Shaan

I consider Shaan to be one of the best Indian films ever made. It looks like a very professionally made film, which is quite rare in Indian Cinema.

The fight sequences are very good. Mr Sippy (the director) wisely chose to use the same style as in his previous blockbuster, Sholay. This adds a touch of realism to the fights, as opposed to the norm in Indian films, where we get to see the hero beat-up about 20 guys on his own.

Another highlight of the film was the music. Sippy had an original music soundtrack created for this film, as opposed to stealing bits and pieces from other films. This really does help to increase your enjoyment of the movie. I don't generally like the songs in Indian films, but they were quite good in this film.

The cast is excellent, with everyone performing well in their roles. I find that a lot of films with all-star casts suffer problems as the director tries to give everyone equal screen-time to the detriment of the plot. However, in this film, the whole cast gels. Shatrughan Sinha's character is wisely introduced half-way through the story, thus avoiding trying to introduce too many lead-characters at the start od the film. Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor play well off each other as always. As usual, the female characters don't have much to do in the film, with the possible exception of Rakhee Gulzar.

The villain is brilliantly played by Kulbushan Kharbanda. It's blatantly obvious that this character (Shakal) is modelled on Blofeld from the James Bond movies, as is much of the film itself. One gets the feeling that the Sippy was trying to create a villain that would be remembered in Indian Cinematic history in the same way as his earlier creation, Gabbar Singh. Although Shakal is not remembered as fondly as Gabbar Singh by many people, he's still one of Indian Cinema's more memborable villains.

The plot of the movie is sometimes a bit silly (for example, we get the heroes dancing with their girlfriends in a bus soon after they discover that one their family members has been murdered). However, this is a minor criticism in an otherwise brilliant film.

If you like Indian films, Shaan is essential viewing. I'd give it 10 out of 10.

Shaan is a Big budget movie from the Great Director Ramesh Sippy, who has given us the Best Bollywood film of all time Sholay. His next film is bigger in budget and star cast. Shaan is a Highyly enjoyable movie that has lots of comedy with action and fun. Amitabh Bachcan in a entertaining role. Shashi Kapoor is amusing at times. Sunil dutt is efficient. Rakhee gives a decent performance. Shutrungh Sinha is not too bad. The Late Parveen Babi is fairly good, she was one of my favourite actresses in the 80s. Shaan has a classic villain Shakaal played by Kulbushan Kurbandar in his best movie of his career. Shakaal is a james bond style villain who has his own island with guns, secret rooms, rotating chairs, sharks and crocodiles. Shaan in full on entertainment and a must see if you haven't seen it.

5 years after the breakthrough success of SHOLAY, director Ramesh Sippy once again teamed up with Amitabh Bachchan - and this time they're taking no prisoners. SHAAN is a grandly conceived epic of action, adventure, comedy, romance, drama and a bald supervillain who keeps a man-eating crocodile in his underground lair.

Amitabh Bachchan and <some other guy> are bad guys! But they're not the kind of bad guys you hate... they're the lovable rogue types. They're con-men, but they only con other bad guys. Their policeman brother knows this, and when he arrests them it's really for their own good. When they get out of jail he's there as a brother to support them, and they earnestly decide to try and go straight. But their plans of living an ordinary life are foiled when they get caught up in the investigation of super-villain Shakal, a bad guy in the best James Bond tradition played brilliantly by Kulbhushan Kharbanda. The good bad guys have to go up against the really bad bad guys!

SHAAN is like every movie ever made all rolled up into one, and barrelled through at a pace that makes the 195 minute running time seem very brief. It rides a little roughly, with some pieces of plot development and editing that challenge logic and continuity, but with tons of energy and enthusiasm. It's not as carefully crafted as the masterful SHOLAY, but it does provide the same kind of fun and thrills that make DON such great entertainment. It's a grandly ambitious movie that sometimes skirts the line between genius and simple madness very closely. It's the kind of movie they just don't make anymore!

A movie so grandiose can only work with a cast up to the task, but Amitabh rises to the occasion, oozing cool and commanding the screen most of the time. As with SHOLAY though, the bad guy nearly upstages the heroes - he definitely has all the best lines (plus an island fortress surrounded by sharks!).

SHAAN may borrow most of its elements from other movies (notably the James Bond movies), but it has enough personality of its own to make them seem fresh and special all over again. You just can't help grinning at the sheer silliness of it all, and getting carried away by the melodrama. It's a movie treat, jam packed full of high calorie entertainment. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

Shaan has everything you would want in a film - there's comedy, drama, action, great music, and an all-star cast. Not only that, but there also is a car chase, a hostage crisis, a shootout, a jewel heist, and a deadly marine animal!

Characters include a pair of con-artist brothers who get conned themselves but end up joining their crafty foes (an uncle and niece team), another brother who just happens to be a police officer, his wife and daughter, a mischievous club singer, a hitman who turns good, a diabolical villain and his cronies, and a disabled informant. What more could you ask for?

As if the movie itself is not enough, the music is excellent as well. What else can you expect from R.D. Burman? "Yamma Yamma" is an instant classic. Find out for yourself if you haven't heard it yet, just ask for the MP3. "Pyar Karne Wale" is a hit as well, and fits perfectly into the movie, unlike most songs in Hindi films which just appear out of nowhere (and I must say, Parveen Babi looks great as she "sings" and dances to it in the movie).

This film is a 10/10 all the way. Shaan may be older than I am, but it's a film for the ages, and my father having a rather large video collection, Shaan being among them, I must have seen it at least a half dozen times since I was little. If you love watching Hindi movies, but haven't seen it yet, put it on your list of ones to watch. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Film Length as shown in Censor Certificate is 5714.51mtr and No.of Reels 22. The running time of film should be 208 mins (3hr 28min). Whereas it is available only 2hr.47mins.