As Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan perform together for the very first time in Thugs of Hindostan, Instep lists down a number of films dedicated to the same subject.
Filmmakers around the world have been using nationalism as a subject and now, most recently with Thugs of Hindostan, Bollywood has taken up the popular cause to fight the British on a whole new scale, involving sea, land and air support in their quest for independence.
However, it’s not a war film akin to Chris Nolan’s Dunkirk but a pure masala entertainer for an audience that wants to be entertained by the Manmohan Desai brand of filmmaking. Read on for more such stories, with love in the backdrop and rebellion as the core.
Dharam Veer (1977)
Director: Manmohan Desai
Era: Medieval
Dharam (Dharmendra) and Veer (Jeetendra) are estranged brothers who join hands to bring down an evil uncle (Jeevan) for destroying their lives in his quest for the throne. Dharam falls in love with Rajkumari (played by Zeenat Aman) while the Prince falls for a gypsy (Neetu Singh), providing songs like ‘O Meri Mehbooba’ that remain popular even today. The film also marks the appearance of a ‘guarding falcon’ here that later appeared in Coolie and the recent Thugs of Hindostan. There was also a grand escape song ‘Hum Banjaron Ki Baat’ that has been recreated as ‘Manzoor e Khuda’ in Thugs of Hindostan where Aamir Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Katrina Kaif do a dance number in front of the masters, before wreaking havoc during the climax.
Lagaan – Once Upon A Time in India (2001)
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Era: 1890s
Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) challenges British officers in India to a cricket match in order to win a waiver on a tax that is being implemented on the farmers. Though the villagers have no cricketing skills, the sister of one of the British officers decides to help them and they have a ‘historical’ match. On the sidelines, the sister Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley) fantasizes about Bhuvan, who has a girlfriend Gauri (Gracy Singh) in the village. Thus, the love triangle transcends nationalities. And yes, the Indian team win the cricket match with a last-ball six, but obviously.
Mard (1985)
Director: Manmohan Desai
Era: Early 20th Century
Raju (Amitabh Bachchan) is the son of a freedom fighter called Raja Azaad Singh (Dara Singh) who is imprisoned in the very camp where his long-lost-mute-mother works as a maid. When the mayor’s daughter – Ruby, essayed by Amrita Singh - falls for Raju, the British and their cronies devise a plan to get rid of him via a gladiatorial swordfight. The film also featured Badal and Moti, Mard’s brave horse and dog respectively, who played an important role in making the Quit India movement a reality. No one but Manmohan Desai could have spun a love story on the sidelines of a struggle against the British and a lost and found an angle within a film. It was his final hit with Amitabh Bachchan when the director was on top of his game.
1942: A Love Story (1994)
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Era: 1940s
Since we’re on the subject of Quit India Movement, the conversation takes one back to 1942 when Naren Singh (Anil Kapoor) falls for Rajeshwari “Rajjo” Pathak (Manisha Koirala) in 1942 A Love Story (1994) amidst political unrest at the time. The film features a soundtrack by R. D. Burman (his last). The backdrop features revolutionaries on the verge of pushing the British out of India. A freedom fighter (Jackie Shroff), however, emerges as the contender for Rajjo.
1942: A Love Story takes you back to a time you wouldn’t want to return to. The film is easily Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s best film since Parinda. This was before he turned producer of Rajkumar Hirani films at the turn of the century.
Pukar (1983)
Director: Ramesh Behl
Era: 1950 – 1970
From British India, we move to Goa that was ruled by the Portuguese until it was annexed by India in 1961. Here, Amitabh Bachchan’s character, Ramdas, becomes Ronnie to facilitate the foreigners. He ultimately realizes the truth about his father’s heroic death at the hands of one of his friends. Backed by a soundtrack that gave us ‘Bach Ke Rehna Re Baba’, ‘Samandar Main Naha Ke’, ‘Tu Maike Mat Jayyo’ and ‘Maarenge Ya Marjayenge’ by R. D. Burman and a stellar cast comprising Zeenat Aman, Randhir Kapoor and Tina Munim, this love story happened in the wake of a revolution and with Amitabh Bachchan at the helm, victory for India was guaranteed.
– Omair Alavi is a freelance broadcast journalist who can be contacted at omair78@gmail.com
