Shaan (1980 Film)

''Shaan'' () is a 1980 Indian Hindi-language action crime film directed by Ramesh Sippy, with a story written by Salim–Javed, after the blockbuster success of their previous venture, ''Sholay''. It stars an ensemble cast, consisting of Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Raakhee Gulzar, Shatrughan Sinha, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Parveen Babi, Bindiya Goswami, and Johnny Walker, with Helen and Bindu appeared in item numbers

The film was an average performer upon its initial release. However, it did good business during re-runs, and also obtained the services of ''Sholay''s music composer, R.D. Burman, whose songs bagged a Best Music nomination at Filmfare. ''Shaan'' was one of the last films to feature the vocals of Mohammed Rafi. The character of Shakaal was inspired from the Ernst Stavro Blofeld's character from the James Bond film series.

Plot

Shiv Kumar (Sunil Dutt) is a brave, loyal deputy commissioner of police who announces to his wife Sheetal (Rakhee Gulzar) and their young daughter Guddi that he has been transferred to Mumbai. He has two younger brothers Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) and Ravi (Shashi Kapoor) who live in Mumbai but spend their time loafing about the city and conning unsuspecting people. After being swindled by a beautiful, young girl Renu (Bindiya Goswami) and her uncle Chacha ( Johnny Walker) in the city, the duo decide to join forces with them along with a glamorous thief Sunita (Parveen Babi). However, one of the tricks of the team backfires which lands Vijay and Ravi in prison. Nevertheless, Shiv bails them out and hopes to shape them into a much honourable life.

Few days later, a mysterious man (Shatrughan Sinha) tries to shoot Shiv twice in the city, but Shiv survives both the attempts. Due to this shocking incident, Vijay and Ravi advise him to find a different line of work for the sake of Sheetal and Guddi. However, Shiv stands firm by citing his undying patriotic commitment to his corps and his country. It eventually turns out that the mysterious man had acted on the orders of Shakaal (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), a sadistic international crime lord who is operating from a remote island outside India, while funding crime in Mumbai and rejoicing in pain of his enemies and traitors.

Due to the fact that Shiv is getting closer to finding out the criminal acts in Mumbai, Shakaal sets a trap for him which causes him to travel to a faraway place all by himself. As a result, Shiv is captured and brought to the island by Shakaal's aides. Over there, Shakaal influences Shiv over joining his criminal forces in exchange of much wealth for his living. However, Shiv cleverly escapes from the island and ends up at a beach involving wild dogs sent by Shakaal. He runs away from them too but is spotted at the beach by Shakaal. Unfortunately, Shiv is shot dead this time by Shakaal from a helicopter and his body is dumped back to Mumbai.

As Vijay, Ravi and Sheetal lament their tragic loss of Shiv, the mysterious man shows up and introduces himself as Rakesh, a marksman and former circus performer who used to shoot targets blindfolded. Rakesh confesses that he was blackmailed to kill Shiv by Shakaal, who had held his wife hostage, and that he deliberately missed on the two previous occasions in hopes of buying time to save his wife. However, Shakaal had already deduced this and arranged Rakesh's wife to be killed in a car accident. Upon learning this, Vijay and Ravi ally with Rakesh and they plan to defeat Shakaal's criminal force together in revenge of their families' deaths. As time passes, Rakesh and Sheetal find themselves growing closer to each other as well.

To that end, Vijay and Ravi seek the aid of a legless street-beggar Abdul ( Mazhar Khan), who provides them information about Shakaal's warehouse in Mumbai. Even though the trio (Vijay, Ravi and Rakesh) succeed in destroying the warehouse, Shakaal's goons learn about Abdul helping them and locate his place, killing him. However, Vijay retaliates by fighting against Shakaal's goons over Abdul's death in a local bar. This leaves Shakaal infuriated and disappointed at his aides, and he now decides to play his next move in order to make the trio suffer a lot to death. According to Shakaal's plan, he has his aides abduct Sheetal and holds her captive at his island.

Though it would have appeared that the trio are able to concede defeat over Sheetal's imminent fate, one of Shakaal's aides Jagmohan (Mac Mohan) approaches them and offers them help to gain entry in Shakaal's hideout, as he was brutally thrashed by Shakaal for his previous failure. Posing as a dance troupe, the trio (along with Sunita, Renu and Chacha) enter the island and perform for Shakaal who later captures Vijay and Ravi, revealing that he had only sent Jagmohan (who was faking his injuries) to trap them. Rakesh holds Shakaal at gunpoint but his aides outsmart him by threatening to kill Sunita and Renu.

