Now, Disco Dancer is not a great film, for sure. Some might consider it an unintentional success. That said, there are many factors going for it. First, it's one of the many films starring Mithun Chakraborty, and it wholly rests on his presence, and it was quite a presence. Chakraborty, a talented, trained actor from Bengal, found a niche in countless Hindi romantic action films during the 1980s. He was perhaps the most prolific Indian actor of the decade. Most of these films were not considered of the highest order (not that mainstream Hindi cinema was very good in this era to begin with), but they were entertaining, and even though the skilled actor was not given true, challenging material in most of them, they let him exhibit his explosive charisma, distinctive dancing skills, which included some trademark moves, and a highly relatable screen persona which many young men identified with and imitated.
Disco Dancer, a sort of rags-to-riches dance film, where a young man from a poor neighbourhood becomes an overnight star, was one of the early films which shot him to fame and was followed by several films that followed a similar star fomula. The film did well not only in India but elsewhere, and became not only for Chakraborty's memorable turn but for its catchy music by Bappi Lahiri which was, by the way, not very original. The "Jimmy Jimmy" track is, for all its unoriginality, so catchy. My personal favourite is actually Lahiri's own rendition of "Yaad Aa Raha Hai". As a film, Disco Dancer is fun - it flows well and entertains and just as it might be a guilty pleasure for many, I wouldn't be surprised if some considered it one of their favourites. The film, despite some poor writing and some absurdities here and there, just works. It's twisted and a little cheesy but ultimately a nice watch, which must hold great nostalgic value today for many.
