First paragraph in Comments.
I shall take a few seconds to delve on the guiding principle while going through the whole exercise. It was what the bard told or made Juliet tell Romeo and what has been often used and misused liberally by one and all. Among other things, Juliet told Romeo, she also said, 'What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'. No-Sir, I thought. It is all in a name. We don’t know who played the character, but we very vividly remember the character by his name in the film. Without further ado let me proceed to present the survey(which at most times takes the form of a questionnaire).
Who is Gabbar Singh?
The name Gabbar needs no introduction to an Indian. Who can forget the ponderous gait, blackened teeth, menacing laugh, and the thickset face of the most memorable villain of Bollywood? Down South there are places where they don’t know Amjad Khan but they know the same man as Gabbar. No wonder Gabbar tops my list. The raconteur in me succumbs to the ultimate temptation of relating an anecdote dating back to his college days. it was this cultural fest or something like that and there was this Dumb Charades in which I participated with a friend of mine. To give a humorous touch to our team, we named ourselves Dumb and Dumber. The argument as to who the Dumb and who the Dumber was, still remains an unresolved debate when we get together. Coming back to the *res, * I chose to read what was in the chit and enact the same in actions while my good friend took position to decipher what the character was. Neither was I the best of actors nor he the most intelligent among men. But still the moment I started the swaggering walk across the stage with an invisible belt in his hand and chewed the non-present tobacco in my mouth and asked through gesticulations the count of the audience in the auditorium, the good friend of mine became the most intelligent of men and shouted out'It is Gabbar mouthing “Kitne admee thay” from Sholay'. No marks for guessing who got the first prize for the dumb charades event.
I would be doing injustice to others if I hang around Gabbar any longer.
Who is Roshi Mahanta?
This is one of my personal favorites. If the name does not ring a bell, the this hint should.'Hota Hein. Chalta hein. Duniyaaa Hein'. The lines are followed by the totally bald headed villain in Khal Nayak warming and damping his specs with his foul breath. Remember him? I cannot presently remember the name of the actor, but most of us like me remember him as Roshi Mahanta, the guru of Billu Balram.:)
Who is Crime Master Gogo?
One of the most memorable cameos played by Shakti Kapoor. The self confessed pathological thief, CMG has the compulsive urge not to leave a place empty handed. The character is more colorfully described by one of the reviewers here. Every MSian worth his salt knows who.
Who is Krishnan Iyer YUM YAA?
Hint: Eye Yam Krishnan Iyer Yum Yaa. Kookanut Waatar Myaan.(Mein Hoon Krishnan Iyer M A. Naariyal Paani wala) Mithun da in Agnipath is at his comical best. No wonder he walked away with the best supporting actor national award.
Who is Mogambo?
Everybody knows Mogambo. People refuse to answer the question taking it as an insult to their movie knowledge if they are asked this question. The ever redoubtable Amrish Puri is at his villainous best in this once in a life time role. One actor who can scare his audience by just widening his eyes is Amrish puri. Reading this he can’t but say'Mogambo, Kush Huaa'.
Who is Captain Zattak?
This is one of the characters that come in the movie Hum. He is the fellow who comes towards the end mounting himself on a military tank ready to fire all guns blazing, full throttle, just on one instruction of Anupam Kher. The fellow has a clean shaven head and a mustache on his thin egg shaped face. Very funny name and an equally funny face. Somehow it just remains unforgettable.'Captan Zattak, Attaaack'
Who is Hawa Hawai?
'Bijli ki Raaanee, lo mein aayee, Kehte hein mujh ko, Hawa Hawai. Hawa Hawai. Hawa Hawai.' This is a good example of how a name can remain memorable. Sridevi dance her way into people’s hearts by taking the place of this Malaysian/ Indonesian singer Hawa Hawai. But don’t we all remember Sridevi in the increasingly inaccurately named Mister India. It ought to have been named Miss India.
Who is Calendar?
Yes, it is Satish Kaushik in Mr. India. Full marks to you and JK tyres. The hero's side kick and the cook who is much loved by the whole bunch of kids, Calendar. Remember'Mera naam Hein Calender, mein chala kichen ke andar'.
Who is Indrajeet Chadda?
Amrish Puri, as the lawyer in'Damini', representing the wrong side with his long hair falling over his eyes and he once every while throwing it back with a flick of his head. Remember? Of course one does remember.
Who is Mahesh Uncle?
I don’t know the character’s name, but whenever I see him in any TV serial or any other movie, I identify him as Mahesh uncle. This Mahesh uncle is Preity Zinta's uncle in the more recent Dil Chahta Hein. Remember Aakash also addressing him all through as Mahesh Uncle. If anyone knows his real name, please feel free to share the information with me. Not that I don’t prefer him the way I know him presently.
Then there are these unforgettable characters that have shaped careers and have made legends out of actors. Amithabh Bachan as the angry young man Vijay, Salman Khan as Prem (more recently there came an immensely forgettable Prem in the equally immensely forgettable movie'Mein prem Ki diwani Hoon' who was a poor imitation of the original), Shah Rukh Khan asRahul.'Rahul, Naam toh Suna Hoga'. Of course we have. And Rahul, naam toh definitely yaad rahega.
There is the movie Sholay where we remember Surma Bhopali, Basanti, Jai, Veeru, Thakur and last bust definitely not the least Mac Mohan as Samba.:) One movie where each and everyone is remembered.
We also have characters we remember because they are the movie titles too. Julie, Umrao Jaan, Chandini, Damini, Bobby just to name a few. And that the names are that of female leads is purely coincidental.
The list would always be incomplete without the mention of the most versatile of them all. The one and only Aamir Khan. Be it the lover boy Raj of QSQT or the carefree reporter Raghu Jetly of DHKMN or the indignant Bhuvan of Lagaan or the patriotic ACP Amar Singh Rathod of Sarfarosh or the lovable brat Aakash of DCH or the tapori Munna of Rangeela or the funny Amar of Andaz Apna Apna or the taxi driver Raja Hindustani
of the movie bearing the same name, Aamir Khan is one actor who gets into what is generally called the skin of the character that he plays. The list is endless when it is the unforgettable Aamir but my list ends here.
As an afterword, I would go as far, if not farther, as to say that not knowing the aforementioned chappies is tantamount to not knowing what PSPO is and we all know the seriousness with which the world points the finger of scorn at those unsuspecting victims who do not know the same.(for the slower lot, remember, Orient wala'yeah PSPO nahin jaanta'?)
Thank you for the patient reading.
