Laawaris

This is a Bollywood film titled "The Orphan". Thus the plot is a given: our hero will follow a winding road toward the ultimate discovery of his true father, and along the way he will discover his true nature. Alienation will be undone by solidarity. The poor and downtrodden will have their champion. One love interest will meet her untimely demise, and another will have her man.

Our first glimpse of our hero as an adult is as a walking trope of machismo: coveralls open to the waist revealing a chest of dark black hair. One of our final glances reveals a side of the big B that I surely did not expect. The penultimate musical number features Amitabh in drag, with five costume changes, and he's damned good at it. The film is worth the watch for this sequence alone.

Lawaaris is a classic Hindi film released in 1981, directed by Prakash Mehra. It features, Rakhee Gulzar,Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman and Amjad Khan. The movie tells the story of a young boy, Heera, who is abandoned by his mother and left to grow up in a slum. As he matures, Heera seeks to discover the identity of his real father.

"Lawaaris" received critical acclaim upon its release and became a commercial success. Here is a review of the film:

The film's biggest strength lies in its powerful performances, particularly by Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. Bachchan delivers a stellar performance as Heera, portraying his character's emotional journey with depth and intensity. He effortlessly portrays the struggles and conflicts faced by Heera as he navigates through life, torn between his loyalty to the people who raised him and his search for his biological father. His on-screen presence and charisma elevate the film to another level.

The screenplay is well-written, capturing the essence of the socio-economic disparities prevalent in society. It addresses the themes of identity, belonging, and the importance of family bonds. The film's narrative takes several twists and turns, keeping the audience engaged throughout. The dialogues are impactful and memorable, with some iconic lines that have become part of Bollywood's lexicon.

The music of "Lawaaris" is another highlight. The film boasts a fantastic soundtrack composed by Kalyanji-Anandji, with lyrics penned by Anjaan. The songs like "Mere Angne Mein," "Kab Ke Bichhde Hue," and the title track "Apni Toh Jaise Taise" have become evergreen hits, and they continue to be loved by audiences even today. The music adds depth to the storytelling and enhances the overall cinematic experience.

The direction by Prakash Mehra is commendable, as he skillfully combines drama, emotions, and action to create an engaging narrative. The film's pacing is well-maintained, and the climax delivers a satisfying resolution to the central conflict. Mehra's direction, combined with strong performances and an impactful storyline, makes "Lawaaris" a compelling watch.

One minor drawback of the film is that some of the subplots could have been better developed. While the primary storyline involving Heera is engaging, a few secondary characters and their arcs feel underexplored. Nevertheless, this does not detract significantly from the overall impact of the film.

Overall, "Lawaaris" is a timeless Hindi film that showcases the prowess of Amitabh Bachchan and the storytelling abilities of director Prakash Mehra. It combines powerful performances, memorable music, and a compelling narrative to create an entertaining and thought-provoking cinematic experience. If you appreciate classic Bollywood films, "Lawaaris" is certainly worth watching.

It's one of best movie of Amitabh. His pain and anguish at being abandoned is depicted so well. He never came to terms with injustice meted to him. He longed for acceptance on the same time. This duality csn drive any viewer to tears. Masterpiece.

Years on after watching movie, I have yet to watch a movie which shows what an orphan feels.

Laawaris (1981) : Brief Review -

Amitabh Bachchan goes bonkers in Prakash Mehra's emotional rollercoaster that has come a long way amidst the mass cinema wave. Just imagine this is 1981; you enter the cinema hall to watch Laawaris with the mindset that Amitabh Bachchan is a big superstar and Prakash Mehra is one of the best directors in mainstream commercial cinema, and Manoj Kumar's Kranti has already taken the nation by storm, and you are seated for a mainstream Indian drama expecting all masala elements. You start with an evergreen song with evergreen lyrics, and Rakhee is dancing to it in a black saree. Amzad Khan, the Gabbar, is a bad light in the first 15 minutes and then is seen helpless throughout the film. Amitabh Bachchan enters in style, saying, "Yeh apna style hai." He is frustrated after knowing that he is an orphan, but he is speaking on behalf of every orphan who has been a victim of some rich people's sexual desires. Laawaris actually tries to speak a lot on this issue instead of trying to be a typical Indian masala flick. Bachchan can speak multiple languages in the film, and he also dons 5 fancy dress types in "Mere angne mein," including female ornaments and sarees, frocks, etc. In one action scene, he fights with 5-6 people who belong to different casts, and he speaks with them in their mother tongue. He takes Zeenat Aman to his hut and introduces himself as her childhood friend. The next they are in a hug, and "Kab Ke Bichde Hue" begins in Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle's voice. I was like, I want to freeze this moment. Believe me, a similar moment in today's films, and I'd use the fast forward button and skip the next 5-6 minutes to save my worthy time. I couldn't do that here despite having seen the same song and same scene multiple times on TV. That's magic. Mehra's commercial blockbuster refers to multiple serious issues and solutions that most 80s people wouldn't understand. They might, today, I guess.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The lovers Vidya (Rakhee) and Ranvir ( Amjad Khan) meet. Vidya becomes pregnant. While he insists on abortion Vidya insists that she will give birth to the child, bring him up and wait for his return into her life. Ranvir leaves her. Vidya dies with the impression that her child was still-born, but the child grows up into a man (Amitabh), without a family name, a man without education and without any values. As years roll by, Ranvir repents, becomes a saintly, generous and highly respected man in the legitimate society. Fate brings the father and his first son face to face, though they do not know how they are related.

1981 was, in my opinion, a golden year for Bollywood, a peak level where quality was coming out and a technical improvement was visible. It was also a year where Amitabh knocked out a line of hits, and Lawaaris is certainly one of them. A seriously solid drama with the usual masala ingredients, though the intensity comes from Amitabh, who is just so convincing as a man who doesn't know who his parents are. He is intense, angry yet is full of sorrow on occasion. His acting is superb, and matching him is Amjad Khan.

The rest of the cast is great, and the write-up is skilful with sharp dialogue and an engaging plot. It's definitely Amitabh's finest. An entertainer that has some meaning, and has Ranjeet donning some outrageous leather outfits and giving the women nightmares ( like usual).