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45 years of cult disaster classic 'The Burning Train'

Starcast:  Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Praveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Vinod Mehra, Danny Denzongpa, Asha Sachdev Director:...



Starcast: Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Praveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Vinod Mehra, Danny Denzongpa, Asha Sachdev

Director: Ravi Chopra

Music: R D Burman

When it comes to classic Hollywood disaster movies, The Towering Inferno is the first film that comes to mind. A starcast comprising the who’s who of Hollywood with Steve McQueen and Paul Newman as the action heroes out to save people from the world’s tallest building on fire, this 1974 spectacle literally 'fired' the audience’s imagination in more ways than one. Back in India, it served as a template for Ravi Chopra’s 1980 disaster classic The Burning Train with an ensemble starcast led by Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna. Released on March 28, the plot revolved around a train Super Express that catches fire during its inaugural run from New Delhi to Mumbai.  

For producer BR Chopra, the film was an expensive nightmare at the time. Five years in the making with over 10 Bollywood heavyweights, technicians were specially flown in from abroad for the action sequences, apart from putting an actual train on fire to lend authenticity to the proceedings. 

The number of actors in the starcast was simply mind boggling with almost everyone in Bollywood on board. Apart from Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna, the film featured Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Praveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Vinod Mehra, Danny Denzongpa in pivotal roles with Madan Puri, Simi Grewal, Navin Nischol, Asha Sachdev, Romesh Sharma, Padmini Kapila, Indrani Mukherjee, Nana Palsekar, Iftekar, Asrani, Komila Wirk, Nasir Hussain and Urmila Bhatt among others in supporting roles. Missing Amitabh Bachchan? Well, he too was in the original starcast, but backed out later due to scheduling issues. His role was later done by Jeetendra who played Ravi, a thief, chasing Madhu (Neetu Singh) running away from her own marriage with all the gold jewellery.

The plot revolved around three best friends Ashok (Dharmendra) a car lover and Vinod (Vinod Khanna) and Randhir (Danny) both of whom become railway engineers dreaming of building India’s fastest train. Along the way Ashok falls for Seema (Hema) while Vinod and Randhir fall for Sheetal (Parveen). Sheetal prefers Vinod and marries him and they soon become parents to a boy, Raju. Unfortunately, Vinod’s obsession with train building plays havoc with his married life and six years down the line Vinod and Sheetal are on the brink of separation.

Fate doesn’t treated Ashok kindly either. His father Seth Dharamdas commits suicide after major losses in his business and Seema too leaves him. A dejected Ashok becomes a loner and wanderer.

Meanwhile Vinod manages to build the country’s fastest train set to run from Delhi to Mumbai in just 14 hours. A motley crowd comprising people from different strata of society and religion board the train for its inaugural journey. A disgruntled Randhir too is onboard to sabotage Vinod’s six-year labour of love.

When the brakes fail and the bomb Randhir had planted goes off all hell breaks loose. Ashok along with Vinod and Ravi save the day in a daring mission decked up in silver space-like suits, but not before many of the passengers lose their lives in the inferno that rages through the train.

The music composed by RD Burman had memorable gems ranging from romantic ditties, quawalis to pop. Indian classical and solemn prayers like Meri nazar hain tujh pe, Pal do pal ka saath hamara, Kisi ke vaade pe, Pehli nazar mein humne, Vaada haan vaada, Teri hain zameen tera aasman apart from the peppy title track The burning train sung with gusto by RD and Annette Pinto. Asha Bhonsle had a trying time singing Meri nazar hai tujhepe as she had to keep switching between western pop and Indian classical in the entire course of the song.

With such a huge starcast jostling for space in this over three-hour long film not to forget the huge supporting cast comprising seasoned actors and actresses, it was no mean feat for Ravi Chopra to give each and everyone in the starcast a chance to shine, but he managed to pull it off. Initially considered a flop to an average grosser at best, over the years, however, The Burning Train has turned into a cult classic fit for repeat viewing.

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