Salah, Rocky, Agastya: Angry Young Amitabh Bachchan in Poetry by Prashant Neel | Regional News
From Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor to Kamal Haasan, Naseeruddin Shah and Irrfan Khan, Indian cinema has always featured extraordinary male actors who, along with female actors, have had a huge impact on the visual arts. , and at the same time directly enabled screenwriters and directors to push the boundaries. , resulting in more complex works.
While these actors mutually inspired each other and subsequent generations of talent and left a lasting impact on audiences as well, Amitabh Bachchan’s influence in the field of Indian cinema remains unparalleled. Thing. Apart from shocking with his outstanding acting skills and versatility, excelling in action and dance scenes while effortlessly portraying different emotions and drama, Big B has also redefined stardom in India and transcended language barriers. gained fans across the United States. The character created specifically for him in the archetype of the “Angry Young Man” left a deep mark on various film industries across India, paving the way for regional efforts to recreate similar films, and ’s star to even greater heights. But no one could replicate what Bachchan achieved.
For director Prashanth Neel, who took the nation by storm with ‘ KGF Franchise and Salaar starring Prabhas: Part 1 – CeasefireAmitabh Bachchan Serves as an inspiration in creating male leads in his filmsespecially drawing from the gray roles that Shahenshah of Bollywood has played over the years.
The influence of Bachchan’s character was so profound that even the highest-grossing Indian film of the year Atlee Kumar’s Shah Rukh Khan Starr Jawan,can Going back to Big B’s ‘Angry Young Man’ daysthe male protagonist had shades of gray, but cannot be called an absolute villain, since he embodied such an attitude in fighting a greater evil.
by cambridge dictionary, The basic definition of the word “hero” (noun) is “a person admired for courage, great accomplishments, or superior qualities.” The term “goodness” is particularly important and serves as a key element that distinguishes heroes from villains. Indian cinema has always followed this formula as well.
However, in the 1970s, when youth unemployment increased in the country, a new type of hero emerged who single-handedly challenged the system and did not hesitate to use violence to achieve their goals. It was around this time that Amitabh Bachchan, new in town, played the role of an anti-hero in a film directed by Jyoti Swaroop. Parwana (1971). Bachchan’s portrayal of the ruthless Kumar Sen, who will stop at nothing to “win” the love of his life, reveals a side of the actor full of raw, rugged masculinity that anyone can fascinate and tap into. I made it. However, it was another two years later that the writing duo Salim-Javed realized Big B’s potential and revived his career. Zanjeer (1973), directed by Prakash Mehra. Tall, handsome and muscular, Amitabh is known for his deep, deep voice and impressed everyone with his role as Vijay Khanna, a young man who is ‘angry with the system’.
After Parwana, Bachchan played only a few more outright anti-heroes, but his anti-establishment heroes were not fundamentally different from the former type. The only difference was that the latter had his heart in the right place. Nevertheless, the similarities in their lifestyles, approaches, and reactions to challenges and enemies were all over the place. But the dignity, confidence, emotional depth and dramatic flair with which Bachchan played such characters in films such as these were imbued with an essential goodness. Deewar (1975), Farard (1975), Kaala Patar (1979) and agnee path (1990) were really great. These characters and his performances not only appealed to the youth of the time and encouraged self-assertion, but also inspired filmmakers to craft stories that went beyond the traditional realms of drama, comedy, and romance.
Meanwhile, Bachchan also redefined characters with shades of moral ambiguity over the years, portraying indifference towards others as a result of the emotional turmoil they endure. Nevertheless, there is no denying that Bachchan has given an outstanding performance in such a role. Mohabbatein (2000) and Yashvardhan Raichand Kabi Kushi Kabi Gum (2001), unfortunately contributed to the glorification of undesirable behavior. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that he is the one who made gray characters endearing and touching.
“Amitabh Bachchan is the biggest inspiration for all my films. There are many films in which he played the hero, but he was also the villain. It’s a genre that was rarely seen after that era. He I don’t think anyone else has portrayed Gray the way he portrayed it,” said Sarar director Prashanth Neel. P.T.I.. “He made the villains look heroic. So I try to do that in my movies too…I try to make my characters look as negative as possible, even if they’re positive characters. . The hero has to be the biggest villain in my movie.”
