By Murtaza Ali Khan
Zee Classic, in continuing
with its tradition of promoting the classic works of Indian cinema, has envisaged
a unique initiative, in association with 92.7 Big FM, which endeavors to recreate the charm of classic Hindi films
with ‘Retro In A Metro’. Here is a wonderful opportunity for film enthusiasts
to revisit the cult classics of Hindi cinema at a theatre in Mumbai every week
on a Thursday evening, starting from August 3, 2017. Retro In A Metro brilliantly
packages classic content and blends it with the best of movie watching experience.
As part of it, four of Hindi cinema's greatest cult classics viz. Andaz Apna Apna, Jaane Bhi Do
Yaaron, Amar Akbar Anthony,
and Karz would be screened, respectively, every Thursday at 8 PM at Cinepolis,
Andheri for the month of August as follows:
Movie
|
Date
|
Time
|
Andaz Apna Apna
|
3rd August
2017
|
8 PM
|
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
|
10th August
2017
|
8 PM
|
Amar Akbar Anthony
|
17th August
2017
|
8 PM
|
Karz
|
24th August
2017
|
8 PM
|
Whenever one talks about cult classics of Hindi cinema perhaps the first
name that comes to mind is the Rajkumar Santoshi-directed Andaz Apna Apna. It’s
a kind of a film that we never grow tired of watching. Many of us have seen it
dozens of times and even remember the dialogues by heart. And yet the temptation
to revisit it is always so overwhelming, every time it’s coming on television.
And the best part about is that almost everyone in the family shares this
feeling. Some may find it a bit difficult to digest but at the time of its
release Andaz Apna Apna did not turn
out to be a box-office success as oppose to everyone's expectations. It’s partly
attributed to the lack of publicity and the stiff competition it faced from
films like Hum
Aapke Hain Koun and 1942: A Love Story.
The fact that it belonged to a different genre also marred its commercial
prospects at the time. But all that changed in the years to follow thanks to
the movie’s growing popularity on television as well as the video circuit.
Above everything else, Andaz Apna Apna is the only time Aamir Khan and Salman Khan have shared
the screen space.
Another classic of Hindi
cinema that enjoys almost the same iconic cult status as Andaz Apna Apna is the Kundan Shah directed Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. The biggest compliment that can be made about
the film is that it is as iconic, if not more, as its ensemble cast of that includes
the likes of Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapoor, Ravi Basani, Satish
Shah, Neena Gupta, and Satish Kaushik, among others. A satirical comedy on all-pervasive
corruption, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro brilliantly
depicts the evil practices that flourished in Indian during the Licence Raj. It
simultaneously mocks and mourns the grim state of moral decline, perhaps best
exemplified by its famous ‘Draupadi Cheer-Haran’ sequence. Like Andaz Apna Apna, the film wasn’t a big box-office
success but it has only grown in stature over the years, having attained a cult
status that it so richly deserves.
This year marks the completion of 40 years of Amar Akbar Anthony. Over
the years the Manmohan Desai directed film has continued to enjoy a hallowed
status in the pantheon of Hindi film classics and it’s difficult to think of a
Hindi cinema lover who hasn’t seen this film at least a couple of dozen times. Its
songs like “Parda Hai Parda”, “Shirdi Wale Saibaba” and "My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves" were
instant classics. This is a rare Bollywood masala film that dares to touch upon
the complicated issues of religious tolerance and communal harmony. And it’s
never in your face, for Desai and his team of writers construct a film that’s
endlessly entertaining, one that weaves its magic by engrossing its viewers in
its deceptively simple plot that revolves around three protagonists—Amar, a
Hindu; Akbar, a Muslim; Anthony, a Christian. Perhaps, that’s what makes the
movie as relevant today as it was four decades ago.
The fourth Hindi cult classic that would be screened as part of ‘Retro In A Metro’ is the musical revenge thriller Karz. Subhash Ghai's seminal film was panned by the critics at the time and
failed to get its due at the box-office. But over the years it has deservedly
attained a cult status. Karz was essentially a
style statement. It wouldn’t be a hyperbole to say that its brilliant music set
the tone for the 1980s. The film’s cultural significance just cannot be overemphasized.
Even after more than three decades of the movie’s release the songs "Om
Shanti Om" and "Ek Haseena Thi" have remained popular disco
numbers. These songs have also inspired the titles of two popular Bollywood
films: Sriram Raghavan’s Ek Hasina Thi
(2004) and Farhah Khan’s Om Shanti Om
(2007). To watch Karz on the big
screen would certainly be an experience of a lifetime.
Retro In A Metro offers a one-of-a-kind
opportunity to the movie lovers of Mumbai to experience Andaz Apna Apna, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Amar Akbar Anthony, and Karz on the big screen. But remember that this is only a
limited screening and so make sure you have booked your tickets before they are
sold out.
To know more, the movie-lovers can log on to www.1018mb.com/ZeeClassic.
Readers, please feel free to share your opinion by leaving your comments. As always your valuable thoughts are highly appreciated!
To know more, the movie-lovers can log on to www.1018mb.com/ZeeClassic.
Readers, please feel free to share your opinion by leaving your comments. As always your valuable thoughts are highly appreciated!
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