Yaadon Ki Baaraat

This is a film you see for the soundtrack. I know I did. Okay, I also like Dharmendra a lot but this is not his best role ever so don't expect any miracles.

The story is that of three brothers whose parents get killed in their childhood. The brothers then part ways due to circumstances and grow up separately without knowing anything about each other's whereabouts.

You know the story and its ending after watching the film for 20 minutes so I suppose it's useless to mention what happens later. The good things about this film is of course the amazing R. Burman soundtrack, an appearance by Aamir Khan as a child artiste and its funky 70's fashion in clothes and overall style. The romantic subplot is quite silly and unnecessary, though it gives the unforgettable song Chura Liya.

With a worse soundtrack I'd give it 6/10, now it's a 7/10. General advice: buy the soundtrack, not the DVD!

Let us start, in accordance with Indian priorities, with the music. RD Burman's soundtrack is terribly good, not only in itself but also because it seems to interact wonderfully with the script and the general ambiance intended by the director: psychedelic rock'n'roll coupled with lovely ballads set the tone to a movie which is, first of all, about society, education and their influence on the individual (a very common theme in Indian cinema). The music is also, in a very literal sense, the driving force of the movie. The first scene presents us with an idyllic family reunion in which all members sing a delightful song (Yaadon Ki Bharat) which is but a prelude to the massacre that follows. The three brothers see their parents being killed, run away and part; they grow up in very distinct social contexts and will be reunited only at the end of the movie, in a very emotional scene, when one of them sings the tune and thus discloses his origin. In the meantime, the fact that this same character sings and plays at a fancy hotel allows for the introduction of some of the best guitar-driven and experimental music Bollywood has ever heard. The movie focuses on the two other brothers. One of them is a thief and a bitter drunkard (with a good heart, of course, and a heroic nature), while the other one is some sort of a happy-go-lucky boy who just wants to get the best out of life. He falls in love with a beautiful, high-class Bombay girl, in a relationship that unsurprisingly raises some issues on class difference. Everything ends up in a happy tone, of course, leaving you with the desire to listen to those songs over and over again.

Dodgy fashions, wacky sets and simply one of the greatest Hindi film soundtracks ever. The film is an acquired taste for some. This isn't your average happy family love flick with everyone dancing around huge larger than life sets. This is more of a gritty dark painful film full of anger and betrayal. This original lost and found formula features some of RD burmans finest work ever as a music director. from the title track to "churalia hai tumnein" and the fiery "lekhar hum diwana dil". all the tracks work brilliantly with the story. The villain in story is just the biggest baddest larger than life villain you just can wait get. Dharmedra plays the role of vengeful man brilliantly. the other two lesser know hero's do a rather fantastic job. Vijay Aurora the dashing young man after sizzling Zeenat Amaan's heart and Tariq the bad ass nightclub singer with the massive 70's shades and shiny flares. Neetu Singh though brilliant in the song "lekhar hum diwana dil" does not have much of a role in the film. the heroines in this film are just the hero's love interests and don't do much else. All in all this film is very entertaining and the scene where the brothers re-unite at the night club is enough to bring anyone to tears. The dialogues are fantastic and witty something which is quite lacking in todays films. A fantastic entertainer for everyone to watch.

Review By Kamal K

Yaadon Ki Baarat is a head-to-toe Bollywood package that entertains the audience to the core. The powerpacked actions, the flowery costumes and the hard hitting dialogues directly impact the viewers.

Dharmendra as the vengeful elder brother delivers one of his best performances in the movie. He aptly fits into the character of the street guy. Vinay as the simple and the romantic hero to Zeenat Aman steals the heart of a million. His flirtatious eyes and naughty dialogues are delivered convincingly. Tariq as the pop star gets the least screen timing, but he delivers it beautifully. Neethu Singh is the glamour element in the movie.

The aspect of the movie that cannot be failed to mention or even forget is the melodious music by R D Burman. Songs like Chura Liya Hain Tumne and Lekar Hum Deewana Dil are still hot favourites of people. The voices of Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Rafi and Asha Bhosle perfectky fit into the songs of the movie.

For any person who loves the melodramatic and power packed action sequences with melodious music, Yaadon Ki Baaraat is not to be missed.

This is Ajit at his thespian peak - the handsome hero of the 50's, the wicked thief of the 60's, the massage-acquiring smuggler of the 70's, the lost memory of the 80's, the caricature of the perverse 90's - save for his stunning turn as the geriatric rapist beholden to Man-Friday Joginder - in Dev Anand's 90's shocker "Gangster" - but that is another review.

All this is hunky dory but where does this leave Shahkaal? The people want the truth - how does the Shahkaal of this film fit in with the one in Shaan? At long last, the truth can now be told...

So who really was Shahkaal - 70's gold smuggler or 80's super villain bent on world domination, shoe size issue or nervous tics, woolen suit or white tights with epaulets, Octon style antiseptic island citadel or smoky smuggler's den, train track victim or island explosion victim - will the real Shahkaal please stand up? Maybe it is time to confess that the suave and scheming, bewigged Shahkaal and the bald and sniveling Shahkaal of Shaan are one and the same - fictionalized depictions of the exploits of the real Shahkaal.

As the lost sequel to Shaan - "Shahkaal vs Gabbar" explains - Shahkaal escaped the oncoming goods train with some judicious and last minute use of a handy shoe horn in YKB and lived to pursue world domination in Shaan. He merely dropped the blond wig and went in for the trendy bald look - very 80's. Shahkaal is now in retirement in Navi Mumbai with Mona and her sisters - just another harmless pensioner... or so he would like you to believe. There's more about him in his review of Shaan. Until next time, don't be silly. This is not a "dhamki", just a "waarning"

Direction is good Music by RD Burman is nice Aap Ki Kamre by Kishore, Asha, Rafi is nice there is an interlude of Dumb Maaro Dumb too featured on Zeenat), Lekar Hum Deewana Dil sung by Kishore,Asha pictured on Tariq and Neetu Singh is good too, Meri Soni and Chura Liya are good songs while the title song both versions are Fabulous.

Ajit one of the great stylish villain in the 70's. He was a real king of villain.what an actor Ajit specialty as a villain in 70's. Really a Mega star villain in Bollywood.Missing him..

Great Blockbuster film "1973" very very Nice Movie :)