Clerk

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.

If Manoj Kumar intended this to be a comedy, he couldn't have done a better job. This movie, in all aspects, may it be the cinematography, direction, music, acting or the classic dialogs, is so bad that it actually goes round the globe to be awesome.

It is hilarious and every time I watch it with my friends, we laugh so hard that we pee our pants a bit. Every single scene and every minute detail in this movie is awfully worked at and badly directed. This is the epitome of self-indulgence. Manoj Kumar is so obsessed with his style of film-making that he has no clue how horrible he has become. This is, undoubtedly, my favorite comedy, ever.

(0/2)The story is going nowhere.It's like all masala movies mix into one to make a khichdi.Patriotism,romance,youth rebel,terrorism,action, and what not.

(0/2)All the actors in this movies are veterans and best in the business.Manoj Kumar,Ashok Kumar,Rajendra Kumar,Shashi Kapoor,Prem Chopra,Rekha.But the talent of all these legends is flushed down thanks to the stupid story and (mis-)direction.

(0/2)What the devil is wrong with Manoj Kumar?One of the best director Indian movie has ever seen has wasted his time in this movie.

(0/2)Music of this movie is ridiculous."Aaj 15 August hai" is gibberish of them all.

(1/2)This movie will down in the history as the best unintended comedy film .You won't be able to stop yourself from bursting out in laughter.This movie-is-so-bad-it's-good.

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.