%20by%20Shaima%20Al%20Tamimi.jpg)
Starcast: Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Hassan ,Madhavi, Poonam Dhillon, Ranjeet, Shakti Kapoor, Rabia Amin, Nirupa Roy, Jeevan, Om Shivpuri and...
Starcast: Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Hassan ,Madhavi, Poonam Dhillon, Ranjeet, Shakti Kapoor, Rabia Amin, Nirupa Roy, Jeevan, Om Shivpuri and Kadar Khan. Special appearance: Rajnikanth
Music: Bappi Lahiri
While writing about this movie my memories whirled
back to 1985, it was a typical sultry morning in Madhyamgram, then a sleepy
suburb near Kolkata, where me, all of four years was gorging on a Jalajoga Icecream cone when my mother's childhood friend Sutapa aunty came with four
tickets for this film which was a huge hit, and my mom, a huge Amitabh
Bachchan fan gleefully accepted the offer. We watched it at Arati, a typical
mofussil hall where ceetis and claps often overshadowed the dialogues.
Everything was going hunky dory till the scene where Amitabh gets injured, I started shouting and crying "Amitabh morte paare naa"( Amitabh cant
die !!), much to the annoyance of the audience sitting in the hall. However,
not all were cross with me, a few members of Amitabh Bachchan fan club came
over, ruffled my hair and gifted me their badge. They declared me the youngest
and the most passionate fan of Amitabh ever. So, you see, I have a long,
personal association with this film!! Lets dive into the film and its nitty gritties
now. And I promise I will be impartial !! In mid 80's, Bollywood was all about
larger-than-life heroes, over-the-top villains, and action sequences that made
you go, “Whoa, did they really just do that?” Geraftaar, directed by Prayag
Raaj, is one of those films that screams ’80s Bollywood in the best way
possible. It’s got everything you’d expect from a masala flick of that
era—drama, action, romance, and a hefty dose of bromance. With a star-studded
cast led by Amitabh Bachchan (billed as 'and above all in a very special role), Kamal Haasan, and Rajinikanth in a very special
appearance, this movie is like a time capsule of pure entertainment if viewed
now.
First off, the plot. Geraftaar is a story about two
brothers, Karan (Amitabh Bachchan) and Kishen (Kamal Haasan), who get separated
in childhood because of, a classic misunderstanding. Karan grows up to be a
tough police officer, while Kishen ends up being a struggling actor in film crew. Throw
in some convoluted but entertaining tropes of thrill and suspense, some peppy
as well as soulful tracks by Bappi Lahiri, and you’ve got a recipe for
emotional chaos and high-octane action. The story isn’t exactly groundbreaking—Bollywood
in the ’80s loved its lost-and-found sibling tropes—but it’s executed with so
much heart and energy that you can’t help but get sucked in.
Let’s talk about the cast because, this is indeed a
dream team. Amitabh Bachchan, in his Angry Young Man prime, is phenomenal as
Karan. He’s got that intense glare, those punchy dialogues, and a swagger that
makes every scene he’s in electric. Kamal Haasan, on the other hand, brings a
different kind of intensity as Kishen. He’s conflicted, perhaps a little
chauvinistic if seen in todays context but nails the role of a guy caught
between his circumstances. And then there’s Rajinikanth—oh man, Rajini as Big B's foster brother is just excellent. He’s not the main hero here, but every
time he’s on screen, he steals the show with his charm and that signature style
of smoking a cigarette only he can pull off. The camaraderie between them is
pure gold. It’s like watching three musketeers in 80s Bollywood avatar.
The action in Geraftaar is peak ’80s Bollywood.
We’re talking fistfights that defy physics and car chases that feel like they
were choreographed by someone who just really loved explosions. Sure, some of
the stunts look dated now, and you can totally spot the stunt doubles, but
that’s part of the charm. There’s a raw, unpolished energy to the action that
makes it feel real, even when it’s absurd. One scene that still gets me is the
introduction of adult Amitabh in jail sequence—without spoiling too much, let’s
just say it’s charming in the best way possible.
The music, composed by Bappi Lahiri, is another
highlight. The songs are catchy, even if they pop up at the most random moments
(classic Bollywood move). Tracks like “Aana Jana” and “Dhoop Mein Nikla Na
Karo” are total chartbusters, and they’ve got that melody that Bappi Da was
famous for. The background score, too, is dramatic and in-your-face, perfectly
matching the film’s high-energy vibe.
Now, it’s not all perfect. The pacing can drag a
bit, especially in the second half when the melodrama kicks into overdrive.
There’s a romantic subplot with Poonam Dhillon that feels a bit tacked on, like
the writers remembered at the last minute that they needed some love angles.
And yeah, some of the dialogues are so over-the-top they’re almost comical now.
But honestly, that’s part of what makes Geraftaar such a nostalgic gem. It’s
not trying to be subtle or artsy—it’s just here to entertain, and it does that
job well.
The villains, played by Kader Khan , Shakti Kapoor
and Ranjeet, are delightfully evil. Kader Khan is slimy and cunning, with just
enough charisma to make you hate him but also kinda enjoy his screen time.
Ranjeet, as usual, is in his evil best. Their over-the-top villainy balances
the heroism of our leads perfectly, making the final showdown super satisfying.
What really makes Geraftaar stand out, though, is
its heart. Beneath all the action and drama, it’s a story about loyalty,
family, and redemption. The bond between brothers and friends feel real, and
the emotional beats hit hard, especially in the climax. Prayag Raaj does a
solid job keeping all these elements together, even if the film feels a bit
overstuffed at times.
So, should you watch Geraftaar which was released on September 13, 1985? If you’re a fan of ’80s Bollywood or just want to see three legends—Amitabh, Kamal, and Rajini—in one film, absolutely. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s a rollicking good time that captures the spirit of an era when bigger action was better. Pop it on for a weekend movie night, and you’ll be grinning by the end.
By Ayushmaan Mitra
No comments