Shakti

Shakti review :

While Salim Javed's Deewaar (1975) had two warring brothers on opposite sides of the law, their Shakti saw the same situation arise between a baap - beta duo. Noted for being the only film to feature acting legends Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan together, Shakti is one of the most powerful and intense films made in Bollywood.

Continuing to stir a debate on who was better - Dilip Saahab or Amitabh - Shakti remains favourite film of both the legends fans. In my opinion, Dilip Kumar had an edge over Amitabh at script level itself as his role of upright honest cop Ashwini Kumar was far better written than Amitabh's Vijay who is a flawed brooding anti hero with minimum dialogues.

Even then, Amitabh was excellent in the film and his rant in drunken stupor to Smita Patil demonstrates the actors class. Every scene where Bachchan and Dilip Kumar come together is electrifying experience for the audience. The police station scene where Dilip Saahab reprimands his reel son Amitabh to Rakhee's death scene where Amitabh consoles a weeping Dilip Kumar is extraordinary.

Full marks to director Ramesh Sippy for not only doing total justice to the Salim Javed script but also for extracting outstanding performances from the entire cast - Rakhee and Smita Patil included. If not for Sholay (1975), Shakti would've been the best film of his illustrious career.

RD Burman's music is melodious and the awesome background score (BGM) was later referenced in most of 80s and 90s films. MS Shinde's editing is another strong point of the film.

Shockingly, Shakti underperformed at the box office when released in late 1982 though it has gathered a cult following today. Earlier in the same year, Jeetendra's masala potboiler Farz Aur Kanoon, which had a similar plot, became a super hit while the hard hitting realistic Shakti tanked. But then, who remembers Farz Aur Kanoon today??!!!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

It is indeed a feast to watch the performance of the superstars in the movie. The plot is well developed. And Amitabh stands shoulder to shouler with 'Mughal E Azam' Dilip Kumar. Its not a question of who tops whom ? or who is best and who is worst ? They both suited their roles. And its a pleasure to watch them. Highly recommended in the must see movie.

Two mega stars of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan star in this action drama. The story is pretty familiar, with the father cast as a dedicated inspector and son a criminal. Instead of regular stunts and villains, the film focuses much on the psychological relationship between a father and the son, who both love each other immensely but fail to understand each other until it is too late. In their roles as a father and son, both mega stars have performed brilliantly and instead of their star power they have shown their pure acting skills. Smita Patil and Rakhee both have shared some of the most heart felt sequences. Music and songs are good enough. The flaws if you want to point out include certain sequences which are familiar from other Amitabh Bachchan movies like the regular cop and criminals chase, Amitabh's alcoholic scene, or the regular image of the police.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4

The film "Shakti" is one of my favorite movies. It's a deep psychological story, touching a problem of choice before a human: love to your child or duty before the society, which you chose to defend. I know that this story is close to many people's hearts, as such a choice in life often stands up before us. Wonderful, accurate play of the actors Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar. One sympathizes to their heroes and asks a question to himself: how would I act if I were in such situation? And one understands that he could act in both ways: like the hero of Amitabh Bachchan and like the hero of Dilip Kumar. Love, honor, pure conscience, these are important values without which you cannot feel yourself happy. And if any of these values is under a threat, then a question appears: what to sacrifice with? It's sad that such a choice stands up before people... Amazing music of gifted Rahul Dev Burman strengthens all the feelings which you experience during watching this drama. I love to watch this film again and again, and every time I do it, this movie touches my heart like at the first time when I saw it 20 years ago... To my opinion, "Shakti" is one of the best pictures of the world's cinematography.

Amitabh plays a wayward son to Policeman Dilip Kumar. Dilip Kumar who is known to have a polished way of acting without much shades in any film of his, he goes smoothly playing a father, he does very well as a disciplined police officer. Amitabh known for easily shifting shades in many of his superhit films does it again. He is the bad boy of the movie, the story revolves around him, he is very good to his girl friend & is a mama's boy. He plays all the shades in 1 movie with ease. Everybody can see the vast difference when comparing why Amitabh was way too good, it was as easy as saying Amitabh is taller than Dilip & all big heroes physically also.

Rakhee too has 2 shades to the role she played, supporting both husband & son. In a way the comparison could have easily been between Amitabh & Rakhee. Amrish Puri does a good job as villain too.

A must watch for every movie goer to watch Amitabh the supreme actor in action.