His directorial debut, Ugram (2014), starring Srimurali, is a testament to this in itself, with its central character Agastya tinged with Bachianism. In Ugram, Agastya is a working class hero, an auto mechanic. Although he lives a simple life, his demeanor hints at an underlying intensity, resembling a dormant volcano that can unleash fiery power when the situation calls for it. As Ugram unravels his past of single-handedly conquering regions ruled by ruthless criminals, he inevitably draws similarities to Bachchan’s character, Vijay Verma, in films such as Yash Chopra’s Deewar. I will draw it. Similar to the relationship between Vijay and his younger brother Ravi Verma (Shashi Kapoor), a similar relationship develops between Agastya and his best friend Bala (Tilak Shekhar) in Ugram. However, as the film progresses, their role as pillars of strength turns into a significant obstacle in the respective journeys of Vijay and Agastya.
Like many of Bachchan’s anti-establishment heroes, Agastya is a victim of the growing influence of organized crime in society and is forced into its world out of necessity. But Agastya is not completely malicious either.
In his second directorial work, KGF: Chapter 1Neil elevated the hero archetype 1,000 times and introduced a more intense and free-spirited character in Rocky (Yash).
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who plays an important role in Salar, said in an interview: movie companion that KGF 1 was “a typical Salim-Javed-Amitabh Bachchan ’70s movie” for him. This observation is true, the only difference being that KGF 1 is executed on a larger scale, with enhanced technological elements and, in contrast to Bachchan, the main villain within each square foot of the area before being killed. It’s about featuring a more ruthless protagonist who eliminates everyone without hesitation. In movies, heroes usually eliminate only the main antagonist.
Similar to Bachchan’s films, the scenes in which the protagonist appears in a KGF film are like short films, with special attention paid to the protagonist’s introduction, middle high points, and all-important conclusion. Consistently following this formula emphasizes Rocky’s overwhelming presence in KGF. Emerging from a background characterized by deep poverty and powerlessness, Rocky is reminiscent of an angry young man and symbolizes the struggle of the poor. Even in most of the posters for the first chapter, Rocky is depicted as a working-class hero with a shovel and mud-covered clothes, like Bachchan in Kala Patthar’s first shot.
In a notable moment, after Rocky saves an entire community working in the Kohler gold mines in the face of severe oppression from their “masters,” several local children approach him and say, I feel the same way when I look at you. Not a hero…a villain,” Rocky no longer faces the constraints of conforming to the hero archetype.
in contrast, KGF2 Rocky is portrayed in a manner reminiscent of the late hero of the movie “The Angry Young Man,” who became wealthy. Despite wielding considerable power and living a more violent lifestyle, Rocky remains dedicated to the well-being of others. At the same time, a love interest becomes part of his life and ends tragically, giving the angry young man fuller character development and freeing him in a deeper way. .
The apex of this archetype occurs in KGF 2 as follows. Rocky bursts into parliament and shoots a minister dead.emphasizes the frustration these characters feel with the system and people in positions of power.
In an interview with Kairam Vashi, director Prashanth Neel said that his latest film ‘Salar’ is a retelling of the story of Ugram. ‘Salar’ is an improved version of Ugram, but Neil has upped the emotional quotient and emphasized the friendship between the two protagonists, Salaar (Prabhas) and Varda (Prithviraj Sukumaran), aka Diva. It reminds me of Vijay and Ravi from ‘Deewaar’ and ‘Jai (Bachchan)’. Ramesh Sippy’s Veeru (Dharmendra) Sholai (1975). Also, just as Bachchan portrays many angry young people, Deva’s character is portrayed as very close to his mother, who acts as the only force that can calm him down. Many aspects of Deva’s personality, such as his attitude and smoking habits, seem to be inspired by Big B’s subtly gray character.
Neil’s choice of lead actors is also in line with Bachchan in terms of height, with the exception of Slim Rari to some extent, with Yash and Prabhas both over 1.80 meters tall.
