Prismark10
Bollywood has always ripped off, sorry paid homage to Hollywood films and here its the turn of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to get the Bollywood treatment.Amitabh Bachchan still in his pomp plays Ravi the more educated and cultured eldest brother. The other brothers are what might be termed as 'junglee' living in the jungle.When Ravi gets married his wife Indu sets about straightening the brothers and getting them spruced up and tidied up.Soon the brothers are also looking to get hitched.Of course Bollywood films have long running time and in amongst the singing and the dancing, there has to be a dastardly villain.The second half of the film introduces a conspiracy plot line. Indu's wheelchair bound friend is an orphan under the care of her uncle played by Bollywood's favourite bad guy Amjad Khan who wants her money.Khan hire an ex-con Babu (Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role) who kidnaps Ravi and enters the house impersonating Ravi and hopefully do away with Khan's niece.The thriller element sits uneasily with the first part of the film but this is how the Bollywood formula works.The 'seven brothers' part is a lot of fun, this is a good showcase of Bollywood circa early 1980s and of course a chance to see a younger Amitabh, then the equivalent of Robert Redford/Paul Newman in India.This film was released just before he had a serious health issue and I believe he never reached the height of his popularity after he recovered.
Queen_of_pentacles
That's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, for you in Hindi ! If Amitabh, and Hema Malini were not there in the lead role, this movie, perhaps would have fallen flat on it's nose ! But it's the dual role of Amitabh, one as a simpleton, hard-working, duty-conscious, loving brother, and the other, a contract killer at that ! Unable to manage his unruly, filthy, and lazy seven brothers, now what was Family Planning workers were doing all this time , one may wonder ? Amitabh also manages to win the love of a nurse, played by Hema, and gets her into marrying him, finally, though she is negative in the beginning, and brings her to his farm house ! She is hardly aware, of what's in store for her ! Those grown-up in age, but little kids in behavior , one more than half-a - dozen brothers, she is practically in tears ! But perhaps it's her profession, which comes to her rescue, while making these useless young men, into clean, neat, tidy, and smart fellows ! Amitabh is also surprised at this make-over, and loves his wife even more ! And then there is a twist ! our real hero is replaced by a duplicate, who has only the color of his eyes different than the original one ! and that can be managed,by the contact lenses, isn't it ? Then follow all the essential ingredients of a block buster ! The confusion, the torture by the villain, and the climax !Ranjeeta, that talented actress, who played her first role as Laila, with Rishi kapur, enacts a handicapped , rich girl ! Amzad Khan is good as her uncle, who wants to kill her in an organized accident, and swallow her wealth ! The choreography is good, all have done their parts quite well, and the plot line includes some moments, when the replaced hero does not take the advantage of his position ! But some how, the movie did not make that well on the box ! Perhaps, the Indian audience could not digest the very concept of a young , married woman , playing elder sister to such grown up boys, and being so close to them, physically as well, to even make them bathe ! Though this is some thing different than the usual sing and dance situations, perhaps the number seven should not have been copied to such an extent ! If you sit and enjoy this one, without remembering the original, go ahead, you will not repent , after all, there is Amitabh in it !
obea
If you asked any of the great Bollywood actors who worked in this film whether or not it was the most fun project of their lives, they'd probably all answer "yes". Adapted from the musical "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", this film is crammed with one-liners and quotes that will ricochet in your memory eternally. The songs are amongst the best to have come out of India during that whole period, and are instantly recognisable today. Having grown up under the Amitabh umbrella and seen all of the classics, this film still shines as one of his most memorable ventures. A playful look at a family of 7 brothers living on a farm, with all it's ups and downs, tragedies and laughter, and the impressive effort by all of the cast, it's truly a gem.
