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Mr. India (1987 film)

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This article is about the 1987 film. For the 1961 film, see Mr. India (1961 film).

Mr. India
File:Mr. India VideoCover.jpeg
Directed byShekhar Kapur
Written bySalim-Javed
Produced byBoney Kapoor
Starring
CinematographyBaba Azmi
Edited byWaman Bhonsle
Gurudutt Shirali
Music byLaxmikant-Pyarelal
Javed Akhtar (lyrics)
Distributed byNarsimha Enterprises
Release date
  • 29 May 1987 (1987-05-29)
Running time
179 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Box office₹120 million[1]

Mr. India is a 1987 Indian Hindi science fiction superhero film directed by Shekhar Kapur. It stars Anil Kapoor, Sridevi and Amrish Puri in the lead roles

The film was the highest grossing Indian film of 1987, and remains a cult classic in India. The film was known for several of its lines and songs, including Sridevi's Miss Hawa Hawaii performance, and Amrish Puri's quote "Mogambo khush hua" (Mogambo is pleased), which is one of the most famous quotes of Bollywood and has become synonymous with Puri.[2] The Mogambo character is also considered to be one of the best villains in Bollywood history.[2] Laxmikant-Pyarelal's music performed well too, especially the song Hawa Hawaii which is very popular till today. The film has often been featured in different lists of top Bollywood films. Indiatimes Movies ranks the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.[3] This was the last film that the writing duo Salim-Javed wrote together. They had split up earlier in 1982, but came back for one last film.

On the centenary of Indian Cinema, Mr. India has been declared one of the 100 Greatest Indian Films of All Time.[4] Interestingly Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan were offered the lead role, but they turned it down as he couldn't relate with the invisible hero.[5][6][7]

Plot

Mogambo (Amrish Puri) is a brilliant yet insane General whose goal is to conquer India. From his island, he monitors the evil-doings perpetrated by his henchmen. All his subordinates know the formal salute "Hail Mogambo!", emphasising his complete authority over his minions.

Arun Verma (Anil Kapoor) is an orphan and a street-walking violinist who rents a large, old house. There, he houses a dozen or so orphaned children and takes care of them with the help of his cook and caretaker Calendar (Satish Kaushik). Arun is poor, owes debts to the local food merchant Roopchand (Harish Patel), and is overdue to pay the landlord Maniklal (Yunus Parvez). In spite of these problems, Arun tries to look on the bright side of every situation. As time goes by, Calendar reminds Arun that the cost of running the home continues to rise. Arun decides to rent out the room on the first floor. When he goes to the local newspaper to run an advertisement for the room, he meets Seema Sahni (Sridevi) and makes her his tenant. They get off to a rocky start but Seema eventually becomes friends with everyone.

One day, Arun receives a mysterious letter from a family friend, Dr. Sinha (Ashok Kumar), who reveals that Arun's late father had created a device that would make its user invisible. With the directions in the letter, Arun, accompanied by his ward Jugal, enters his father's laboratory and finds the device. The device is in the shape of a gold watch worn on the wrist. When it is activated, it makes the wearer invisible to the naked eye. This invisibility is pervasive except for one flaw: when red light is focused on the wearer, he becomes visible. Arun and Jugal decide to keep the device a secret between them. Seema goes to a lavish party hosted by Daaga (Sharat Saxena) and Teja (Ajit Vachani), where she performs a song under the guise of a Hawaiian dancer. She is nearly killed by the criminals after her disguise is spoiled, but Arun invisibly rescues her, styling himself "Mr. India". Thereafter, Seema falls in love with her rescuer, though not attracted to his civilian alter ego.

Mr. India later defeats Mogambo's men in several encounters, foiling their criminal plans. Mogambo's computer-aided intelligence teams reveal that Mr. India's specific actions against the gambling den bring benefit to Arun Verma. Mogambo has bombs disguised as toys, planted in places where children can find them. One of the bombs kills Arun's youngest and dearest charge, Tina, driving Arun to immense grief. Arun, Seema, Calendar, and the surviving children are brought before Mogambo. Mogambo tortures them so that they reveal Mr. India's true identity and the location of the invisibility device. Arun eventually admits to this when Mogambo threatens to drop two children into a pit of acid; but because Arun has dropped the device, he cannot become invisible to prove himself. Frustrated, Mogambo has them sent into the dungeons.

However, they are all able to escape. Mogambo activates four ICBMs, which are poised to destroy all of India. Arun confronts him, and the two fight. When Arun has overcome Mogambo, he deactivates the launch which culminates in the missiles detonating on the launch-pad. Arun, Seema, Calendar, and the children escape, while Mogambo's fortress is destroyed. Mogambo dies inside the big fireball caused by the explosion of the missiles on the launch pad.

Arun's dual identity remains a secret to most people, while he returns to his former life.

