At a certain point in life, old people want to forget their health conditions and remember the good old days. And, if there’s one thing that can trigger the memories of these good old times, it’s old classic Indian movies.
Deewar
Written by Salim-Javed and directed by Yash Chopra, Deewar is a 1975 Indian action crime drama film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy and Parveen Babi. It is one of the most memorable movies made by Yash Chopra, which eventually became a classic in Indian cinema. The movie is well-known for its remarkably impressive scenes and any film buff will tell you how important the dialogues are in Bollywood’s history.
The movie centers on the lives of two brothers, namely Vijay Verma (played by Amitabh Bachchan) and Ravi Verma (played by Shashi Kapoor). On one side, there is a criminal and on the other, a cop who is hell-bent on catching the gangster. It is believed that Amitabh Bachchan’s character was loosely based on the life of a real Bombay smuggler called Haji Mastan. Despite being an anti-hero, I think 99% of the Indian audience had sympathy for Vijay because they could understand his anger with the system and his revenge on society after he went through so many hardships and abusive childhood.
You’ll be surprised to learn that the director was a great fan of Hollywood movies and so he made this movie, inspired by the 1963 Hollywood film The Great Escape.
Personally, compared to all the movies we see today, I think Deewar conveyed a lot of important messages to the public, which is the reason why it is an all-time favorite for most seniors.
Let’s take a look at these messages:
- Mere paas Maa hai: More than money and house, mother is the most important of all things.
- Haath ki lakire badalne se kismet to nahi badal jati: Changing the lines of your hands won’t be enough to change your destiny.
- Chabi jeb me rakh le peter, ab ye tala teri jeb se chabi le ke kholoonga : If you really want to be the winner, then beat the opponent in their own backyard.
- Sapne bhi haqeeqat ke chattano se takrakar toot jate hain: Once they are hit with the stone of truth, dreams will eventually shatter.
Guide
People today keep on saying that Bollywood no longer provides any quality entertainment. Personally, I won’t say that Bollywood doesn’t make or have any good movies, but I think people today are more interested in item songs or in their favorite actors rather than in real social and political issues.
If there is one movie that has set a milestone in Indian cinema, I would proudly say it’s Guide.
Based on RK Narayan’s book ‘The Guide’ and directed by Vijay Anand, this movie is a beautiful masterpiece that offers a shorthand guide to the beauty of life. The movie narrates the story of a freelance tourist guide called Raju (played by Dev Anand who is also the producer of the movie) who crosses paths with, Rosie, the wife of a wealthy archaeologist.
I always say “hats off” to the makers who were brave enough at that time to show how a married woman’s life cannot only revolve around her spouse and household work. The movie delved into the life of a woman who was unhappy and who wanted to pursue her passion and love for dancing.
During those 170 minutes, the movie makes the audience to hold on tightly to the story, the perfect casting, the songs and the great music of S.D. Burman that added flavor of perfection to this movie. In other words, if I had to summarize this movie in a single word, I’d choose “revolutionary.”
