Akshay Kumar's Gabbar Is Back opens in cinemas today. But it's more than just another fight-filled masala film. Here are a few things that set it apart from the usual movies filled with exploding cars, elaborate action sequences and high-tech visual effects.
1 It has nothing to do with Sholay
The name Gabbar conjures up only one image in the minds of aficionados of Indian films: Amjad Khan as the iconic villain from the 1975 cult classic Sholay. Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra, the Ramesh Sippy action-drama is considered one of the best Indian films. Quotes and characters from this cult classic have given birth to long-living memes and even entered Indian vernacular. Sholay's main baddie Gabbar is one of them.
Gabbar is Bollywood's quintessential villain – but Gabbar Is Back has nothing to do with him. In fact, the tagline of Akshay Kumar's film is "Kaam hero ka, Naam villain ka" (a hero's deeds, a villain's name), and Kumar hopes Gabbar is Back – which is about fighting corruption – may just bring about the end of the negative connotations associated with the name.
2 It features the song Warna Gabbar Aa Jayega
The songs for Gabbar Is Back were written by the hugely popular Yo Yo Honey Singh, Chirantan Bhatt and Manj Music. Manj Music's contribution to the score is in the form of Warna Gabbar Aa Jayega (Or Gabbar Will Come). The song takes its name from the legend that took root after Sholay was released and mothers across India were said to invoke the menacing villain to get their children to behave. At under three minutes, it is the shortest song on the soundtrack, but one of the catchiest.
Other songs are Teri Meri Kahani (Our Story), sung by Arijit Singh and Palak Muchhal, Coffee Peetey Peetey (While We Drink Coffee) sung by Dev Magi and Paroma Das Gupta, and Aao Raja (Come to Me, King) sung by Yo Yo Honey Singh and Neha Kakkar.
3 Kareena Kapoor makes a special appearance
Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor makes a special appearance as Gabbar Singh's wife or is it a cameo? Kapoor, who is married to actor Saif Ali Khan, was last seen on screen last year opposite Ajay Devgan in Singham Returns, as well as in cameos in The Shaukeens and Happy Ending. She last starred alongside Akshay Kumar in 2013's Bombay Talkies. The two have worked together on 10 films so far.
4 Chitrangada Singh in an 'item number'
For those who do not know, an item number is a raunchy dance sequence that is randomly inserted into nearly every masala film and is usually performed by an A-list actress. For Gabbar Is Back, Krish and Bhansali managed to rope in Chitrangada Singh. Ajao Raja, composed by Yo Yo Honey Singh and sung by him and Neha Kakkar, features Singh.
The 39-year-old started her career as a model before switching to acting in Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi in 2003. It wasn't until 2011 that she achieved real fame, which came with the film Desi Boys, which featured her alongside none other Kumar. It was also in another Kumar film that Singh performed her first item song: Shirish Kunder's film Joker.
5 It's the third remake of a Tamil film
Produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and directed by Krish, the film was written by A R Murugadoss and Shiraz Ahmed, and is a remake of Murugadoss's 2002 Tamil blockbuster Ramanaa, which has already been remade twice: in 2003 as Tagore in Telugu, and in 2005 as Vishnu Sena in Kannada.
This third incarnation features Kumar and Shruti Haasan in the lead roles, which were played by Tamil superstars Vijaykanth and Ashima Bhalla in the original film.
The Telugu film featured Chiranjeevi and Shriya Saran, and the Kannada version featured Vishnuvardhan and Gurleen Chopra in the same roles. Any film that’s been remade three times has to have something going for it – doesn’t it?.
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