Suman Kumar Ganguly
A year after the classic 'Deewaar' (1975), the Yash Chopra-Amitabh-Shashi combination joined forces once again. But unlike the hard-hitting action-drama, this time they teamed up for a simple, poetic romantic drama.I am normally a big fan of multi-starrers and family dramas and this is a big reason for my liking this film. The film has about 9 central characters and all of them manage to leave a mark. Also a film starring Big B and Shashi Kapoor is always a must-watch for me. The crackling chemistry they shared between them was far superior to any of the leading heroines of those times. No wonder they did more films together than with any particular heroine!But in most of these films there is a perennial complaint of Big B tending to overshadow Shashi. But 'Kabhi Kabhie' is a heart-warming exception. Not just compared to Bachchan; but out of the entire bouquet of characters, it's Shashi who creates the biggest impression. His ever- smiling charming persona with a big heart of gold, is a complete delight. My favourite scene was where he went under the table to snoop on his son's telephonic conversation. Also the confrontation scene between him and Bachchan towards the end was terrific. It's just for him, that one could see the film time and again!The other attraction of the film is we get to see stars like Big B, Shashi, Rakhee and Waheeda Rehman, who were in their youth; being projected in older roles. If these characters were to be played by actors who matched the age, then the film would lose half the charm.One expects a tight narration in multi-starrers; but here the tone was kept deliberately simple. It's obvious from the start that it's gonna be a very poetic film. But unfortunately this makes the film quite boring and monotonous at parts. In fact the original premise of the Amitabh- Rakhi romance ultimately turns out to be a mere subplot. One certainly expected something more here. But just on the verge of the climax where it appeared we were headed for a melodramatic finish, we are treated to a sudden chase-sequence which was a delightful surprise. The sequence is brilliantly shot with horses, jeeps and motorbikes embroiled in a trail with blasts going off on the picturesque Kashmir mountains behind. It's the ideal finish required for a film like this.Music by Khayyam and lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi are highlights of the film. But there are just too many songs in the 2nd half which obstructs the pace of the film.This was a terrific example of the versatility of Chopra who could switch effortlessly between two diverse genres. Although, he is mostly remembered as a 'King of Romance', personally I find him more capable in the action-ventures like 'Deewaar', (1975) 'Trishul' (1978) and 'Kala Patthar' (1979). As a result, 'Kabhi Kabhie' fails to match up to those standards; but is still the best romantic film of Chopra after 'Chandni' (1989).Many consider it to be a great romantic film or even a poetic film. But for me, this film is special just because of Shashi, the star-cast and for getting to see a whole bunch of actors playing characters far older than their real age!
elshikh4
Let's say it this way; in The Guinness Book of World Records, you'll find (Kabhie Kabhie) at the section of the most idiot, most boring, and most surreal movies ever made as number one in all of these categories. While viewing it I went to a spasm where I was laughing hysterically, astonished in a bad sense, and about ripping my clothes off. To all who think that (Geraftaar), (Mrityudaata) or (Sooryavansham) are The Big B's worst movies; think again, because these are classics compared to the one in hands ! I want whoever wrote it to be hanged. What's this movie ?! Honestly ! At first, it's a love story in which a boy and a girl sing in green woods and snowy woods. Then the boy's heart got broken; you'll never know why his girl left him?, or married that other guy in specific ?!, and how come she's always happy with him ?! Then, it's another love story in which a boy and a girl sing in green woods and snowy woods, a lame part when the boy's father (likely a runaway from the nuthouse) wants his son to get marry, useless scenes for the boy and the girl with no singing in green woods or snowy woods, and a scene for the girl combing her hair just to assure that she's happy (Huh ?!). Then, a known matter in every Hindi movie; the girl is a foundling. So the trip to find the real parents. After a while, it becomes about 2 girls fighting over one boy, ..Oh sorry, after that I immersed in this movie's loyal absurdness, and surrendered forcibly to lethargy, instead of bursting out of rage, bore, or not understanding !There is no clear plot. It goes stupidly from theme to another without any focus or ONE POSSIBLE MEANING, being a hellish maze of circle that passes to another circle that passes to another and another pointlessly. The events happen scarcely (so that's why it's called Sometimes !). Plus a never-ending dialog; I thought that it was a contest to create the heaviest movie ever; where every scene repeats the other irritatingly, and this one won matchlessly, or the writer was forced to fill it up with all the unnecessary dialog he could make up, otherwise someone would kill his wife, children, cat ! Whatever, this dialog is sold as hopelessly romantic jewels, while – in fact – being great book for all the cheesy, completely juvenile, romantic conversations !Well, the writer was stoned. To prove it : (Bachchan) marries a girl, yet he doesn't notice that she wasn't a virgin unless 20 years later ! The explosions, in order to pave the way for building around a mountain, are child's toys that don't do a thing ! (Shashi Kapoor) suddenly appears, at the end, on a motorcycle to chase his son into that chain of explorations (How he knew about it ?, from where did he bring that motorcycle ?, and while he's rich why he doesn't ride something bigger ?!), even my faraway neighbors heard my laughs at that moment ! The girl that was about killing herself because the boy she loved loves another girl, retreats weirdly when she knows that they're engaged (?!!). (Bachchan) remembers, out of the blue, that he loves his wife because their daughter was about to die (??!), and so on and on of incredibly lazy writing that could fit a Hindi melodrama's outrageous parody !With no obvious point, I imagined many theories for its end; 1) (Amitabh) will marry his old love (Rakhee), then the latter's husband will marry the first's wife. 2) (Neetu Singh) will be discovered as (Amitabh)'s daughter, so when she'll marry (Rakhee)'s boy; it will be like the reunion that those old lovers couldn't have. 3) (Neetu) will be discovered as (Shashi)'s daughter from old mistake with (Amitabh)'s wife, so (Singh) and (Rishi Kapoor) are sister and brother, hence (Rishi) will easily marry (Amitabh)'s daughter (another way to achieve the reunion of the original 2 lovers). 4) (Rishi) will be discovered as (Amitabh)'s son, so (Shashi) will be shocked and let his wife to her first love. 5) (Rishi) dies, nobody marries, and (Shashi) returns to the nuthouse !The taste of (Shashi)'s villa hurt my eyes more than the 70s flamboyant ties. The direction aimed at breaking the tons of dialogs, yet with no avail. (Bachchan) appears with no moustache, then abruptly with one. Basically he wanted to be the opposite of what he was back then; so from comic, violent, rebellious and poor young man, to sedate, poetic, quiet and rich old man. But sure he selected the WRONG script. I kept wishing for Prem Chopra, Amrish Puri, or Amjad Khan to show up, fighting the leads, killing them, or anything that may spread an atom of heat, attraction, or movement in it !It's 2, so long, movies in one, with no connection or unified purpose between both. Maybe its writer's wildest dream was to smash the legend of "the first love"; whereas (Bachchan) chooses lastly his wife, not his first love, (Rakhee) does the same with her husband, and (Bachchan)'s daughter with (Rishi) as her first love who she loses to another girl. But, if that was the hoped-for meaning, then it couldn't be done more adolescently and horridly ! Irrefutably (Neetu) was the only good thing. The presence of her voluptuous body is a treat, especially while being in always tight costumes, pants, and – WAW – swimsuit; very rare and bold in 1976. Not that big stars were involved. Not that it alleges being highly romantic. But for being a hit once, and being called a classic that make me finally collapse. Rather it's a 3 hours hit to the head, and a classic at being a mammoth crap. It makes the news more fun and less weary to watch !
