SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Organnall Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

superindrajit Big B went into politics after super hit Aakhree Rasta and flop Inquilaab. This was his comeback into films and the movie went on to become a blockbuster. The movie is another typical film with wrong happening to people and the criminals doing their crimes with ease and the police acting stupid as usual not knowing anything. Big B's dad Kader Khan making his move against the villains and getting falsed accused and sent to jail, him committing suicide, and then the typical young boy grows old and takes his revenge by fighting against crime. Shahenshah's main plot has been told a million times in Hindi films many times where wrong is done and action taken against wrong as action. But, Tinnu Anand's handling is top class which makes the movie entertaining. Though, Bachchan's cop act irritates and the overall comedy in the film is not well extracted, the Shahenshah act of Bachchan and songs of the film keep the movie up. The villains and their plans are well shown, the famous court scene at the end is well demonstrated. Though the film has few rough patches in the plot, the movie still entertains and it doesn't drag like other films. Acting is good, Big B is damn good, his acting is up to standard, Meenaxi is good, Amrish Puri has got to be the best villain, rest are typecast but good. Direction by Tinnu is good, after Kaalia, Tinnu gives Bachchcan another hit. But, Main Azzad Hoon after this was a flop though it was a great film. Overall, Shahenshah is another classic which will definitely be remembered as Big B's good films.

lalit oberoi Few days back i saw recently released super hero movie RA.One. And today i got opportunity to look at 80's Masala action movie Shahenshah, whose lead protagonist has shades of super hero. Movie engaged the viewer to glue on screen from start to finish. At the end of show, i simply mesmerized by movie.Today even with great level of technology, how movies are failing big time in execution and story telling. Even though 80's is not known for great movies, but Shahenshah was one of exceptional movies of 80's. Masala entertainment and Manmohan desai cinema are two sides of one coin, but this movie forced me to think that Masala is not necessarily the cinema which defies logic, even with logical consequences, a great action masala thriller can be made. This movie worked vastly in three departments : 1.Performance by Amitabh 2. Awesome dialogues 3. Commendable direction.Story is not new, but told in highly entertaining manner with some twists and turns. Story is about revenge drama, with a difference that protagonist is super hero. Vijay is police officer who double crossed the anti social elements by taking bribe from them while on duty, and demolish their nefarious designs in form of Shahenshah. No one knows real identity of Shahenshah. Vijay(Shahenshah) has one agenda in life, to clear the accusations against his father of taking bribe and take revenge from the man(J.K.) who forced him to commit suicide. Amitabh plays both roles as inspector Vijay (with funny bones) and Heart thumping Giant Shahenshah with utmost perfection.Leave alone stars of 80's, even if i think of all bollywood actors till today, i don't see if any one match the magic, perfection and persona of both characters played by Amitabh. Movie spell binds the audience from start to finish, story though same old revenge drama, still captivate due to brilliant script and awesome dialogues.Whenever Shahenshah comes on screen, magic is seen to believe. All those moments should be written in bold letters in cinema history. Never ever in my life i spell bind with presence and performance, in simple words, no one can turn the eyes from screen whenever Shahenshah comes to rescue. Amrish puri as villain is giant as well and complemented Amitabh equally. Minakshi Sheshadri looks hot and did fine job. Movie reached to pinnacle in climax. I never saw any climax as enthralling as this one. If i have to write top 10 climaxes in cinema history, Shahenshah would probably be in top. What a finale sir, great job. The entire scene from the point when inspector Vijay arrest Amrish puri and put him behind bar to the final court room drama, J.K set free by court and finally J.K. taken back to court by Shahenshah and brilliant turn of events there .. no one can keep eyes off screen in those last 20 minutes. Such a gripping moments and such a energetic performance by Amitabh.Finally, if any one want to see edge of seat masala genre blended brilliantly with Superhero concept, not going overboard for even a second, Please check this one. I promise you, you will feel sorry for contemporary filmmakers, they can't even come close with this school of film making. Superb entertainer .. 10/10 By me.

