Muqaddar Ka Sikandar

For me, the most beautiful thing about 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar' is the song 'O Saathi Re'. It is a wonderful song and is sung beautifully by Kishore Kumar. Amitabh Bachchan does a good job of expressing the emotions of the song.

"Muqaddar ka..." is a tragedy (and a particularly tragic one), but it's a tragedy that manages to evoke just the right amount of sympathy, without becoming unduly weepy or maudlin. It's a tragedy done properly, with class, honesty and depth. Amitabh Bachchan is great as the lead character. I just loved him in this film, from start to finish (the little boy who played the young 'Sikandar' was wonderful too). Sikandar is at heart a good (even noble) man, but yet is a deeply flawed character, who feels deeply but is completely unable to express it. He's been hardened by his life, but he still has a very soft core, which few get to see. The scene at Memsahib's birthday celebration (when she's older), when Sikandar comes in with her precious gift, is breathtaking. It's a haunting echo of the experience Sikandar had at her 'younger' birthday party. A beautifully nuanced performance, definitely one of the Big B's best.

Vinod Khanna also does a lovely job as the young lawyer, Vishal, in this movie, and the rest of the cast does well, too ... with one notable exception: the lead female, Rakhee. By the time the film was over, I hated her character, and I'm not sure that was the intention of the film makers(or was it?). She managed to portray 'Memsahib' as extremely shallow, uncaring and fickle. It's difficult to see even what the character of Vishal sees in her (although Sikandar's love for her - being completely childlike, pure and unselfish, is perfectly understandable). Even her last-minute repentance rung hollow. I've seen Rakhee do loads better in other movies, so I won't hold it against her in this one .. although it does slightly retract from the overall quality of the movie.

Rekha, as Zohrabai, deserves a mention ... hauntingly lovely and tragic (which is what she does best), she puts in a very good performance. Her role is very stereotypical, but she pulls it off and makes it memorable. Watch out for the scene where she threatens to swallow the diamond.

All in all, this movie is simply unmissable Bollywood. Watch it, and I guarantee you'll be hearing 'O Saathi Re' in your head for a few days afterwards.

Amjad Khans best Role after Gabar Singh.

Everyone is top Notch in this Music is brilliant, they don't make em like this anymore. It's a modern re telling of Devdas.

Review By Kamal K

Nice movie ! I like Amitabh - his acting,style, dialogue delivery ! All the songs in this movie are worth remembering. Rote hue aate hein sab is tops the list ! Not to forget handsome Vinod Khanna, Ram Sethi as Pyarelal ,gorgeous Rekha as Zohra and of course Amjad Khan as Dilawar. All did their roles perfectly and a nice emotional movie .

As an orphan on the streets in Shimla, young Sikandar (Amitabh Batchchan). Has no one to care for him. For a short while he works for Mr. Ramnath, little Kamna Ramnath (Rakhee Gulzar) gives Sikandar the kind of consideration friendship no one has ever before given him. After that Ramnath, leave Shimla for Bombay, Sikandar follows them there. Eventually Fatima, a young widow who works for Ramnath, adopts Sikandar. At Kamna's birthday party Ramnath mistakes Sikandar for a thief and has him thrown out. Little Kamna turns against Sikandar and wants to have nothing further to do with him. At Fatima's grave yard, a Darvesh (Kader Khan) advice young Sikandar how to deal with the realities of life. Young Sikandar works hard and grows up to be a wealthy respected young man. Kamna, who still wants to have nothing to do with Sikandar, is unaware that he has been helping her all along by paying for her handicapped father's medical bills. Sikandar meets a dancing girl, Zohra Bai (Rekha), who falls in love with at first sight. But Sikandar still loves Kamna. Dilawar (Amjad Khan), a vengeful lover of Zohra, declares Sikandar to be his enemy. When a young lawyer Vishaul (Vinod Khanna) saves Sikandar's life, Sikandar takes him in to his home and treats him more than a brother. Vishaul who know nothing of Sikandar's feelings for Kamna, becomes Ramnath's assistant and falls in love with Kamna. Before Sikandar can declare his love to Kamna, his life long dream is shattered when he see her in vis haul arms. Sikandar feels he has been betrayed by his best friend and by his love.

I love this movie for so many reasons, first and foremost for Amitabh Bachchan. How can anybody not fall in love with him?, then for the story- It's been portrayed very well, it touches every right chord of your heart. The movie and some amazing scenes resonate with you long after you have watched the movie and finall all songs. I love the sikandar drunkard scene outside his house, I love to listen to all the songs, but definitely love to watch one song in particular which is salaame ishq. There you see dual magic of Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. The end is of course my favorite.

I particularly want to appreciate the writer-director for the way they handled Amitabh's reaction when he learns of VK and Rakhee's love. Anybody would obviously feel betrayed and wounded.. so he kills VK but only subconsciously to realize later that it was never VK's fault. Then he goes to Rekha to console his feelings and when he gets defeated there too. He comes back to do the only thing he can and should which is to let go off the illusion of ever marrying Rakhee and have VK and Rakhee marry instead.

Over all this is yet another feather on Amitabh's well deserved victory hat.