Cast

Soundtrack

Untitled
Track # Song Singer(s)
1 "Hawa Hawaii" Kavita Krishnamurthy
2 "Karte Hain Hum Pyaar Mr. India Se" Kishore Kumar, Kavita Krishnamurthy
3 "Kate Nahi Katate Ye Din Ye Raat" Kishore Kumar, Alisha Chinai
4 Parody Song Anuradha Paudwal, Shabbir Kumar
5 "Zindagi Ki Yahin" Kishore Kumar
6 "Zindagi Ki Yahin" (Sad) Kishore Kumar

Reception

Described by Rediff as "one of the most iconic films of its time",[8] it became one of the highest grossing hits of the year[9] and also found a place in Hindustan Times list of 'Top 10 Patriotic Films of Hindi Cinema'.[10] While the trade famously joked that the film should have been named Miss. India,[11] Rediff also stated that "Sri was a complete show-stealer in the film".[8] Sridevi's iconic imitation of Charlie Chaplin in the film was described by Times of India as "the most hilarious act she has ever done".[12] Rediff also featured Sridevi in its list of 'Super Six Comic Heroines' stating that "her mobile face expressions could give Jim Carrey sleepless nights" and that "her biggest plus point is her ability to be completely uninhibited in front of the camera".[13] The famous 'Hawa Hawai' dance, cited by Times of India as "one of the unforgettable numbers of Sridevi",[14] also became a popular nickname for the actress.[15][16] Besides comedy, Anil Kapoor and Sridevi gave Hindi Cinema one of its sexiest rain songs[17] in the film's chart-buster 'Kaate nahin kat te' where Filmfare described Sridevi as "truly a goddess in a blue sari".[18] Times of India included the number in its 'Top 10 Hot 'n Sexy Songs' countdown for featuring a "stunning Sridevi sizzling in a wet blue saree" and being "a trendsetter for erotic numbers to follow in Bollywood"[19] while iDiva described the song as "unparalleled in Hindi Cinema".[20] Rediff also featured the song in its list of 'Top 25 Sari Moments' praising Sridevi's "ability to look erotic even when she's covered from head to toe".[21] Box Office India states that with the success of Mr. India, Sridevi "continued her domination" over her contemporaries Jaya Prada and Meenakshi Sheshadri.[22]

Awards

The movie could not be awarded that year since no award ceremony took place in the years 1987 and 1988. However, in 2013, Sridevi, the lead actress of the film, was given the Filmfare Special Award for her performances in Mr. India as well as Nagina (1986).

Sequel

In February 2012, it was announced that producer Boney Kapoor is planning a sequel to Mr. India. In March 2012, reports gave out that the film will be titled Mr. India 2 and features Anil Kapoor and Sridevi reprising their roles from the original film. Boney Kapoor also announced that Salman Khan and Arjun Kapoor had also joined the cast in negative roles. Mr. India 2 is to be shot in 3D. Filming has not yet begun, and as of March 2013, is in the scripting stage.[23]

The movie is a recurring reference in the ongoing Indian soap Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, which airs on Colors channel. Since the soap is partly a tribute to 100 years of cinema and Bollywood, there are various references to Bollywood films and influences. Mr India, in particular, is a great favourite with the protagonists, Superstar Rishabh Kundra (a.k.a. RK) and his wife Madhubala, and is used recurrently to depict the bond between them.

Remakes

The film was also remade in Tamil as En Rathathin Rathame, starring K. Bhagyaraj.[24] in Kannada as Jai Karnataka, starring Ambareesh.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Mr. India". IBOS Network. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b Top 20 Villains of Bollywood
  3. ^ Kanwar, Rachna (3 October 2005). "25 Must See Bollywood Movies". Indiatimes movies. Archived from the original on 22 August 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  4. ^ "100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time". CNN-IBN.
  5. ^ "Rajesh Khanna: 10 facts only a real fan would know". NDTV. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  6. ^ "Nation remembers Rajesh Khanna on his 71th [sic] birthday". post.jagran. 28 December 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  7. ^ "Amitabh Bachchan was to do Mr India initially". Rediff. 28 December 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
  8. ^ a b "PIX: The Changing Faces of Sridevi". Rediff.
  9. ^ "Box Office 1987". Box Office India.
  10. ^ "Top 10 Patriotic Films". Hindustan Times.
  11. ^ "Ladies First?". Boxofficeindia.co.in.
  12. ^ "Top 10 Sridevi's avatar". The Times of India.
  13. ^ "What do Sridevi, Kajol and Preity have in common?". Rediff.
  14. ^ "Magic of 'Mr India' is still on". The Times of India.
  15. ^ "Hit Shakers". The Sunday Tribune.
  16. ^ "Sridevi Kapoor Biography". Oneindia.
  17. ^ "Top Bollywood Rain Songs". The Times of India.
  18. ^ "Rain over me!". Filmfare.
  19. ^ "Top Hot'n'Sexy Songs". The Times of India.
  20. ^ "10 Rain Songs We Love". iDiva.
  21. ^ "Top 25 Sari Moments". Rediff.
  22. ^ Boxofficeindia.com
  23. ^ 3D sequel of Mr.India
  24. ^ http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/57137.html
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