Ram Balram

Review By Kamal K

It could have been much better. Amitabh and Dharmendra were not utilized fully in the true action sense. The plot was weak and complicated. Poor direction I would say.

This movie is my all-time favorite movie but i still didn't give it a 10 only because realistically it did average at the box-office and it wasn't as good to most people as was Sholay. The directors tried to recreate another Sholay but most of the audience did not accept it as anywhere close to Sholay. However, I loved the songs and the story had constant action from scene to scene and to me, it had no dull moments at all. I loved this movie more than Sholay and I thought Sholay was a classic. So maybe this might give all of you an insight into how good this movie was. If you guys and gals love the classic Amitabh Bachchan movies and haven't seen this one, then take it from me, this is a classic Amitabh Bachchan movie with all the drama and action that he became famous for. There's no harm in checking it out, if you don't like it, then it's only $1 wasted. If you do, and I'm sure most of you will enjoy it, then maybe you might end up buying it on DVD like i have. Another point, do check out the DVD version of this movie because most VHS tapes will have bad quality. Do check out this movie and you wont be disappointed!!!

Jagatpal (Ajit) manipulates his sister-in-law (Urmilla Bhatt) to sign the estate away to him, which she does, and is subsequently thrown out, leaving two boys in the care of Jagatpal. The two boys have grown up to fear and obey their uncle, Balram (Amitabh Bachchan) is now a police inspector, and Bholuram (Dharmendra) is a motor mechanic. Bholuram and Balram continue to acquire wealth, by hook or by crook, for their uncle. In so doing, Bholuram incurs the wrath of Chandan Singh (Prem Chopra) and Suleiman Seth (Amjad Khan). In the meantime Balram has fallen for Shobha (Rekha), and Bholuram for Madhu (Zeenat Aman), little knowing that Madhu is the daughter of none other than his uncle, Jagatpal(Ajit)..Ajit one of the great stylish villain in the 70's. what an actor at that time..

Ram Balram (1980) : Brief Review -

Vijay Anand's mediocrity saved by Dharmendra and Amitabh's pair. It's hard to believe that Vijay Anand, who has made so many beautiful films for 3 decades, has to surrender to the masala era for this mediocrity. Not that Ram Balram is a bad film or a crappy affair, but it's outdated for 1980. The film runs on known formulas of lost & found and revenge theories and then adds an interesting concept of a thief and a cop being brothers. It's illogical to see them okaying these things and carrying on working in their particular fields when they have to live like brothers, if not together. It's also illogical to believe that none of the gangsters even found out about their relation with Jagatpal. As expected, he is exposed years later, be it about his relationship with these two brothers or his own daughter. The plot looks thin, and the screenplay is faulty as well. Too many things happened so quickly in the last quarter, right from Dharmendra's escape from the ship, kidnappings, Amitabh's raid, Ajit's hostages, and all that masala stuff that looked highly repetitive. You can't really waste two big villains like Prem Chopra and Amjad Khan, even though Ajit has done well as the main villain. Dharmendra and Amitabh's pair somehow saves the show, but even they couldn't match what they had created before in other movies. Zeenat Aman and Rekha play typical heroines, and Helen as a mother wasn't up to the mark. Like I said, it looks so formulaic that at one point you find all if it is forced. Vijay Anand played safe-actually too safe. Ram Balram is based on a ridiculous theory of having chor police combo at home, and I would have enjoyed it more if the father/uncle's role wasn't too brutal. Laxmikant-Pyarelal's "Ek Rasta, Do Rahi, Ek Chor, Ek Sipahi" tried to define the same, while the rest of the songs are below par. Overall, a fairly watchable film but didn't do justice to Big B & Dharmendra's pair.

RATING - 6/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra team up together after SHOLAY(1975) and CHUPKE CHUPKE(1975)

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha are paired after MR NATWARLAL(1979) with Dharmendra and Zeenat Aman paired after SHALIMAR(1978) Ajit plays their mean uncle.

The film is mainly about Ajit's plan to use Dharmendra to kill the smugglers and Amitabh to save him But Amitabh has a plan of his own The climax is done-to-death

The film may not have reached the status of SHOLAY but is still very entertaining Above all the cast, Dharmendra-Amitabh are a perfect combo and have very good chemistry Zeenat Aman looks ugly with Dharam but is okay Rekha looks beautiful for Amitabh and both make a good pair Amjad Khan, Prem Chopra are typecast Ajit impresses with his evilness