gets Vidyanand to sign a blank cheque. The police arrest Vidyanand for the embezzlement of college funds worth Rs 1,35,000. Vidyanand assures Sumitra and Shambhu that Shyam will tell the truth in court and all will be sorted. But Shyam points to Vidyanand as the source of the crime leaving Vidyanand shattered. In a fit of rage and disbelief, he admits to the crime.

Vidyanand is jailed and after release has only one ambition – to destroy Seth Dharamdas. He joins hands with Shambhu and Neelam, open up a luxury hotel and engage in shady activities including gold smuggling. His various tips about Dharamdas’s smuggling operations help the police come closer to the villain. Things reach a point when he kidnap’s Dharamdas’s son Naveen and is ready to kill him in order to save himself. Shambhu is not agreeable to the scheme as murder was never supposed to be part of the revenge saga. He tells Vidyanand he should consider leaving the country.

This leads to an interesting climax at the airport involving Vidyanand and the newly appointed DSP Chandrashekhar, who happens to be his old student and has looked up to him for his infallible ideals and principles all these years.

The Music

Songs composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal. There are 5 songs which slow the progress of the story. The duet “Jaane kaisa hai mera diwana” is well known.

There are 2 songs picturized on Helen. One of them Meherbaan Mehboob dilbar janeman is the last song of the movie and is performed wonderfully by Ashok Kumar and Helen. It is placed at an important plot point in the story.

My Thoughts

The movie showcases the tale of morals and principles nicely. Ashok Kumar brings out the shock of betrayal with his exaggerated mannerisms. From the non-corruptible principal to seasoned smuggler, Ashok Kumar plays both roles impactfully. Vidyanand goes on his revenge spree and doesn’t know where to stop. Here he displays a different kind of anguish as he seems to have lost control and is even ready to justify murder. Thankfully he receives redemption at the end bringing him peace. He shines in the climax scene.

Deb Mukherjee, with his unconventional looks actually acts well in the movie. His initial irritating character to his transformation as a police officer is remarkable. Alka doesn’t have much to do.

Pran, Nirupa Roy, Helen are excellent. The villains are the weak link and appear as caricatures. There should have been a stronger character to take on Vidyanand which would have made it a more convincing watch.

Swami (1977)

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Swami is a Hindi language movie based on an adaptation of Bengali novelist Sarat Chandra Chatterjee’s story by the same name. The movie’s producer is Hema Malini’s mother Jaya Chakravarthy and directed by Basu Chatterjee.  The movie brings out an interesting theme whether a man or woman can be independent after marriage and the obligations they have towards each other, their families etc.

The Plot

The movie, in a Bengali setting, begins with Saudamini “Mini”(Shabana Azmi) narrating her story. It’s been 6 months since she got married. She was one year old when her father passed away. After which, she and her mother (Sudha Shivpuri) went to stay with her uncle (Mamaji) (Utpal Dutt). Later Mamaji’s wife also passed away. Mamaji treated her like his own daughter, educated her, and wants her to complete her B.A. (graduation).

Brought up as a progressive and educated girl, Mini indulges in literature induced chats with her uncle. Joining them is the local zamindar’s son and neighbour Naren (Vikram). Mamaji is aware that Vikram’s frequent visits are not for the purpose of chatting and bringing books, but Mini is part of his agenda! Mini too falls for Naren and are hoping to get married.

Mamaji himself is progressive and stays away from orthodox beliefs and rituals. He wants Mini to complete her graduation before getting married. Mini’s mother on the other hand is an orthodox lady, and wants Mini to get married soon and settle down as a normal housewife.  

Fed up with his sister’s pestering, mamaji visits Madhupur for a proposed match. Mamaji assures Mini he will reject the match as he knows about her and Naren.

The proposed groom Ghanshyam (Girish Karnad) is a food grain trader and less educated than Mini. This is his second marriage. He is the eldest son of the house staying with his step mother (Shashikala), who has a married son (Dheeraj Kumar) and a daughter Charu (Preeti Ganguli).

Unfortunately, mamaji suffers a heart attack while returning from Madhupur. On his death bed, he tells Mini that Ghanshyam is the right match for her. He advises her “Naren can provide her love but Ghanshyam can carry on the responsibility brought by marriage.” Mamaji passes away leaving Mini shattered.

Her marriage to Ghanshyam is a forced marriage and she needs time to adjust in her in-laws’ home and more importantly accept Ghanshyam as her husband. Her husband is the major bread earner of the house who slogs throughout the day. But its his stepbrother Nikhil who gets all the attention. Ghanshyam accepts everything patiently.

While she slowly accepts the situation, Naren comes visiting as Nikhil’s friend to complicate matters. Things reach a point when Mini decides to leave the house with Naren while Ghanshyam is away. And this leads us to the movie’s climax where a lifelong decision awaits Mini.

The Music

Rajesh Roshan is the composer with lyrics by Amit Khanna.

2 songs that stand out are Pal bhar me ye kya ho gaya by Lata Mangeshkar and the classical music thumri “remake” “Kaa karoon sajani aaye na balam, passionately sung by K.J. Yesudas.

My Thoughts

The film belongs to Shabana Azmi. What a performer she is! She starts off as the impressive and chirpy Mini but has to mellow down after the sudden forced marriage. She is ready to tackle her mother-in-law when required and live on her terms. Gradually, she is impressed by her husband’s nature and his progressive views especially on how women need to be treated. This leads to the first thaw in their strained relationship. And we see a more mature Mini blossoming. But things take a turn for the worse when Naren arrives and she takes a stand against the whole house.

Girish Karnad appears too down to earth in the beginning but gives space to his new wife to settle down amicably. He is clear on what is right or wrong and doesn’t back away from expressing his stand to Mini or other members of the family. He brings out the balanced character nicely.

Other cast members including Utpal Dutt and Shashikala are good. 

Overall, this is an entertaining movie from Basu Chatterjee. It somehow reminds me of his another movie Apne Paraye (1980), also based on a novel by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee.

Trivia Shot – Dharmendra & Hema Malini appear in cameos in a song. They had played cameos in another Basu Chatterjee movie Chhoti Si Baat (1976) and can be seen in the song Jaaneman jaaneman tere do nayan.