Salaakhen

To be honest, I had watched this film only for Raveena Tandon and Manisha Koirala's item number. Raveena Tandon is a great actress but in Salaakhen she barely has a role other than her appearance in the song sequences. She's there for eye candy and is definitely sizzling on screen. I also enjoyed Manisha's item number. It's not a great song but I think Koirala pulled it off well. The other good thing about 'Salaakhen' is the songs. They might be of an acquired taste but they appeal to me where beat is concerned and it's quite an eclectic soundtrack. Guddu Dhanoa has been known to make bad cinema and 'Salaakhen' is no exception. It's actually Anupam Kher who's the main lead because most of the film revolves around his character. Sunny Deol is just there to be the tough son and avenge his death. Of course, the story is the typical, old man fighting the corrupt system and he ends up committing suicide because the system 'gets' to him and thus the son avenges his death and goes to jail. Dhanoa thought he could repeat the success of 'Ziddi' if he brought back the same team but obviously that hasn't happened. There is very little that stands out about this movie and I have already mentioned them.

The plot is typical. Man of principle stands up to overwhelming forces of systemic corruption - tycoons, police, politicians and the courts. Vengeance and violence must ensue to cure the sickness of greed and abuses of power.

The acting is fairly typical except for a handful of moments in which long angry diatribes are delivered in the worst display of overacting I can recall in the 100+ Indian movies I've seen. And it ain't just one guy. Three of them spew speeches with Razzie-worthy degrees of scenery chewing.

The good? The last 20 minutes of payback spare no expense on f/x and stunts (including one bit Jackie Chan would have applauded) in an orgy of beatings, shootings, chases and explosions. The preceding parade of evil doings by evildoers adds to the gratification factor. But ya gotta be patient to get there.

Sunny Deol in another of his formula action flicks. Raveena who I love as an actress and everything else about her for that matter is there for eye candy and the songs. That is her role really the songs the rest is the storyline which is weak and the same as any other movie. Raveena why did you sign this movie and audiences don't bother buying video or DVD of it rubbish. Raveena and Sunny have done a much better movie which I have yet to see called Ziddi spend you money on that one I bet it's ten times better than this tripe by the way Raveena looks great in the songs. 7 out of 10 for the songs. 1 out of 10 for the movie. Definitely not going to be in anyones top 100 movies of all time list I'm sure.

Salaakhen review :

Coming after his super hit Ziddi (1997), Guddu Dhanoa's Salaakhen had a good plot and a noteworthy performance from Anupam Kher as a retired master who witnesses a rape and murder committed by a bade baap ka bigda hua beta and wants to testify against him. Amrish Puri plays Jaspal Rana, the rapists politician dad who traps Kher in court proceedings and literally drives him to suicide. Sunny Deol, his son, then avenges the murder.

The film's plot is loosely borrowed from Dhanoa's own hit Elaan (1994) starring Akshay Kumar. In that film, it was Amrish Puri who played the hero's honest dad like Anupam Kher's character in this one.

Salaakhen has some well executed courtroom scenes and Mohan Joshi as the corrupt lawyer was highly effective. The way he proves the master to be of unsound mind is shocking, to say the least.

Raveena Tandon was the heroine hired for routine song and dance with Deol. Manisha Koirala also popped up for an item number. But the the film is memorable only for Anupam Kher and his legal conflict with Amrish Puri. The film turns absolutely routine actioner once the case is closed.

Salaakhen deserved to do better at the box office. But then, every film has its own fate. This one just wasnt lucky I guess!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

Guddu Dhanoa had made ELAAN in 1994 with Akshay which had a similar story All the crimes towards Anupam are similar to that film

Strangely there it was done on Amrish Puri and here Amrish does it to Anupam

The film follows the beaten to death theme and is nothing great

The scenes between Anupam, Farida are nice especially her explosion to the cops

rest is the same

The climax suddenly reaches foreign locales during fight scenes, how come?

Direction is nothing great Music too is ordinary

Sunny Deol repeats his act, like Akshay in ELAAN he too has less to do and his act is the same every movie in otherwise Anupam is the true hero, he excels though he played a middle class man from he was 28 to date yet in this film he gets to portray a lot more and he excels Raveena does her usual bit Farida excels Amrish Puri has done such roles to death