Shahenshah

Few days back i saw recently released super hero movie RA.One. And today i got opportunity to look at 80's Masala action movie Shahenshah, whose lead protagonist has shades of super hero. Movie engaged the viewer to glue on screen from start to finish. At the end of show, i simply mesmerized by movie.Today even with great level of technology, how movies are failing big time in execution and story telling. Even though 80's is not known for great movies, but Shahenshah was one of exceptional movies of 80's.

Masala entertainment and Manmohan desai cinema are two sides of one coin, but this movie forced me to think that Masala is not necessarily the cinema which defies logic, even with logical consequences, a great action masala thriller can be made. This movie worked vastly in three departments : 1.Performance by Amitabh 2. Awesome dialogues 3. Commendable direction.

Story is not new, but told in highly entertaining manner with some twists and turns. Story is about revenge drama, with a difference that protagonist is super hero. Vijay is police officer who double crossed the anti social elements by taking bribe from them while on duty, and demolish their nefarious designs in form of Shahenshah. No one knows real identity of Shahenshah. Vijay(Shahenshah) has one agenda in life, to clear the accusations against his father of taking bribe and take revenge from the man(J.K.) who forced him to commit suicide. Amitabh plays both roles as inspector Vijay (with funny bones) and Heart thumping Giant Shahenshah with utmost perfection.Leave alone stars of 80's, even if i think of all bollywood actors till today, i don't see if any one match the magic, perfection and persona of both characters played by Amitabh.

Movie spell binds the audience from start to finish, story though same old revenge drama, still captivate due to brilliant script and awesome dialogues.Whenever Shahenshah comes on screen, magic is seen to believe. All those moments should be written in bold letters in cinema history. Never ever in my life i spell bind with presence and performance, in simple words, no one can turn the eyes from screen whenever Shahenshah comes to rescue. Amrish puri as villain is giant as well and complemented Amitabh equally. Minakshi Sheshadri looks hot and did fine job. Movie reached to pinnacle in climax. I never saw any climax as enthralling as this one. If i have to write top 10 climaxes in cinema history, Shahenshah would probably be in top. What a finale sir, great job. The entire scene from the point when inspector Vijay arrest Amrish puri and put him behind bar to the final court room drama, J.K set free by court and finally J.K. taken back to court by Shahenshah and brilliant turn of events there .. no one can keep eyes off screen in those last 20 minutes. Such a gripping moments and such a energetic performance by Amitabh.

Finally, if any one want to see edge of seat masala genre blended brilliantly with Superhero concept, not going overboard for even a second, Please check this one. I promise you, you will feel sorry for contemporary filmmakers, they can't even come close with this school of film making. Superb entertainer .. 10/10 By me.

Shahenshah review :

The films title became synonymous with Amitabh Bachchan and he is still referred as the Shahenshah of Bollywood. There are kings and stars in Hindi cinema but Shahenshah is only one!! Directed by Tinnu Anand who had worked with Bachchan earlier in the super hit Kaalia (1981), Shahenshah went through its share of delays and got involved in bit of controversy as a certain political party threatened to ban it in wake of Big B's alleged involvement in the Bofors scam.

Coming nearly two years after his Aakhree Raasta (1986), Shahenshah was highly anticipated by Bachchan's fans and in one of the many such incidences, police had to be called in to control the rampaging crowd for advance booking at Badal Bijlee cinema, Matunga.

The film itself was total paisa vasool with Amitabh playing a seemingly corrupt pan chewing cop Vijay Srivastava as well as his alter ego Shahenshah who is a separate kanoon in himself!! "Rishte mein toh hum tumhare baap lagte hai. Naam hai Shahenshah!!" is still mimicked by all and sundry..

Amrish Puri was outstanding as JK, the baddie who frames Vijays police wala dad (Kader Khan in a memorable cameo) and later, emerges wet out of a pool in his short trunks to burn down the neighborhood gareebon ki basti. The whisky guzzler occassionally changes his brand from Chivas Regal to Black dog whenever he spots a gori titli in his regular bar. Haha!!

This is one of the few films where I liked Meenakshi Seshadri, playing a street smart chorni in a complete departure from her bholi bhaali kamzor aurat image!! She looked great here opposite Big B as well.

Tinnu Anand's direction was super competent with focus on Bachchan's mass appeal. Not many may know that the story concept was by Jaya Bachchan. Amar Utpal's dashing musical score - "Jaane do mujhe jaana hai", "Hey you!" and ofcourse the evergreen title song sung by Kishore Kumar - is another positive factor.