However, Chacha creates a commotion that allows the trio to be freed and kill Jagmohan and the rest of Shakaal's aides. Meanwhile, Sheetal is imprisoned and the trio arrive at the scene to save her, but Shakaal throws Vijay in a pool that contains a man-eating crocodile, while he intends to kill Ravi and Rakesh himself. Being able to kill the crocodile, Vijay escapes from the pool and helps Ravi and Rakesh fight against Shakaal. The trio eventually gain the upper-hand and look forward to have Shakaal punished by the karma for his crimes till date.

Just as the trio finally succeed in capturing Shakaal and are about to kill him, Sheetal intervenes and stops them from doing so, pointing out that their actions can be disrespectful to the law that Shiv upholds. The arguing commotion allows Shakaal to free himself and threaten to kill Sheetal, forcing the trio to fatally shoot him down in defense. Shakaal dies but not before he sets the island to self-destruct. However, the trio and their loved ones (including Chacha) escape on a helicopter to safety, satisfied that they have beaten Shakaal in his tracks for good.

Cast

* Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay Kumar
* Shashi Kapoor as Ravi Kumar
* Shatrughan Sinha as Rakesh
* Parveen Babi as Sunita (Vijay's love interest)
* Bindiya Goswami as Renu (Ravi's love interest)
* Rakhee Gulzar as Sheetal (Shiv's wife)
* Sunil Dutt as DCP Shiv Kumar
* Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Shakaal
* Johnny Walker as Chacha (Renu's uncle)
* Mazhar Khan as Abdul (street beggar)
* Yunus Parvez as Hotel Manager
* Viju Khote as Policeman who chases Vijay and Sunita
* Mohan Sherry as Durjan Singh (goon in the opening scene)
* Marutirao Parab as Bar Owner
* Padmini Kapila as Roma (Rakesh's wife)
* Helen as Cabret Dancer in "Yama Yama" song (Special Appearance)
* Bindu as Maharani in "Pyaar Karne Wale" song (Special Appearance)

Shakaal's assistants

* Manik Irani as Goon
* Goga Kapoor as Goon
* Mac Mohan as Jagmohan
* Sudhir Pandey as Goon
* Sudhir as Ranjeet
* Dalip Tahil as Kumar
* Sujit Kumar as Goon

Production

Logistical issues relating to other projects in which the cast was involved meant that ''Shaan'' took three years to make. While ''Sholay'' drew its inspiration from the American Western and Spaghetti Western films, ''Shaan'' took its lead from the James Bond films with fancy sets and beautiful costumes. Shakaal, the bald villain (originally to be played by Sanjeev Kumar) played by Kulbhushan Kharbanda, was based on the James Bond villain, Blofeld.

A large golden eagle is prominent in Shakaal's island lair and in the Bollywood obligatory final song-and-dance. The eagle is reminiscent of the golden lamb in Cecile DeMille's Ten Commandments; construction on the golden eagle required outside experts to be flown in and cost, in Rupees, the equivalent of the chariot scene in Ben-Hur.

Sippy wanted to repeat the cast of ''Sholay'' for this film, but due to date issues, Sunil Dutt played the role initially offered to Sanjeev Kumar, Bindiya Goswami played the role initially offered to Hema Malini, and Shashi Kapoor was selected when Dharmendra declined to do the character of Ravi.

The film was set and partially filmed on the island of Steep Holm.

Parveen Babi suffered her first anxiety attack when she completed shooting the song "Pyar Karne Wale". Just after the shooting of that song, there was a scene in the film where Parveen Babi is inside the car and then Amitabh Bachchan gets in the car. The scene was later shot when Parveen Babi returned from the U.S. and she recommenced work by shooting this scene.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by R. D. Burman and the lyrics were penned by Anand Bakshi.

The version of the song "Yamma Yamma" is not the final recorded song, that is used in the movie. It was a rehearsed copy sung by Late Mohd Rafi, and the actual recording was scheduled for later, which was used by RD Burman in the movie due to the sudden untimely death of Mohd Rafi before the final recording. This is the only song where Mohd Rafi and RD Burman sing a duet together.

Awards

; 28th Filmfare Awards:

Won

* Best Cinematography – S. M. Anwar

Nominated

* Best Music Director – R. D. Burman

References

External links

*

{{Salim-Javed

1980 films
1980s Hindi-language films
Films directed by Ramesh Sippy
Films scored by R. D. Burman
Indian action films
Films with screenplays by Salim–Javed
1980s Urdu-language films
1980 action films
Hindi-language action films
Films about crocodilians
Urdu-language Indian films