A (Hindi) Movie Nearly Every Night: Shakti

Shakti (1982)
Dir: Ramesh Sippy
Starring: the double-star-whammy of Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan (with special guest star Amrish Puri, who went on to rip people's hearts out 2 years later in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)

Police officer or father ... well, that's the story, isn't it?

When it's dark and gloomy out, I don't know about you, but I like to put on a little Amitabh Bachchan to make myself feel better. He's smoking hot. I mean, really, who cares what the story is? Just put him in suits, preferably suede, and let him talk.

Not everything he does is solid gold, sure. This was a fine movie, not great, but fine. It was not as much fun as Amar, Akbar and Anthony, but it was certainly way better than Ganga Ki Saugand (with the exception of the gold bustier). But they can't all be Sholay. It doesn't matter much anyway, because it's just a pleasure to see him work his baritone-voiced cinema magic.

Shakti also has little moments that make me adore Ramesh Sippy. I know, how can my love grow? But it does. If you remember back in August I talked up Sholay (produced by G.P. Sippy, but directed by Ramesh), and what a fantastic shock to see the shot-for-shot homage to Once Upon a Time in the West. There are a few Leone-like shots in Shakti, but it's the scenes at the airport that made me hop around the couch cushions like a monkey. It's not shot-for-shot, but it is absolutely, 100%, without a doubt inspired by Bullitt.

Vijay as vigilante in a crowded airport hallway -- go, brother, go

And that, my friends, is awesome.

In an industry where artists churn out 2 - 3 movies a year, Ramesh Sippy doesn't do very much, but when he hits the mark it's choice.