"Oh the theatrics I resorted to in order to convince your grandfather to let me go and watch Amitabh Bachchan movies in the theatre. Those were the days!" - I've grown up listening to hilarious stories about how my parents, both movie buffs, would come up with the most baffling excuses to see their favourite actors' films on the big screen.
Amitabh Bachchan is a household name. Deewar, Don, Abhimaan, Satte Pe Satta, Amar Akbar Anthony, Kaalia, Kaala Patthar, Kabhi Kabhie, Mili - you name a movie of his, and my parents have all the dialogues memorized.
So, when 11 of Big B's best-known films from the 1970s and 1980s were re-released in cinemas on the occasion of his 80th birthday, it's no surprise that my friend and I pounced on the tickets.
"Should we watch Abhimaan? No, let's pick Don since we know all the steps of 'Khaike Paan Banaraswala' by heart! What about Amar Akbar Anthony? Do we not want to watch Nirupa Roy's eyesight being magically restored by Sai Baba on the big screen?" - That's it.
Amar Akbar Anthony was the undisputed winner, and what a surreal experience it was!
A Logic-Defying Laugh Riot
Amitabh Bachchan in a still from Amar Akbar Anthony.
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)
It's 2022, so why would anyone want to cheer for a movie about a grieving family and three estranged brothers? At a time when the most offensive jokes are dished out for laughs and all we get are shoddy remixes in the name of music, this Manmohan Desai film is all heart.
The gaudy, over-the-top scenes don't feel pretentious, the songs are memorable. Amar Akbar Anthony defies logic in many ways, but they are really enjoyable. There are fight scenes, but there isn't a crease on crisp white shirts and trousers.
Nirupa Roy aka Bharti's tuberculosis vanishes as the movie progresses, people barge into operation theatres, nobody seems to know how to drive and not to mention the most bizarre blood donation scene - when the whole theatre burst out laughing, you know a film has aged well.
Bachchan is a laugh riot. We almost fell off our seats during the scene where a supremely drunk Anthony Gonsalves attempts to bandage his own mirror image after being beaten up by Jenny's bodyguard Zebisko (Yusuf Khan).
His monologue is laced with words like 'thopda', 'sunta-ich' and he plays the tapori 'Anthony bhai' to perfection. Amar Akbar Anthony is also a film where Big B was transitioning from the image of an angry young man to an entertainer. It was a treat to watch the legend's comic exchanges with the other characters. For instance, the scene where Inspector Amar (Vinod Khanna) and Anthony get into a fight. "Tum apun ko das bar maara. Aur main sirf do. Par solid maara ki nahi?" - When a movie has dialogues like these, can whistles be far behind?
Not just Bachchan, the other actors too were greeted with equal outbursts when they were first introduced. Rishi Kapoor (Akbar) singing 'Parda Hai Parda', Vinod Khanna (Amar) taking down three people with just one slap, Neetu Singh (Salma) falling for Akbar, Shabana Azmi aka Lakshmi attempting to trick Amar - we danced, sang and joined in to celebrate the momentous occasion.
Lessons in Unity
Amar Akbar Anthony stands tall in the way it explores religious harmony. In a charged and polarized environment, it's overwhelming to watch a movie tug at the heartstrings by putting forth a simple message - that of embracing all religions and prioritizing friendships and relationships.
Friends, Colleagues Cheering For Big B - Tissues, Please!
Shabana Azmi attended a special screening of Amar Akbar Anthony.
(Photo: Viral Bhayani)
Not just fans, Bachchan's colleagues and friends from the industry also attended the screening to cheer for him. Shabana Azmi gave us golden moments. The veteran actor giggled her way through the show, Sanjay Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Chunky Panday and other celebs gave a shoutout when Azmi was introduced and everyone joined in the fun.
When the clock struck 12 and the movie was paused so that everybody could sing 'Happy Birthday' for Bachchan senior, this millennial lived her dream - that of watching an Amitabh Bachchan movie in a theatre. The screening captured the essence of what superstardom meant at one point of time, and how things are changing at breakneck speed.
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