Loosely based on Al Pachino's 'Scarface', Agnipath is one of the best movies by Amitabh, a personal favorite. The movie has got an extra ordinary start & a mediocre clymax fighting scene that has some cheap dialogs & unneccessary fights by Amitabh/Mithun, followed by a touching display by Amitabh who leads his mother to their home. What is in between these two points is a hyper-extra ordinary performance by the 6' 2' actor.
The start is blessed with Hariwanshrayji's poem:
'Vruksh ho bade bhale..ho ghane ho bhale..Ek Patra chhah bhi mang mat, mang mat, mang mat..Agnipath, Agnipath Agnipath; Tu na thamega kabhi tu na mudega kabhi tu na rukega kabhi, Kar shapath, Kar shapath, Kar shapath, Agnipath, Agnipath, Agnipath. Ye Mahan Drushya hain, Chal raha Manushya hain, Ashru, Sweth, Rakta se Latpat Latpat Latpat..Agnipath, Agnipath, Agnipath'.
This poem makes a profound impact on the proceedings. 'Jamindari ki Topi' & Danny's interaction with Goga is also handled very well. Co-stars of this movie are a different topic all together! Vikram Gokhale, Danny, Rohini H, Archana Puran Singh, Mithun (does well but a bit too loud), Sudheer Pande(?), Deepak Shirke, Neelam all have maintained a high level of standards set by the Big B. Madhavi has done well in the limitations she had. Tinu Anand deserves a sepcial mention for his 100% honest effort.
The movie has several dialogs by the Big B that make a permanent dent (not a very good word) :) in everybody's mind. Amitabh changed his voice for this movie, this was a very effective move. This made Vijay Chaouhan's character look more real life. People thought that prints were not good or the theatre audio system wasn't good etc.
The collections were not up to the mark due to this change & some more factors like cheap climax & unneeded scenes (Mithun in Dance Bar//I am Krishnan Iyer etc). To be honest some of the dialogs were not audible due to changed voice. They decided to redub in softer/usual voice, it didn't help, after getting the National Award, again the changed/heavy voice was put in action but they made sure to make some dialogs more audible.
There are several BIG mistakes in the movie, the biggest being the age difference betweek Vijay & his sister in the childhood. Maybe 6?? But then he becomes 36 year old etc & Neelam still is a 'HSC pass chhokari' as put by Krishnan Iyer M.A. She should be at least 30 by then!!!! :-))) Don't know how director like Mukul Anand can mess up such a MAJOR point. Same case with Laila ki beti Shanti (Archana P Singh), She should be younger than Neelam!!!
The scene where Amitabh's people go in Dharawi & attack Deepak Shirke's place is a masterpiece, the way it is shot is comparable to a hollywood movie. The camera angle of every scene is a work of art. A lot of thought seems to be given to the minor things.
The songs were really not needed in this movie but I guess distributers wanted them so Mukul Anand did some retrofit on otherwise perfect movie. I am Krishan Iyer MA is just a shameful song..No place for such song in such kind of a movie. Similar case with the 'Kisko tha pata..' this song has pathetix stanzas. 'Per maini kya karu main bada garib hun,..Issi liye to main tere karib hun!!!' What nonsense!! :-)) The only song that fits (somewhat) is the 'Ali-baba' (Archana P Singh: Grrrrrrr!!) :) & Ganapati apane ganv chale that takes the movie forward.
Again, splendid shooting work at the end of the 'Ganapati' song when people approach Amitabh with swords. The next scene where Amitabh takes Mithun to hospital is also where Amitabh has made the most of it.
The most strange fact is that 'Jumma Chumma' de de was recorded for this movie..!!! Then they thought that Vijay Chouhan singing a song in this movie would be pittyful & they dropped the idea & hence the Allibab song. Instead they put the original music number after Amitabh reaches Mauritius. Amithab image appears larger than life as he seats in the car & then stands on the deck with a chopper following him. This scene would also fit in a bond movie such is the taking & technical finese!
The movie is a collector's piece & Amitabh gives his fans one movie which they can show to anyone on the world to demonstarte how GREAT this actor is. We have used only 30% of Amitabh's abilities & maybe 60% of Dilip Kumar's abilities until now. I hope he does some movies like this instead of blaming the flop of the mediocre attempt of 'Main Azad Hun'.
Instead of markting self as 'the most busy actor' today he should be doing more movies that his fans & (the nation for that matter) can treasure. This guy is more capable than Anthony Hopkins, Al Pachino & Brando put-together. He along with Dilip Kumar represent the peak of acting abilities in Indian cinema.
Long live the King of Indian movies!
Here are some examples of the powerful dialogs:
'Woh garib master ko it pattharoke neeche kuchala gaya uss per kounsa mail tha..Us kamajor vidhawa ke ijjat par haat dala, uss par ounsa mail tha? Nahi Maulm? Main batata hain..Woh mail tha KAMJORI ka..Ye mail tumhra Sachchai se nahi dhul sakata..Woh tumhara bhagwan se nahi dhul sakata, woh dhulata hain TAAKAD se..Abhi bolo koi haramjadeko meri maa, meri bahen pe aankh uthakar daale..daalega..? Nahi..Kaatkar fenk daalega main'
'Pagar Badhawo..Ye policewale ka pagar badhawo tum..sala itana paisa main ghar nahi chalata..Imaan kaise chalega'
'Hawa bahot tez chalata hain Deenkarrao..Topi sambhalo, Ud jayega'
'Kehene ko to ye sheher hain..lekin yaha jungla ka kanoon chalata hain..'
'Sawal jis jaban main kiya jaye, jawab ussi jaban main dena chahiye..'
'Kancha ye tumhara deekhawe ka takad hain na woh bahot tagada hain..lekin tumhara kan hain na woh kanch ki taraha kamjor hain..Pahili mulakat maini tumako kya bola tha..Mera nam Vijay Deenanath Chaouhan..PURA naam'
'Main apane malik ka purana, bahot purana wafadaar hain..Jo deta hain sood samet wapas karata hain'
'Galat cheez banaya hain telephone, udhar se aadami sochata kuchh hain, bolata kuchh hain..aur karata kuchh hain..jaisa ki tum log'
'Dekho, Socho, Samazho, ye ladaka chingari..kal bada hoke samako jala diya to kya karega'
