Friday, June 3, 2011

Anil Kapoor or The Act of Moving your Thumbs Perpendicular to your Ears, over your Mane..and saying - Aye Jhakaassss !!!

Aye Jhakaassssss....... !!! Kya Bolaaa !!!

The hero does a fine act of a roadside tramp/local goon/small time hoodlum, mouthing these dialogues. These lines aren't crass, they are not vulgar and they are not at all wannabe cool. Over a period of time, these dialogues have become endearing, just like the protagonist we identify them with - Anil Kapoor.

The first thing that comes into my mind when i remember Anil Kapoor is Hair. Hair here, hair there, hair hair everywhere !!! He was once described as a barber's nightmare by his leading lady Dimple Kapadia, while they shot for steamy scenes in Jaanbaaz. However, leaving the hair raising issues aside, when i look at the career of this man, which has spanned more than 3 decades now, i can only stand in awe and admire his body of work, the variety, the talent and energy he brought on screen. I thought of listing my 5 favourite Anil Kapoor films here on my blog, a process i would like to repeat with several other stars later. Quite a difficult task, but here goes the list:

1. Tezaab (1988) - I have gone on and on about Tezaab in one of my previous blogs. It is one of my favourite hindi movies. As i'd said earlier, this movie has everything a masala potboiler should contain. I can watch Tezaab, any given time. I also remember the dialogues pretty well. The transformation of a young student into a tadipaar criminal, has been portrayed really well by Kapoor. Be it his loverboy scenes or the cold hardened look of Munna, he plays this role to perfection. Complemented equally well by Madhuri Dixit, for whom this movie was the elevator to stardom. The surprise factor was Chunky Pandey's "Babban", the lovable side-kick. Generous mention for Kiran Kumar's "Lotiya pathan" too, who had some of the best dialogues in the movie. Sample this - "Lotiya jab deta hai toh ehsaan nahin karta, aur jab leta hai toh lihaaj nahin karta".

2. Saaheb (1985) - If there ever was an "A" in a dictionary, Music Director Bappi Lahiri never bought it. All "A"s in his songs tended to become "Aye"..just like "Yer bine chen kehan reeeee....Sone nehin Chendi nehin yer toh mila, ayere pyer ker le...". Maybe i am exaggerating a wee bit, but who hasn't had fun with Bappi da. This song, one of his most popular ones, was used in "Saaheb", an otherwise simple story of a young goalkeeper, who sacrifices his dreams for his family. Very well acted again by Kapoor as the yuppy youth, getting reprimanded by Dad and family and yet rising up to the occasion when his family needs him the most. Great performances by Raakhee Gulzaar as the Bhabhi. The chemistry of the leading pair(Amrita Singh being the Heroine) is awesome, something they carried forward in "Chameli ki Shaadi" as well.

3. Viraasat (1997) - This movie was an official remake of "Thevar Magan". I havent seen the original. But for me, this is one of Anil Kapoor's best performances. Again a transformation here from a City boy into the headman of his clan, sporting inch wide mustachios, Anil Kapoor performed this role wonderfully. Watch out for the last scenes of the movie and the power packed scenes he delivers. Tabbu was excellent and a great supporting role by the Late Amrish Puri.
P.S - Has a wonderful stick fight scene.

4. Meri Jung (1985) - I dont have any idea, why Anil Kapoor looked so tanned in this movie. I mean what was the idea behind that ? The movie was a great one though. This one sees Kapoor play the Angry young man. However this angry young man doesnt break the law, he is a man of law himself and strives hard beyond an amnesia struck mother, a love struck sister and a Thunder Struck Javed Jaffrey, to bring Thakral (Amrish Puri), the lawyer who framed Kapoor's innocent father for murder, to justice. Pretty awesome movie, baring a few loopholes, somethings we have learned to live and love in bollywood. The piano plays some great tunes, Javed jaffrey in his debut makes some killer moves and i just have to mention Parikshit "Brrotherr" Sahni over here, just for kicks, for no reason, even though he has a very small role in the movie.

5. Taal (1999) / Raam Lakhan (1989) - Ok, i couldnt decide between the both. I have a tie. In both these movies, Kapoor isn't the central character. Ram Lakhan, being a two hero movie, and other performances aside, the best that you will still remember out of it as you think would be the endearing Lakhan. Be it dancing with awesome energy to "Dhinaa Dhin Dhaa...." or acting as the corrupt cop, Kapoor's Lakhan is an immortal part of cinema. Taal, saw him in negative shades as Vikrant Kapoor the Music Maestro, wicked, funny and yet very much likeable. Vikrant cheats tunes from folk singers, yet is fair enough in letting go of the leading lady in the end.

I have had to leave out so many other movies out of the list. Anil Kapoor has to be a specialist in remakes of South Indian cinema (something that nowadays Salman Khan is getting quite good at). So for a "Viraasat", i had to leave out "Nayak". He was equally good in "Lamhe", though Sridevi nailed the movie, and i personally do not like a moustache less Anil Kapoor :) (which is not the reason why i didnt consider "Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate" !!). "Parindaa" was more of a joint effort by the screenplay, Nana Patekar besides Jackie Shroff and Kapoor. "Pukaar" just missed out by a whisker. "Mr. India" was more fun than acting prowess. The kids were great and Kapoor anyways was mostly invisible, so won't qualify :) !! Awesome comic timing in "Khel" (copy of Dirty rotten scoundrels) and "Deewana Mastana" alongwith Govinda.

Other generous mentions would be Eeshwar, Benaam Badsha, Armaan, Kala Bazaar and Mashaal. Ohh..and here's an interesting yet useless piece of info - Anil Kapoor's "Woh saat din" having released in my hometown after a year of its release date, was supposedly my first movie in a theatre (read - baby taken to the theatre by parents, sleeping during the movie and crying intermittently much to the disapproval of the audience). And, No, i wasn't seven days old then !!

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