Shahenshah remains a favorite of all Amitabh Bachchan fans. The film defines his aura, his style and his super stardom in more ways than one. Unmissable!!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

Shahenshah, action thriller directed by tinnu anand is an average film which could have been better with a more detailed script. Story, characters and situation is very predictable. Performance wise all actors are convincing but main aspect lies with script. The intention, purpose of characters lacks depth. They should have been grey shaded.

Lots of aspects are predictable. With given changing time script should have been updated. Amitabh and amrish pair as hero villain is good, although. Shahenshah has a robin hood look. Costume of shahenshah could have been normal. Exaggeration was not needed. All in all an average film.

Sundays is quite often Amitabh Bachchan day for me these days. It's the only time in the week I can find 3 hours to sit down and watch a Bollywood movie, and my Indian star of choice is definitely Amitabh.

A righteous police officer is framed by the villains he is investigating, and in shame he hangs himself. His son grows up to be a policeman too, but rather unexpectedly he turns out to be something of a coward and a simpleton who takes bribes. At least - that's what he wants you to believe! For by night he adopts a different persona - the one man crime fighting machine, SHAHENSHAH! Endowed with unstoppable power (for reasons never explored) and quite the worst outfit in movie history, Shahenshah is judge, jury and executioner for the criminals the law can't touch.

Amitabh Bachchan gets to play something of a dual role again, reprising the betel-chewing simpleton character and the tough hero characters he's played plenty of times before. It's a good chance to show his range as an actor, but by 1987 there is no question that he was past his prime (and optimum weight) for the angry young man sort of role that made him popular (yet of course still not matured enough for the cool sophisticat Bachchan of today). SHAHENSHAH doesn't ask much of the veteran actor, and certainly can't be considered one of his best roles.

The plot for the movie is rather full of holes, but basically addresses a theme that I find to be exceedingly common in Indian cinema - the failure of the police and politicians to protect the citizens of the country. If Bollywood cinema is to be believed, corruption must be a significant problem, and there is a clear wish for a 'strong hero' that will fight on the side of the poor and the innocent. Preferably quite violently

SHAHENSHAH has a fairly stock villain character, played by Amrish Puri in what may be his 1,000,000th villain role - a role he could do in his sleep with his face. He gets up to the usual sorts of crimes - drugs, murder, bribery and trying to force poor people off their land. Oh, and he is the man responsible for dad's death, naturally. There's also a love interest, played both sassily and sexily by Meenakshi Sheshadri, who thankfully gets a lot more to do than just dance and look pretty in a good role. Mix in patriotic mothers, virginal sisters and noble reporters and you get an idea of what to expect.

There's not a lot of depth or subtlety to the plot, and I'm not sure quite how it gets stretched out to fill 185 minutes. There's quite a few lengthy songs of course, and quite a few action scenes of the "Amitabh waves a fist and 5 guys somersault away in slow motion" type, but few fresh or exceedingly interesting ideas.

The movie definitely looks stuck in the 80's, and unfortunately by the latter half of that decade Amitabh Bachchan's star was definitely fading. SHAHENSHAH is a far cry from such great movies as DON and SHOLAY. It manages to be moderately entertaining, as any movie containing such a basic mix of ingredients will be, but I can't imagine it getting a second watch any time.

"Shahenshah" follows the story of Inspector Vijay, a dedicated and honest police officer who takes on the city's underworld and corrupt officials. When his efforts are met with resistance and tragedy, he decides to adopt a new identity - Shahenshah, a masked vigilante who dispenses justice outside the law. As Shahenshah, he embarks on a mission to clean up the city and bring the culprits to justice.

One of the most iconic scenes in the movie is Shahenshah's entry. With dramatic music building the anticipation, Amitabh Bachchan makes a grand and striking appearance as Shahenshah. The audience is treated to an unforgettable moment as he takes down a group of goons, leading to thunderous applause, whistles, and cheers.

The dialogue "Rishte mein toh hum tumhare baap lagte hain, naam hai Shahenshah" is delivered by Amitabh Bachchan with unmatched charisma and intensity. This powerful line became a sensation, resonating with the audience and becoming a defining moment in the film. The delivery of this dialogue evoked a strong emotional response from the viewers, further solidifying Amitabh Bachchan's status as a legendary performer.

The film's gripping storyline, combined with Amitabh Bachchan's exceptional portrayal of both Inspector Vijay and Shahenshah, captivated the audience's imagination. The seamless transition between the two roles showcased his versatility as an actor and added depth to the narrative.

"Shahenshah" remains a cinematic masterpiece that continues to be celebrated for its memorable dialogues, exhilarating action sequences, and Amitabh Bachchan's iconic performance. The movie's impact on the audience, particularly during Shahenshah's entry and the delivery of the famous dialogue, is a testament to the enduring legacy of this classic Bollywood film.