Saudagar

Its disappointing to see a Subhash Ghai's film containing almost nothing and wasting actors such as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Deepti Naval, Manisha Koirala. He really had nothing to talk about in this film. The music was below par. If you compare the music of this film with Kalicharan, Karz, Pardes or Hero it was a disgrace. Only the title song Saudagar is where the music director made his best attempt to create melody. The music may have become popular and sold many albums, but that could have many reasons, including good marketing and inducement. The reason for the dushmani was a simple misunderstanding but it was made so complicated with so many characters. Only the dialogs between Dilip and Raj were good to some extent. The scenes were literally written for the dialogues and situations created so that the dialogue can be said. Subhash must have thought that in each scene have lots of people standing and that would make a good scene or a good movie. Subhash had made some good movies like Kalicharan, Karz, Pardes. After Pardes his movies only looked grand but lacked a story and soul. Dilip Kumar was so good in Mashal, Vidhata because he had a good role. The ending also was senseless, where there is no use of brain power on the part of Dilip Kumar or Raj Kumar. The Villains use brain power and the heroes lack it.

Close to my heart. Childhood memories, teenage memories, adulthood memories and will be my old age memories.

When I think of Subhash Ghai's Saudagar two things come to mind. Firstly is the immensely popular song Ilu Ilu, secondly is the coming together of two titan of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar. Dilip Kumar had previously acted by Ghai's Karma and Vidhaata. Saudagar came out in 91 where Subhash Ghai was still a trusted director that churned out hit after hit,Karz, Hero,Meri Jung and Ram Lakhan. The story of Saudagar goes like this. Two childhood friends fall out due to a misunderstanding created by Amrish Puri. Decades pass and they are now sworn enemies. Then their grandchildren(newcomers Vivek Mushran and Manisha Koraila)meet and fall in love without knowing their families legendary dispute and they conspire to make their grandparents friends again. Subhash Ghai always had a good ear for music and out of all his movies in my opinion Saudagar had the best music. All the songs are simply sublime, my favourites are Ilu Ilu and Teri Yaad. Subhash Ghai even managed to assemble a great cast together(most of whom are veterans of Subhash Ghai movies). The cast consisted of Jackie Shroff(in a special appearance)Deepti Naval,Amrish Puri,Dilip Tahil, Anupum Kher and many many more. Saudagar is very long but with a movie as entertaining as Saudagar I say the longer the better. Watching Saudagar is a sad reminder of how Mr Ghai's career has taken a turn for the worse over the past couple of years.

What an amazing movie, Subhash Ghai has done and outstanding job with this film. I really loved, especially the meeting of two huge Bollywood stars, Raaj Kumar and Dilp Kumar, when they both got on screen you could feel the intensity and raw talent coming from both actors. Such an evergreen movie shouldn't be overlooked by Bollywood fans and viewers alike, I recommend you go out and watch this movie now it is really great. I also liked the music, particularly the song "Ilu Ilu", great song and this film helped launch the career of one Bollywood's most talented actresses, Manisha Koirala. Vivek Mushran was good in the movie also but I believe one Amrish Puri did steal the show. All in all a great film, I give it a 10/10, I would've given it a 9 but the song "Ilu Ilu" made me give it a higher score. I really loved this movie. R. I. P to Raaj Kumar, a really talented legend, movies like this are why he should never be forgotten.

Saudagar review :

They didn't call Subhash Ghai the 'SHOWMAN' for nothing!!

Only he could think of bringing the two titans - Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar - together as besties turned foes in a magnum opus loosely adapted from Romeo and Juliet. The focus was more on their feud than the love story of the young couple from the original classic tale.

Saudagar is a complete director's film and Ghai showed his true calibre by not only handling the two veterans who hadn't worked together after Paigham (1959) but also by introducing two fresh faces - Vivek Mushran and Manisha Koirala- out of which one went on to become a big star of the '90s.

Laxmikant Pyarelal always reserved their best for Ghai and the love duet 'ILU ILU' ruled the music charts for nearly one and half year after the film's release. After Tridev's Oye Oye, Ilu Ilu became eve teaser's favourite anthem and the police would actually pick anyone singing it loudly.

The confrontation scenes between Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar were epic stuff and the dialogue "Hum tumhe maarenge aur zaroor maarenge. Par woh bandook bhi hamari hogi, goli bhi hamari hogi aur waqt bhi hamara hogaa" joined the ranks of Raaj Kumar's best.

Clocking more than three hours, Saudagar opened to packed houses across India and it was simply impossible to procure tickets in its first week. I got to see the film only on its second tuesday at Matunga's Badal Cinema which was still going full. Most of the crowd were repeat and they were screaming the dialogues and cheering so loudly it was difficult to hear the screen. In 2017, Subhash Ghai re-premiered Saudagar at his own New Excelsior theatre in Mumbai and that was my second theatrical watch of this grand movie. This time, I had Ghai himself with Anupam Kher and Gulshan Grover seated in the row ahead of me. Wow!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.