Clerk

This movie sadly shows that Manoj Kumar is loosing it. After making beautiful movies like "Shor" and "Upkaar", one wonders what he was thinking when he made this movie. All the big stars that agreed to be part of this movie, just proves how they did out of respect, otherwise why would Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, and Ashok Kumar choose such a bad scripted movie. As someone else already said, if you are looking for a comedy, this is one, despite the fact that it's supposed to be a serious, patriotic flick. Even the soundtrack for Manoj Kumar's movies normally have memorable lyrics and tunes. There is nothing that sticks out for this one. It's too bad that the once great director and story-teller, didn't realize that his script was flawed and just decided to be graceful and not make this movie.

Clerk review :

"Aaj 15...Aaj 15 15 August Hai" ..

..sang an aged Manoj Kumar in one of his much delayed film Clerk which sadly couldnt recreate the magic of his earlier achievements like 'Upkar' (1967), 'Roti Kapda Aur Makaan' (1974) and 'Kranti' (1981) to name just a few. In fact, the plot was a bad rehash of his own Roti Kapda aur Makaan.

The film had Rekha and Shashi Kapoor in negative roles as a couple who love to call each other as Mr and Mrs Kapoor. Rekha is Manoj's ex who dumped the poor guy for richie rich Kapoor.

Working as a clerk in Defence ministry, Manoj aka Bharat (his staple name in most of his films) has to bear with a corrupt boss Satish Shah at work and a large family comprising a heart attack ridden Ashok Kumar as father, two Pakistani imports as bhaiyya - bhabhi and two siblings going to college.

Sonu Walia, wearing the same torn jeans throughout the movie, keeps saying "Tich". Yea, that's her catchphrase. Anita Raj does random gymnastics to impress and seduce our Bharat dude but he appears clearly disinterested. Later, Anita gets molested by a tharki amirzaada Om Shivpuri whose pick up line is "Beauty Beauty Beauty"!!!

"Sooraj ugte kabhi naa dekha Chaand chamakte kabhi na dekha"

Uttam Jagdish's tunes were suited to the flavour of the film. There is even a song where we see a 50+ Manoj Kumar dressed as a college kiddo romancing Rekha.

Filled with ham scenes like an Azad Hind Fauj anthem serving as a cure for Ashok Kumar's heart attack, Sajid Khan made his entire hosting career showing us clippings of Clerk in his 90s shows 'Ikke Pe Ikka' and 'Kehne Mein Kya Harz Hai'.

Clerk is a bad film and there is no doubt about it. But there is still something immensely enjoyable about all the mess. So bad that it is good kinda cinema!!

No prize for guessing that the film was a box office flop when it released in theatres. I had seen the movie on DD National in the 90s and then on VCD in 2000s. I caught it again on YouTube last night and marveled at Manoj Kumar's unwavering deshbhakti jazbaa. Jai Hind Saahab!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

The movie should be viewed as a classic for benchmarking the nadir in the Indian film industry. I haven't come across an Indian movie worse than this. Everybody has done justice to this film as the performances are uniformly awful across the board. Can't single out anyone for uniquely bad performance. Music, direction and editing also draw a bottom line. On the plus side it gives me strength to watch a lot of BAD movies as nothing can match the experience of watching CLERK. Strongly recommended for all who want to get a bottom-line drawn. The review requires at least 10 lines to be written, but this is one movie where a single word would suffice - HORRIBLE.

Undoubtedly this movie is a once in a millennium masterpiece. My Dad happens to be a cardiologist and I'll recommend this movie to him. ISME POINT HAI. How else can one cure heart attacks by simply playing songs on a taperecorder. Besides, cigarettes and alcohol are to be put on a higher priority than food.

Manoj Kumar was without a shadow of doubt trying to give Dev Anand an identity crisis by playing a college student aged 52. But he has the right to do so, AAKHIR MAIN EK CLERK HOON !!!!

HaHaHaHaHaHa.......

I don't want to be too critical about this movie. There's nothing to be critical at all.

This movie has Manoj Kumar as a clerk, the main protagonist. And this movie is full of comedy ( and yes, I'm being caustic!) and awful scenes. The sequences are obnoxiously written and there's nothing much to do, or say. For example, the scene where Ashok Kumar gets a heart attack, Manoj Kumar plays a patriotic number, and lo and behold! he springs up and starts marching!

Action scenes, are, as if copied from superman, as people keep on flying in the air defying the gravity, and amidst all these flying people, our brave Clerk is fighting against the villains with a machine gun (read Lego Toy Gun!) in his hand.

Bottom Line: Please do watch this movie.... Its one of its kind!