My previous review was on Subhash Ghai’s Karma. That review was on one of the better films of a director who is now making below average movies.
This review is on Yash Chopra’s Vijay, and is a review on one of the weaker films of a director who has hardly ever made below average movies.
Despite ranking as one of Yash Chopra’s weakest movies, Vijay is still a very good movie. If we compare it to the so-called biggies of just this year, Vijay is definitely a class ahead of these movies. This in itself shows the calibre of Yash Chopra.
Yash Chopra directed this movie when he was going through a rough phase. His movie Mashaal did not do as expected at the box office, and Faasle flopped. Whether it was a marketing strategy or unintentional, Yash Chopra decided to adapt his previous movie Trishul, which had released 10 years earlier. By trying to remake the blockbuster, he thought he could see a reversal of fortunes however, that was not to be. Vijay flopped. His next movie Chandni was a success but then he followed this up with Parampara, and Lamhe, which both flopped. To see a movie like Lamhe flop is painful. However, that’s another story.
Released in 1988, the year of my birth, Vijay for me is quite a memorable movie. This is a commercial entertainer but with maturity. The dose of maturity is thanks to the adapted story and screenplay of Trishul.
Vijay is the story of Lalla Yodhraj Bhalla a rich and powerful businessman and his daughter and son. His daughter Suman falls in love with a worker from the office, Ajit Bhardwaj. Eventually Yodhraj finds out and obviously does not agree to the marriage. Suman leaves her father’s house and marries Ajit. They have a son named Vikram.
Meanwhile Yodhraj’s son Shashi, is in love with Rita, a middle class clerk. Yodhraj also objects to this marriage and while Shashi is away on a business deal, Yodhraj offers Rita a blank cheque to get out of Shashi’s life. However, Rita informs Yodhraj that she is about to become a mother.
Shashi dies in a plane accident. Yodhraj is shattered. He suffers from a heart attack. This prompts his daughter Suman to come and stay with him. Yodhraj sees a heir to his empire in Vikram, this gradually separates Ajit from the family and they separate on a bitter note.
Twenty five years later, Yodhraj wants to purchase a plot of land, which is under Gujral. Gujral a one time worker of Yodhraj does not wish to sell the land because his and his son’s, Arjun, dream is to build a hotel. However, Yodhraj wants the land at any cost. This creates differences between Gujral and Yodhraj.
Meanwhile Arjun and Vikram become close friends. However, their friendship soon turns into bitter rivalry due to the rivalry between Gujral and Yodhraj. Arjun also learns that he is Yodhraj’s grandson, Shashi and Rita’s son. Due to the pressure from Yodhraj, Gujral commits suicide and now Arjun makes it his mission to bring about the downfall of Yodhraj.
Vijay has its share of strengths and weaknesses. The film was made with the intent at working at the box office – plain and simple. However, Yash Chopra also wanted to make a movie, which had substance. He decided to remake Trishul, since Trishul was a blockbuster and it also had the scope for allowing many characters in the movie. This was supposedly a strength. However, when remaking a blockbuster, the expectations are going to be mammoth. That in itself is asking a lot for the movie.
Also, if a person like Yash Chopra decides to do a remake, many die-hard fans and critics are going to be somewhat disappointed by not viewing an original script. I feel that had Yash Chopra made a remake of Kabhi Kabhi, rather than Trishul , considering those times, it would have been a box office success.
The screenplay of Vijay is well written. Although there is a lack of hard hitting and memorable scenes, which were the highlight of Trishul, it still has quite a few scenes that remain in your memory.
The flashback of Hema Malini in the beginning, should have been edited better. The pace of the movie dragged slightly and the flashback should have been a quick collage of the important scenes. This would have provided twists and turns, and the rapid pace of the movie would have been maintained. Also the reason for Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini to split should have been better explained and better written. A crucial turning point of the movie, it was treated with mediocrity.
The rivalry of Yodhraj and Gujral and then eventually of Arjun-Gujral and Yodhraj and Vikram is well handled. The scene where Gujral enters Yodhraj’s office and accuses him of double standards is fantastic. It is brilliantly written by providing equal scope of performance for Anupam Kher and Saeed Jaffrey. In the scene they are both fantastic and it is a highlight of the movie.
There was excellent potential for the relationship between Rajesh Khanna and Anil Kapoor to be developed and well presented. However, due to the lack of screen time they share together, the impact is not there at all.
The friendship of Vikram and Arjun is also well depicted and the deterioration of their friendship into rivalry is presented reasonably. Had the sequence been a hard-hitting one, then dramatic factor of the movie would have been greater.
The point where Anil Kapoor learns of his mother’s identity, he finds her belongings in her bag and the sequence between Saeed Jaffrey and Anil Kapoor thereafter is simply superb. The viewer is left hungry for more, and the pace quickens again.
The death of Saeed Jaffrey is a hurried affair and should have been better explained. Why did he need to commit suicide when he had the full support of Anil Kapoor and since his character was also a strong one, this was a defect in the screenplay. The reasons for his suicide were not given properly and had he been murdered, rather than commiting suicide, it would have given more impact.
The scene in which Anil Kapoor decides to avenge the death of both Gurjal and his mother, as he enters the factory and begins work, with the song “Tera Karam Hi” in the background is a brilliantly handled sequence. One can feel the variety of emotions and is truly inspired by Anil Kapoor’s mentality.
The sequences from thereon, as Anil Kapoor brings the downfall of Anupam Kher are very realistic. They are quite true to life and do not take any cinematic liberties. However, clearly a few hard-hitting scenes are missing, scenes that should really stand out of the enterprise.
Rishi Kapoor’s sudden change of heart, as he learns he love for his father is again not well narrated. More concentration should have been given on Vikram’s feelings. Instead about two scenes are shown and one can really not understand the capitulation of Vikram’s character.
Also the character of Sonam, Vikram’s girlfriend is a really weak character. She wears short clothes and acts like a tart throughout. She also tries to add fire to the rivalry of Arjun and Vikram. Also there is also some sleaze in the movie, mainly done by Sonam.
The finale is exciting and well handled. However, it can be seen that action is not Yash Chopra’s forte.
Yash Chopra has been mainly successful in directing this movie. Clearly a few scenes stand out but if the screenplay was even more gripping and tighter, then there would have been a better result. Also there is a lack of many hard-hitting scenes, which would have been better. Despite these flaws, Yash Chopra even at his weaker movie is leagues ahead of most of the directors of today.
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