Topic: Filmi Flashback

Karma is remembered for 'Aye Watan Tere Liye' song. It became a staple patriotic song in the ’80s and ’90s and was played endlessly on radio.

Like Pakeezah, Kamal Amrohi’s Razia Sultan had all the right ingredients–superstar Hema Malini as leading lady, Bhanu Athaiya as costume designer, and Khayyam as music director. But none of it could translate into magic on screen.

In Prem Rog, the narrative is dominated by male characters. Padmini Kolhapure who plays the female protagonist does not put up a fight.

Shyam Benegal’s adaptation of Dharamvir Bharati’s novel 'Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda' has a layered narrative structure. Its non-linear storytelling blurs the line between fiction and reality.

Jeevan Mrityu was a revenge thriller produced by Tarachand Barjatya, a break from the ‘clean’ family entertainers that the production house was then known for.

'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar' cemented the partnership between Bachchan and Prakash Mehra who directed the movie. The two had worked together in Zanjeer, which was Bachchans’ breakout film.

Rekha’s entry catapults the movie into a league of its own. She unapologetically questions why society is quick to shame women for their choices while excusing men.

Basu Chatterjee’s 1986 remake of Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men is constrained by Bollywood standards. It relies on the actors to take the story forward.

‘Rajnigandha’ articulated the conflicting thoughts of its woman protagonist, at a time when inner female turmoil wasn’t considered a crowd-puller or even an interesting film plot.

What’s interesting is that Rajinikanth's character in the movie is called Vijay, a name closely associated with Amitabh Bachchan.