Retro Review: Deewaar

This week caught under spotlight is the 1975 blockbuster release, Deewaar. The movie took up audience like a strong wave, creating many catchphrases and iconic characters. The story revolves around two brothers who grew up in abject poverty but later in their lives choose different roads for their journeys that end up making them rivals.

 

Directed under the expertise of the late Yash Raj Chopra, Deewaar was produced by Gulshan Rai and written by the ingenious duo of Salim-Javed. The phenomenal star cast consisted of Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy and Satyendra Kapoor (Satyen Kappu), who complemented the story in every way.

 

The story starts with Anand Verma (Satyendra Kapoor), a trade union leader who abandons his family and yields to the coercion of his superiors. After being tormented and humiliated by their father's co-workers, Vijay and Ravi Verma, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor respectively, migrate with their mother who raises them single-handedly facing the day to day hardships. Vijay grows up to become a criminal but makes sure his younger brother Ravi leads a better life. Ravi heads on to become a police officer who is assigned to capture some criminals, one of whom is his own brother, Vijay. The story moves on with Vijay trying to reform for the love of his life but things do not fall into place like initially wished to. The climax leaves everyone stunned with a powerful twist in the story.

 

Coming to accolades, Deewaar took the Filmfare Awards of 1976 by a storm after winning seven out of the nine nominated awards. It also managed to secure itself as the second highest grossing Bollywood film of 1975. Even today, this superhit venture is today considered as one of the top 25 must watch movies of Bollywood.

 

  

Writer: Pooja B.

Editors: Komal P. and Jenifer Y.

Graphics: Komal P.