Producer & Director: Mehul Kumar
*ing: Amitabh Bachchan, Nana Patekar, Tabu, Mukesh Khanna, Ayesha Jhulka, Special Appearances by Jackie Shroff & Jaya Pradha
Music: Dilip Sen Sameer Sen

Released on : August 13, 1999

Reviewed by: Anjali Abrol
dilwaliji@indolink.com

out of 
In the midst of the India-Pakistan conflict comes patriotic movies. The year began with Sarfarosh, a compelling movie that evoked emotions and awe (emotions due to the storyline, awe due to the superb acting on Aamir Khan and Nasrudddin Shah's part). Then came along Veeru Devgan's "dream", Hindustan Ki Kasam. The reviews were mixed; some felt the Sarfarosh emotion, most felt tears streaming down their face in boredom as Amitabh's commanding screen presence and patriotic speeches became long and boring rampages of endless shouting, and the audience did indeed deem Amitabh senile in the film. Then trotted along Kohram, long in the making and behind the scene fights delaying the film for months--one would think Nana and Amitabh were squabbling like Pakistan and India (read: two headstrong, very established and well-respected actors) over "Kashmir" (read: dialogue and juicier bits) to add to their country (read: roles) to give them the bigger chunk (in the film)--- for on-screen practice, of course. Result? Kashmir went to...went to....Tabu!

Huh, you ask? How would you handle two overpowering actors who are both brilliant and intense about their work? Well...you can't give some to one and none to the other, and you can't keep on the squabbling (or it would take, well, more than 52 years to settle the movie, or just shelve it). So you invent a role for the intense female who can keep the two superpowers apart and give her a role of substance (a rarity for a heroine) to juggle both...

Colonel Balbir Singh Sodhi (Amitabh) attempts to assassinate evil minister Virbhadra Singh (Danny) but fails. He is hunted down after the attempt and is presumed dead. A couple of years pass, Brigadier Bedi (Kabir Bedi) spots a man, Devraj Hathoda, who resembles the Big B (there aren't many humshakals), and sends Major Ajit Arya (Nana) after him on a mission to disclose the Big B's identity (is he just an Amitabh wannabe or the Shahenshah himself?). Arya decks out as a Bengali journalist and the story unfolds before his (and our) very eyes, and takes off from there.

And Kashmir, I mean Tabu? No, not the Ruk Ruk Ruk role...but rather, she plays a corrupt officer. Oh yah, and Jaya Prada, Jackie, and Mukul Dev make their little appearance and *poof!* disappear (or so you wish they would).

Original? Nah. Compelling storyline? Not really, since we already know the dish from the beginning. (Or, to add mystery, start the movie from the Arya-turn-Bengali part). What about music? Blah. So why the high rating? Amitabh-Nana-Tabu. Is it enough to carry the movie? More than enough.

Acting. Superb, amazing, and then more. You have three of the most zabardast stars from Bollywood, the Amitabh-Nana-Tabu trio, together for the first time, could you really expect anything less? Amitabh and Nana fit together well, sort of like the Amitabh-Shashi Kapoor/Dharam team from 'the day'. Nana is given the more rigid yet exploratory role, defined by the director and given more depth, whereas Amitabh is much less defined and given more leeway to do his own thing, his perfected Bihari style. Nana is, for once, not the bitter fallen patriot who is out to seek revenge on the cold-hearted world, rather, he actually laughs and yes, provokes much laughter from us. Not only through his lines, though... his longish (French painter, anyone?) flowing zulfe and is clad in funky jeans and carefree clothing, swinging to the hip music...and Amitabh keeps the low profile, the strong but silent sort of guy (as opposed to flashy hipster Nana). Who stands out? Nana. Who makes the most impact? Both of them, together. Together enough to dance their own tune in the best (and really, the only good) song of the film, Hum Hai Banaras Ke Bhaiya.

And Tabu? Ever since her big break in Maachis, has she ever done injustice to any of her roles? Nope...and does she break that record? Well, despite her strange usage of voice, well, no, she doesn't. Despite their Hu Tu Tu movie together, Tabu and Nana are not a likely and nor a very charismatic pair on-screen...but there's a certain charm to it. Not the DDLJ-Kuch Kuch Hota Hai sort of click, but the unique Nana-Tabu sort. You have to see it to understand it...an odd pairing that somehow fits quite nicely.

And how did Mehul Kumar pick up from the disaster Mrityudaata (didn't Daler baba warn him, Na Na Na Na Re, don't do this to Amitabh!?) to deliver a more appropriate film like Kohram? Well, lately we've seen Amitabh portrayed in roles way too young for him (Lal Badshah, Mrityudaata), and recently, a role wayyy too old (Hindustan Ki Kasam). A role with a little bit of both--graceful, wise and older with a spunk of youthfulness), carved just for the Big B. Smart move on Kumar's part, and much more acceptable by the audiences.

Though the story isn't all suspense nor substance, the songs aren't record-breaking, the production and camerawork isn't amazing, the film is short enough to keep the audience sitting (less than three hours!), while the acting is excellent enough to keep the audience watching...and listening...let's make that CAPTIVATED.