Journalism makes for good cinema. The cynical journalist who uncovers a scam and brings down powerful people and greedy corporations is a trope that never gets old.
In Hindi cinema, media and journalism-centric plots are not as nuanced as, say, Billy Wilder’s Ace in the Hole (1951). Except for a few like the New Delhi Times (1986), where an editor exposes the nexus between politicians and the media. There are a handful of others such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Main Azad Hoon (1989), Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000) and Nayak (2001).
In all this, it is easy to forget Yash Chopra’s Mashaal (1984), starring Waheeda Rehman, Dilip Kumar, Anil Kapoor and Amrish Puri. The screenplay, written by Javed Akhtar, was inspired by Vasant Kanetkar’s Marathi play, Ashroonchi Zhali Phule.
Vinod (Kumar), the principled editor of community newspaper ‘Mashaal’, and his wife Sudha (Rehman), adopt a street urchin named Raja (Kapoor). Vinod sends Raja to study journalism in Bengaluru, and takes on a businessman gangster SK Vardhan (Puri). As Vinod starts to expose Vardhan’s illicit dealings, the latter begins to inflict misery on him – from burning his office to having him kicked out of his rented accommodation.
Mashaal weaves the personal and the professional seamlessly with heavy doses of melodrama. Sudha dies, and Vinod decides to play his arch-rival’s game to bring him down. He abandons his ethical code and builds a criminal empire to take down Vardhan. It’s Raja, now a journalist, who uncovers his mentor’s underworld activities.
Mashaal – A turning point for Anil Kapoor
The 1980s were a tough time for Chopra. He directed Mashaal after two of his major films, Silsila (1981) and Faasle (1985), flopped at the box office. Unfortunately, even Mashaal couldn’t break his dry spell. Made on a budget of Rs 2.9 crore, the film earned only Rs 2.5 crore at the box office.
But more importantly, it was the movie that propelled a young Anil Kapoor to stardom. He is the anti-hero, the angry young man, popularised by Amitabh Bachchan in films like Deewar (1975), Trishul (1978) and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978).
But he wasn’t Chopra’s first choice. Originally, the character Raja was written for Bachchan and was later offered to Kamal Hasaan. After the two superstars rejected the role, it came to Kapoor, who grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Mashaal was the turning point in his career.
“Woh Saat Din (1983) earned me a lot of love from the audience and it was fairly successful but Mashaal, despite not doing well commercially, made me an A-grade hero,” said Kapoor, in an interview with The Indian Express Indulge. “I remember when the film was released, I was featured in a cover of a magazine and the headline read, ‘A Star Is Born’.”
Kapoor even won his first Filmfare Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in the film.
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Dilip Kumar – the acting powerhouse
Mashaal’s most famous scene belongs to the legendary actor, Dilip Kumar.
When Vardhan and Sudha are homeless, they are forced to wander on the streets of Mumbai. Things get worse when a long-standing illness of Sudha’s surfaces again. As she clutches her stomach in pain, Vinod desperately tries to get help from passing vehicles. He screams in the dark for help: “Ae bhai, ko hai,” but no one comes forward.
Only Kumar could have injected raw empathy and a feeling of tragedy into a highly melodramatic sequence. In this scene, when Vardhan seeks help from passersby, not a single car stops to offer help, Chopra portrays Mumbai’s apathy and ignorance toward the powerless.
Vinod’s character graph is one of the best in the film – an honest journalist, a vulnerable husband and finally, a don. Amrish Puri, too, is beautifully ruthless in his villainous role. But the character didn’t stand out considering he played similar roles in Vidhaata (1982), Shakti (1982) and Hero (1983).
What doesn’t stand out in the movie is the music. Chopra roped Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar for three of the five songs — Mujhe Tum Yaad Karna, Zindagi Aa Raha Hoon Main and Holi Ayee Re. None of them are particularly memorable.
But music was never the focus of Mashaal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)