Shareef Budmaash

The Indian Government has developed plans for an aircraft that would take the country's air force to greater strength and position in the world. Obviously there are people interested in stealing those plans and selling them off to foreign lands at a huge price. Among them are Ajit and Jeevan. Jeevan's assistant Sudhir manages to steal the briefcase that has the microfilm of the plans plus jewellery worth Rs 50 lakhs. But he is apprehended by the police and sent to prison, but not before he hid the briefcase. Now, Jeevan and Ajit try to persuade Dev Anand (the clever jailbreaker Rocky) to get into that prison and force Sudhir to tell him where the microfilm is. In the interim, there is this cabaret dancer (Hema Malini) who is interested in the briefcase for the jewellery only. So, with the help of Hema, then Dev infiltrates the prison to help Sudhir make a prison break, only to know that Ajit has already got hold of the briefcase but is afraid to open it lest he damages the microfilm. How Dev Anand (is he actually Rocky?) and Hema stop the villains from getting hold of the microfilm is the rest of the film.

From the classic Jewel Thief, the inimitable Dev Anand made a spew of similar crime/suspense films that has plenty of shifty characters, skullduggery, twist and turns and the usual desi style emotional scenes - the final scene regarding Dev Anand and jeevan comes as a surprise though a little forced, and was there just to spring a surprise. It's an efficient crime thriller that keeps you watching, but the performances from Dev, Hema, Jeevan and Ajit - he plays a really callous villain - drives this romp.

Shareef Badmaash starts with the development of the a new design of a sophisticated super aircraft by two Indian scientists after putting in their hard work for a decade. For the sake of the security of their new invention which is a confidential information, they destroy their research papers after preserving the complete blueprint in a microfilm. As this news gets spread in the underworld, many baddies become aspirants to get it which is worth crores of rupees if sold to the foreign powers.

The microfilm containing the design of the aircraft reaches an outlaw who is apparently a highly respected person in the society - Deewaan (Jeevan) when he gets these two scientists killed by his henchman (Mac Mohan) and usurps the microfilm. He keeps it in his safe containing a number-lock but his safe gets burgled by his confidant Ajit (Sudhir) only the same night who loots it for the sake of the precious jewellery worth lakhs of rupees kept in the safe but takes away the microfilm also alongwith them which Deewaan has very cleverly hid in a briefcase. Upon Deewaan's complaint to the police (quite understandably his complaint covers the theft of the jewellery only without any mention of the microfilm), Ajit is arrested by the police and then sent to jail but the stolen stuff is not found with him.

Now Deewaan and many other criminals who are in quest of the microfilm (and also the jewellery), want to get Ajit released from jail and then hog the stolen stuff from him. For this purpose, they need a daredevil person capable of doing it. The name of a seasoned criminal Rockey comes to the fore in this regard. In the eyes of the law, Rockey is dead but the underworld players come to know that he is alive and now lives by wearing a different identity of Sust-Raam (Dev Anand). Now all the criminals try to lure him to get this job done by him for their sake. After initial reluctance, our hero Sust-Raam whose real name is Ramesh, decides to do it for Deewaan only whose offer is the biggest one.

To get Ajit released from jail, he ascertains all the relevant information the most important piece of which is that a cabaret dancer Seema (Hema Malini) is the girlfriend of the jailer. Now starts the interaction of the hero with Seema, the heroine of this movie. The narrative meanders through romance, songs, comedy, twists in the tale and surprises for the characters as well as for the audience till the climax arrives and finally the nation's asset, i.e., the microfilm reaches its correct destination.

Shareef Badmaash is a formulaic movie, a typical potboiler of the seventies. However as asserted it is an entertaining movie, keeping the viewer engaged from the beginning to the climax. We know that our hero cannot be a criminal. He appears to be a ruffian (Badmaash) but actually being a Hindi movie hero (in that era), he is bound to be a straight and law abiding citizen (Shareef) only. Hence the truth of Rockey's identity must be hidden only to be known in the climax. The heroine's character is also mysterious for a major part of the movie. Well, to enjoy the Bollywood movies of the seventies, we have to watch them with a proper mindset and we should not contrast them with the contemporary cinema. Despite predictability of the final outcome, the curiosity of how the things take shape and turn out with the progress of the movie, keeps the viewer glued to the screen. Seasoned director Raj Khosla has kept the script completely under his control and now allowed it to go out of hand anywhere.

Dev Anand and Hema Malini always made a lovely pair despite the age difference between the two (of about quarter of a century). Mannerismic Dev and dream girl Hema always shared good on-screen chemistry between them and hence were always able to successfully pull together despite the routine scripts written for them. Shareef Badmaash is no exception. Dev Anand has delivered a stylish performance in the lead role despite his advancing years (he's in his fifties). Hema is extremely charming. All others including the ever gorgeous Helen, all are fit in their respective roles. The best among the baddies is undoubtedly Ajit, the stylish villain of the seventies. Shatrughan Sinha is also there in a cameo.

