Johny Mera Naam

Johnny Mera Naam (1970) : Brief Review -

The GREATEST commercial spy thriller ever made in Bollywood. Period. There are some films for which you say, "They don't make films like this anymore," and Johnny Mera Naam is one of those rare films. Sean Connery's James Bond series was ruling in American and international markets with its spicy and glamourous spy thrillers, and naturally, Bollywood, or for that matter, Indian cinema, was running way behind. We had to crack something like that, if not an exact James Bond film. We were also unfortunate with the limited commercial success of crime and spy thrillers. But Johnny Mera Naam broke that myth. There is no competition for it, as far as I can remember. Even iconic Don (1978) took 8 more years but couldn't match the amount of twists. Content-wise, we can say we have a classic thriller like "Baby" (2015), but I won't call it a proper masala blockbuster. The direct competition would be anything that falls into YRF's emerging spy-universe, but JMN is miles ahead. What a fantastic script, screenplay, and direction it has. Simply unmatchable and unbeatable! Twins formula, twins being opposite characters, a secret agent as a criminal gang member, lost and found formula, thrill, drama, chartbuster music, and mind blowing twists-Johnny Mera Naam got them all and plenty. The last 40 minutes just take it to a whole new level-even higher than your favorite spy, James Bond, who actually got predictable most of the time. What great songs this film has, and what perfect situations and lyrics. It just doesn't get better than this; at least I can confirm that it hasn't gotten better till 2024. Vijay Anand has a great filmography and several classics that can compete with Johnny Mera Naam for content, but the mass value and entertainment are incomparable. It deserved to be his BIGGEST HIT EVER and it did so. The GREATEST this genre can ever produce and I won't argue with anybody over it.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.

This this a Hindi film starring Dev Anand, Pran and Hema Malini.

I began watching the film with low expectations. And ended up being amazed by the script, direction, music and comedy. What a complete entertainer!!

Do not get bogged by the 2hr 45 min length. Watch the full version with all the twists in the tale. Time also has gone into the songs, but they are all hummable tunes and each fitting into the storyline. Note that this was the biggest box office hit of the year!!

IS Johar is a laugh riot in the film and Dev Anand, Pran and Premnath perform well. But I think the biggest credit goes into the direction by Vijay Anand and it's a tragedy that the industry didn't get many many more creations from him after this.

Johnny Mera Naam is perhaps Vijay Anand's best directed movie. Released in 1970, this movie went on to cause a stir as did the music as it was considered to be beyond its time.

Two brothers,Sohan and Mohan, both studying in the same school, have entered the school boxing competition. When the final comes it the two brothers find out that they are fighting each other. Sohan is declared winner but the match is continued at home and the mother tells them that they should wait for their father. Mohan, the elder, being impatient, goes to see his father - a police officer. Instead he witnesses a smuggler by the name of Heera murdering his father. He then tries to catch him by chasing him and lends up hiding in his car.

Years pass by and Sohan becomes an Police inspector and wanting to catch smugglers, he lands himself in a cell with the man who had murdered his father, Heera and introduces himself as "Johnny." He later escapes and meets up with a contact that he had been informed about by Heera - a female by the name of Rekha.

The movie stars the ever green Dev Anand, Hema Malini, Pran, Premnath, Ifteqar and I.S. Johar. The story is good but more than that is the direction by the late Vijay Anand. But the acting by all and especially the comic side by the late I.S. Johar, is absolutely brilliant. The songs to listen out for are "O Mere Raja," "Baabul Pyaare," "Nafrat Karne Waaloh" and "Parbhal Keliye" - they are most memorable as is the music by Kalyanji - Anandji.

I recently saw this movie after a very long time and was in tears as it brought back floods of memories and especially especially childhood ones. This is a movie that is worth watching.

Johny Mera Naam review :

After Guide (1965) and Jewel Thief (1967), Dev and Vijay Anand jodi completed their hatrick with this superhit film. Johny Mera Naam is a complete entertainer and perfect mixture of emotions, drama, action, music and sex. In short, the film had everything to satisfy the varied taste of the moviegoers.

A typical lost and found formula of brothers (Dev Anand and Pran) separating in childhood and then re-uniting years later to fight a common enemy (Premnath); Vijay Anand's outstanding execution elevated the film to an altogether different level. Dev Saahab's magnetic charm and Hema Malini's beauty was utilised perfectly here and the song "Pal bhar ke liye koi hume pyaar karle" is still memorable for its imaginative use of window panes.

Another number "Husn ke lakhon rang" attained notoriety of sorts due to the sexy Padma Khanna doing a strip tease dance for the amorous Premnath. Reportedly, the theatres used to be replete with ceetis and catcalls from the front bencher crowd as Padma removed her clothes one by one through the song. The way Premnath just pounces on her in the end still gives me chills!!

Expectedly, Dev Saahab owned the film through his sheer style and swag. Pran and Premnath excelled in their roles. IS Johar had a triple role of Pehle Ram, Dooje Ram and Teeje Ram - triplets who Dev Anand keeps bumping in to one after another throughout the film.

Johny Mera Naam was seen as direct competition to Raj Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker (1970) and Kapoor had requested producer Gulshan Rai to change the title to Johny. Refusing point blank, Rai asked Raj Kapoor to name his film Joker instead. We all know the box office fate of both the films but today, both are regarded as cult classics and I personally love both of them.

Johny Mera Naam not only influenced the formulaic cinema of '70s and '80s but also made director Sriram Raghavan pay a rich tribute to the movie in his neo noir thriller Johnny Gaddar (2007) in which some clips of the film are also seen.

One of the finest entertainers of Hindi cinema; Johny Mera Naam is Dev Saahab's biggest success of the '70s. It is an evergreen film. Just like him!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

JOHNY MERA NAAM is a superbly amusing action thriller that, right from its banger musical score to the production design right down to the story beats, evokes the vibrancy and nostalgia of 1970s Bollywood. Vijay Anand borrows some elements from his previous classic JEWEL THIEF to craft this equally captivating tale that's filled with smugglers, secret identities, long-lost family members, compelling romance, enticing Bollywood-style melodrama, harmless comedy and engrossing plot filled with thrills and phenomenal performances. The most impressive thing is that the film juggles everything with awesome panache, and even though there is a lot going on, the great direction and amazing pace makes sure that everything remains fairly simple to follow. I have already said it, but again, this film's album is terrific. The due of Kalyanji and Anandji made the album by fusing western style with Indian instruments, and in process created one of the most unique and timeless music in Bollywood history.

While not a groundbreaker in any sense, but a wonderful screenplay, gritty atmosphere, polished action choreography and giving a modern aesthetic to the action-thriller genre in the industry, this film more than earns its status as a classic of Bollywood.