This movie is not an Anil Kapoor starrer - do not get confused with Ram Avtaar or Ram Lakhan. It stars the rock solid combination from Sholay/Chupke Chupke[/Hum Kaun Hai :)] - Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan. No Hema Malini/Jaya Bhaduri though - it has got Zeenat Aman and Rekha.
A cup of tea, a blanket and buzzing sound of heater on a wintry day in summer is what we all found to comfort ourselves as Ram Balram unfolded itself. The title song plays - "Ek rasta, aha ahaa, Do raahi, aaha aaha...", one of all the hummable songs by Laxmikanth Pyaarelal in this 1980 release.
As names go by your eyes - Dharmendra, Zeenat Aman..., you start thinking of their hits... DharamVeer in 1977..., AB, Rekha..., the most happening pair of late 70s and early 80s... this all makes you ready for a fun-filled night. And the last but not the least name to appear is that of Vijay Anand - WOW, director of Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Teesri Manzil, Blackmail, Johnny Mera Naam, Guide, etc..., I am all geared up for a fun-filled evening. :)
First 10-15 minutes into the movie and it's damn fast - so many turns and twists into the story... one of my friends' is all praise for my selection... the much awaited "aaha-aaha" song comes... awesome music... but what's more in the movie - nothing - a couple of songs, a couple of fights, old mirch-masala with nothing I could enjoy... perhaps, my expectations were too high. But the truth is the movie disappointed me thoroughly. This was no where close to the movie I remembered from my childhood - something I had enjoyed lots...
Story: After assassinating his step-brothers, Jagatpal (Ajit) forces his sister-in-law (Urmila Bhatt) to give everything she has - money, property, life and two boys - Ram (Dharmendra) and Balram (AB). Fear is deep rooted in the 2 boys since childhood and result - Balram (Amitabh Bachchan) is a police inspector and Bholuram (aka Ram) is a motor mechanic. Ram and Balram acquire wealth, by hook or by crook, for their uncle. In doing so, Ram incurs the wrath of Chandan Singh (Prem Chopra) and Suleiman Seth (Amjad Khan). But all ends well in the end.
Twists & Turns: Balram has fallen for Shobha (Rekha), daughter of Professor (Utpal Dutt). And Ram is in love with Madhu (Zeenat Aman), little knowing that Madhu is the daughter of none other than his uncle, Jagatpal. Not really - Madhu is portrayed as daughter of Ajit by Helen, though Helen has Madhu from a social worker and had aborted Ajit's child. Also, Ram's mother and Balram's aunty (Urmila Bhatt) manages to save her life to return towards climax to agitate Dharam-praaji enough to end up in villain's den.
A total disappointment from story and direction perspective - though - all songs are more or less hummable and pretty pleasant to hear. See ratings. But the last song in the movie - "Balram ne bahut samjhaaya" is a sidey one.
And needless to say the tremendous amount of beatings and scoldings I got from my friends for recommending this movie... :( But the quest to entertain myself continues... :)
Rating: 2.0/5.0
