Suryavanshi

I had some wonderful moments and a story attached to this film. I was in 3rd standard and the year was 2004. My mother bought two films of Salman Khan as a birthday gift. The other was Sanam Bewafaa and the second VCD was this film called Suryavanshi. We watched it together, brother, aunt, granny and I had a restless night after watching it. The whole night I couldn't sleep because of the haunted archaeology site "Sangramghad", the witch "Suryalekha" and that sketch of "Blue Eye" which bites "Vick" at the start of the film.

Now, I had watched this film more than 8 times and each time I discover a new layer to think about it. 2 hours and 41 minutes are nostalgic, music, background score, story, locations and dialogues everything reconnects me to my childhood days

When the first time I searched about the fate of this film at the box office, I was disappointed and these ratings on IMDB makes me more frustrated. Honestly, this is the best film of Indian cinema in the genre of "Fantasy", "Adventure" and "Horror" particularly producing in those times was really an effort. I had watched all kind of cinema British, American, Pakistani and Turkish but this film has a kind of narrative style of bedtime horror stories which we used to listen as kids from our grandparents.

Salman Khan is the main attraction of this film. He nailed both of his characters. Suryavanshi Vikram Singh was good to experiment at the earliest phase of his carrier. The character became laughable among so-called critics but it was spectacular to me being a kid. He was our own Asian "Conan" or "Hercules" Vicky was a contrast from S.Vikram Singh. A modern man of 1990s who vowed to live his life exploring adventures. Khan mastered both the characters. Salman Khan never played negative shade characters but he was under the skin of such character for a brief sequence when he was under the spell of Surylekha "Amrita Singh" to kill Sonia "Sheeba" and he nailed it. I am desperately waiting to see him in a full-fledged negative character. Amrita Singh as Suryalekha scared the hell out of me when I was a kid but right now she's a gorgeous witch and she has nothing to do than a beautiful portrait with heavy jewelry. Sheeba as Sonia was passable but she got an attractive voice, a layer of innocence and erotica. Kader Khan as Baba was phenomenal. His portrayal makes me very sad about normal old age people. The severity of life implicated on them. Ajit Vaichani, Saeed Jaffery, and Abhinav Chautervedi are loveable in their respective characters. Puneet Isaar entertained a lot as Mahesh in his short role. Tom Alter has a great cameo.

Rakesh Kumar did a commendable job as a director to explore this genre of fantasy and horror. He hinted about a sequel in the film but the tag of a flop at the box office I think altered the sequel. I would love to see the next adventure of "Vicky" to pass that deadliest lake.

Music of Anand Millind was memorable and melodious. "Goodbye Namaste Salam" and "Main Nahi Kehta" are my favorites.

I am not satisfied with the recent choices of Salman Khan. I want him to make memorable films like that again. I want him to explore this genre of fantasy and horror which was never presented truly in the Indian cinema. This film is a true reflection of the horror bedtime stories we listened from our grandparents.

Watched this film if you wanted to revisit the 1990's and Dynasty of Suryavanshi. Watch it for Salman Khan and a wonderful narrative style.

10/10

Well where do I start. As a kid I loved this movie. I give it 10 to compensate for its poor rating of 4 where it languishes currently(it probably deserves a 6.5 tho) Getting back; what not does this movie have: a sinister palace(which was btw archaeologically excavated/discovered), roving spirits, rebirth, and the triumph of righteousness. Of courses some of the sub-plots in the story line are corny, esp. regarding the palaces' dark past but who cares.

This movie was unique when it was made, a rarity in bombay cinema at that time. It has salman khan in the spankingly good form, and a plot to put 'the mummy' at shame. Okay not quite, but c'mon, it deserves credit for being bold, suspenseful, and so very appealing to a kids fantasy. I suggest people actually watch it before judging it by its rating here. And remember it was released in 1992, so don't expect a visual spectacle. Though considering that, you would be surprised to see how good it looks.

The wicked princess Suryalekha (Amrita Singh) falls in love with the one man who is able to defeat her champions. This man, Suryavanshi Vikram Singh (Salman Khan) deceives her, then leaves her in disgrace. Incensed, she kills herself and her ghostly self torments the area as she waits for Suryavanshi to be reborn and return to her.

Hundreds of years later, an archaeologist uncovers part of Suryalekha's palace. His team, including his daughter Sonia (Sheeba) and son-in-law Vicky (Salman Khan), visit the palace grounds. Suryalekha's spirit is convinced that Vicky is Suryavanshi reincarnated and calls to him. It is left to Sonia to overcome the evil with her love and protect her husband.

This is, at times, a silly movie, and sometimes overly dramatic. That said, it's still an enjoyable tale, full of action, romance, the supernatural, and music. There is much more to the plot that can be explained in a brief synopsis, and the romance was a good story. Singh was fantastic as the beautiful and evil Suryalekha, and Sheeba's portrayal of the opposing pure and lovely Sonia was equally good. Both of Khan's characters were less than three-dimensional, but still appealing. The most unfortunate aspect of the entire movie was the light brown hair/beard of Suryavanshi, which looked simply goofy on Khan. The music and choreography were good, as were the costumes for these numbers. Overall, while bordering on the ridiculous in parts, it was an entertaining movie and a good example of the Bollywood of the 1990s.

Many of you probably remember this 1992 flick because it was Salman Khan's first movie in which he appeared with a six pack. He had appeared in many movies before this but back then he was a skinny guy with no muscles. In this movie it showed that he had worked out and made a new image of himself which later on helped a lot in his success in Bollywood. A nice thriller movie for you all to enjoy.

The manuscript stops abruptly. The final page (bearing the revelation of how the atma may be freed of the curse) is missing. At this point, Vicky realizes that he is the Suryavanshi prince reborn.

The film ends with the couple running into the arms of their waiting parents.

One of Salman Khan's earlier and better films, loosely modeled on Conan, the Barbarian. The plot is solid, Amrita is scary and glamorous in turns, and Salman Khan really impresses. Was Prince Amar Singh played by Arbaaz Khan? The name is not credited. The palace ruins are sinister and the whole atmosphere of the film changes drastically as it progresses... from jokes and pranks and flirtations to curses, vicious ghosts, scary ruins and tragic palace intrigues.

I had watched this film 20 years ago.. I had this film on VHS then. I have this film on DVD now, and I am watching it today on a TV re-run. The sheer entertainment factor of the film persists. Go for it.