Technically, this movie is okay with the length also being not much though lengthier movies used to be made in that period. The story flows well without any boredom anywhere. R.D. Burman's music with songs in the voices of Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar is good. Asha-Kishore duet Neend Churaake Raaton Mein is the best song in my opinion.

Summing up, Shareef Badmaash is a nice timepass from the Bollywood of the seventies. Watch it to get an entertainment of two hours and odd minutes and meet Indian Gregory Peck Dev Anand who is a gentleman (Shareef) and a ruffian (Badmaash) both at the same time.

The Government of India has devised plans for a new kind of super aircraft. A gangster, Diwan, manages to procure this plan from corrupt military officials, and hides it in his safe along with other valuables. The police find out that the plans have been stolen by a "Diwan", and start a manhunt for all Diwans in Bombay. When they come across the Diwan, they ask him to show them his valuables, which he agrees to do so. To his shock, he finds that he has been burgled. The police conclude that the thief is none other than Diwan's trusted man, Ajit. They have him arrested, but he refuses to divulge any information. Diwan recruits a man called Rocky to spring Ajit from prison, as well as find out where he has stashed the valuables. Rocky, who keeps on denying that he is indeed Rocky, agrees to do so for a large sum of money as his fee, to which Diwan agrees. Rocky's plan is to seduce cabaret dancer, Seema, who is the lover of the Jailer, and hence gain entry to the jail. When this fails, Rocky gets himself arrested and jailed in the same prison as Ajit. Upon his entry in the prison, is where the truth surfaces that the man they call Rocky is not Rocky at all but an impostor, who has agreed to be Rocky just to get the large fee. The real Rocky, who calls himself Kanhaiyalal, agrees to help the false Rocky escape from prison, along with Ajit, so that they can find the plans and hand them in to Diwan, and collect their fee. But fate has other plans for the false Rocky, as he is caught by another master criminal and gangster, Ranjeet, and held until he tells him about the whereabouts of the plans as well as the valuables. Dev Anand & Villain :one of the great stylish villain in the 70's "Ajit" A real Mega star villain.. I think the Film was super Hit in my view.super Hit Music By RD Burman.super Hit song sung By KISHORE KUMAR. & wonderful Direction BY Raj Khosla in Kashmir & Bombay :)

mega hit film in the 70's era.

The Government of India has devised plans for a new kind of super aircraft. A gangster, Diwan, manages to procure this plan from corrupt military officials, and hides it in his safe along with other valuables. The police find out that the plans have been stolen by a "Diwan", and start a manhunt for all Diwans in Bombay. When they come across the Diwan, they ask him to show them his valuables, which he agrees to do so. To his shock, he finds that he has been burgled. The police conclude that the thief is none other than Diwan's trusted man, Ajit. They have him arrested, but he refuses to divulge any information. Diwan recruits a man called Rocky to spring Ajit from prison, as well as find out where he has stashed the valuables. Rocky, who keeps on denying that he is indeed Rocky, agrees to do so for a large sum of money as his fee, to which Diwan agrees. Rocky's plan is to seduce cabaret dancer, Seema, who is the lover of the Jailer, and hence gain entry to the jail. When this fails, Rocky gets himself arrested and jailed in the same prison as Ajit. Upon his entry in the prison, is where the truth surfaces that the man they call Rocky is not Rocky at all but an impostor, who has agreed to be Rocky just to get the large fee. The real Rocky, who calls himself Kanhaiyalal, agrees to help the false Rocky escape from prison, along with Ajit, so that they can find the plans and hand them in to Diwan, and collect their fee. But fate has other plans for the false Rocky, as he is caught by another master criminal and gangster, Ranjeet, and held until he tells him about the whereabouts of the plans as well as the valuables.

Hero : Dev Anand & Villain :one of the great stylish villain in the 70's "Ajit" A real Mega star villain.. I think the Film was super Hit in my view.super Hit Music By RD BURMAN.super Hit song sung By KISHORE KUMAR. & wonderful Direction BY RAJ KHOSLA in Kashmir & Bombay :)

very very Nice Movie..

Dev Anand delivered multiple hits and classics in the fifties and sixties. However, the quality of his films really fell down post then. Whilst he continued to act and even direct till his death, his latter day work doesn't match the brilliance of former.

This is a crime cum thriller film full with villains whom our hero - Dev Anand has to tackle. There are no surprises in this film, quite standard Bollywood fare. The middle of the film is particularly good, with decent action sequences and fast paced story line. However, the start and particularly the end is let down with melodramatic sequences. Add to it, really bad songs which serve nothing but to pad out the time, and you have a below average flick.