elshikh4 I watched it for the first time at the end of the 1980's right after its first release as a video in Egypt. I remember being dazzled. The presence of Shahenshah's character was too captivating. The cinematic halo around it did move us greatly; from the framed appearance in the dark, and the frightful high breath, to the strange outfit and the white hair. I put it in the best 10 movies of Amitabh Bachchan at the moment which already had (Amar Akbar Anthony, Mard, and Coolie). Over the years my memory didn't hold well all the events, but I loved the Zorro theme; where there are 2 faces for the lead, one as a clumsy sissy that he has to wear in daylight (Vijay), then another one as the public hero at night (Shahenshah). And I kept talking to everybody about how marvelous the climax was. The sight of Amrish Puri hanged in the courtroom after some action left me speechless for years, and still does.After 20 years, I re-watched it. I found the plot a real coherent except for some minor problems; how the old witness (who has the only proof that the lead's father was innocent) kept the tape which convicts the bad guys for all of these years unused?, How the lead knew about it ?, Why to tape this conversation in the first place? And when the police did arrest the framed inspector why he didn't ask them to search the room (where sure the real tape was present)??? Unlike Zorro, Batman, Superman and whatever any other 2-faced heroes, it would have better, and more mysterious, if we were left to ask for some time what the real identity of Shahenshah was? (Meenakshi Shesadri) is supposed to be a poor pickpocket while wearing flashy dresses and short shorts, doing nothing but singing and dancing in the streets (!!).. simply she was a pure image of the commercial Indian movie's heroine more than a character! Some matters ran randomly near the end; Bachchan didn't have the appropriate time to change his character, the matter of the bloody newspaper was cheesy, and the worst of all was how the bad guy's assassins wore one uniform ??!! But it got its merits. Shahenshah's characterization was inspiring, with fine background and special designing (the rope, the bulletproof arm, the leather outfit, the haircut, not to mention the gritty tone). Then, there is a slight metaphor in the story; whereas the law is as corrupted and helpless as Vijay, and it needs not only more idealism and carriage to be effective. In fact, what it desperately needs is a ruthless power, or in other words a vigilante of a good hero who executes justice by his bare hands, repelling violence with violence.The direction delivered a fair show. The editing with the script made a tight pace, despite the running time (182 minutes). There weren't the countless far coincidences, "lost and found" stuff, or exaggerated acting. There is plenty of catchy lines (the moon can't fix its deformities by itself) about how justice is in the need of help to be perfect, (I need a knife to cut the name of your father off your own disgraceful one), and (the officer's suit wasn't enough) along with the lead's loud speech at the end, in which he kind of demands from the law's enforcers – out of the movie – to be partly a Shahenshah against the criminals, and in front of the rotten policemen and politicians too.The all star cast managed to be memorable. The script gave them images of stereotypes and as character-actors they were stars. Just put (Amrish Puri, Pran, Kader Khan, Prem Chopra) together in anything and it'll be a hit, or – in the worst cases – a must-watch assembly. (Meenakshi Sheshadri) was the dream girl of the show, I loved every cadre of her, radiating fresh sexuality for all the time. As another review referred; Amitabh Bachchan was the betel-chewing idiot, and the angry young man again (after being both in many previous movies such as Don). However, he did it brilliantly, investing the 2 personas in creative way. And when it comes to the title's role then I must be that dazzled kid once more and maybe forever. The charisma of the big B looked like a thunderstorm as that Savior. He was larger than life, raising many eyebrows while; walking, talking, or his tough decisive dealing with the baddies.No doubts that (Shahenshah) was a peak for Bachchan of the 1980s. Because things wouldn't be quite in the right track for him after it. He would do the infamous (Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswathi) and (Toofan). Then his popularity would run low, and in no time (1992) he would retire acting again but not for politics like he did 3 years before Shahenshah. I believe this time wasn't for resting and restudying matters wisely. It was rather for understanding more the dilemma of his speedily advancing age (if you noticed, Vijay was supposed to be a 20-something man, but Bachchan was 46 !). Of course it was tough enough for India's top star, and most famous angry "young" man, to move on to another stage and type of roles.It's a combination of fine storyline, good cast and lovable star, having action and satire more than melodrama. But while being a peak, it's not the peak. Nevertheless it vanquished its own problems, proofing itself as a 1988's hit. Plus it is a classic in my book; after 2 decades it's still watchable and distinct. If anybody ever forgot this awesome knight with his shinning armor smashing walls by the evil guys' bodies while the impassioned theme song is on, then he or she must be one ungrateful person !

Simon Booth Sundays is quite often Amitabh Bachchan day for me these days. It's the only time in the week I can find 3 hours to sit down and watch a Bollywood movie, and my Indian star of choice is definitely Amitabh.A righteous police officer is framed by the villains he is investigating, and in shame he hangs himself. His son grows up to be a policeman too, but rather unexpectedly he turns out to be something of a coward and a simpleton who takes bribes. At least - that's what he wants you to believe! For by night he adopts a different persona - the one man crime fighting machine, SHAHENSHAH! Endowed with unstoppable power (for reasons never explored) and quite the worst outfit in movie history, Shahenshah is judge, jury and executioner for the criminals the law can't touch.Amitabh Bachchan gets to play something of a dual role again, reprising the betel-chewing simpleton character and the tough hero characters he's played plenty of times before. It's a good chance to show his range as an actor, but by 1987 there is no question that he was past his prime (and optimum weight) for the angry young man sort of role that made him popular (yet of course still not matured enough for the cool sophisticat Bachchan of today). SHAHENSHAH doesn't ask much of the veteran actor, and certainly can't be considered one of his best roles.The plot for the movie is rather full of holes, but basically addresses a theme that I find to be exceedingly common in Indian cinema - the failure of the police and politicians to protect the citizens of the country. If Bollywood cinema is to be believed, corruption must be a significant problem, and there is a clear wish for a 'strong hero' that will fight on the side of the poor and the innocent. Preferably quite violently SHAHENSHAH has a fairly stock villain character, played by Amrish Puri in what may be his 1,000,000th villain role - a role he could do in his sleep with his face. He gets up to the usual sorts of crimes - drugs, murder, bribery and trying to force poor people off their land. Oh, and he is the man responsible for dad's death, naturally. There's also a love interest, played both sassily and sexily by Meenakshi Sheshadri, who thankfully gets a lot more to do than just dance and look pretty in a good role. Mix in patriotic mothers, virginal sisters and noble reporters and you get an idea of what to expect.There's not a lot of depth or subtlety to the plot, and I'm not sure quite how it gets stretched out to fill 185 minutes. There's quite a few lengthy songs of course, and quite a few action scenes of the "Amitabh waves a fist and 5 guys somersault away in slow motion" type, but few fresh or exceedingly interesting ideas.The movie definitely looks stuck in the 80's, and unfortunately by the latter half of that decade Amitabh Bachchan's star was definitely fading. SHAHENSHAH is a far cry from such great movies as DON and SHOLAY. It manages to be moderately entertaining, as any movie containing such a basic mix of ingredients will be, but I can't imagine it getting a second watch any time.