Ajooba

Infobox Film | name = Ajooba
imdb_id = 0101283
writer = Bharat Bhalla
Prayag Raj
Valentin Ezhov
producer = Shashi Kapoor
director = Shashi Kapoor
Gennadi Vasilyev
starring = Amitabh Bachchan
Rishi Kapoor
Dimple Kapadia
Sonam
Saeed Jaffrey
Amrish Puri
Dalip Tahil
Areadna Shengelaya
Georgi Darchiashvili
music = Laxmikant Pyarelal
Vanraj Bhatia(background score)
released = April 12, 1991
runtime = 175 min
language = Hindi

"Ajooba" is a 1991 Hindi language Bollywood feature film, produced and directed by Shashi Kapoor and also co-directed by the Soviet filmmaker Gennadi Vasilyev. It is a fantasy film loosely based on Arabian mythology (such as "One Thousand and One Nights") and Persian mythology (such as "Prince of Persia"). A Russian language dub of the film was released in the Soviet Union as "Vozvrashcheniye Bagdadskogo Vora".

Plot

The Arabian kingdom of Baharistan is ruled by a just and kind Sultan (Shammi Kapoor). All is well in the land except that the Sultan seemingly can't have children. An evil devil-worshipping Vazir (Amrish Puri) seeks to usurp the throne, revive his "fauladi shaitan" (a huge demon-like figure made of stone), and take over the world. The Vazir instructs his maids to strangle every child born to the Sultan. Finally, however, a spark of divine intervention (presented literally as a spark which descends from the heavens and enters the womb) renders the next newborn son immune to the poisons and strangulations administered by the maids. This Shehezada ("prince") eventually becomes "Ajooba" (miracle).

The Sultan and his wife Malika (Areadna Shengelaya) kick off celebrations throughout the land. The good court magician Ameer Baba (Saeed Jaffrey), recently returned from his travels to the "land of Hind" (i.e., India), presents a magic sword to the Sultan. The Sultan thrusts it into a pillar (verifying its keenness), and Ameer Baba pronounces that it may be drawn out of the stone again only by a member of the royal family.

Soon after, the Sultan privately discusses "traitors" with Ameer Baba. The Vazir overhears, eventually tricks Ameer Baba, steals his Necklace of Immortality, throws him into the dungeons, attempts to murder the Sultan and his family and takeover the throne. The Sultan escapes with his wife and child. After a pitched battle involving magic carpets and storms and ships, the Sultan is missing, Malika is blinded, and the young Shehzada is washed ashore by a dolphin (whom he eventually thinks of as his mother) to a blacksmith. This blacksmith adopts the kid, trains him in all the worldly and martial arts, and thus creates "Ajooba". In the meantime, the Vazir blames Ameer Baba for the Sultan's murder, takes over the throne, and begins ravaging the land, always uttering his slogan "Shaitan Zindabaad" (Long live the Devil).

"Ajooba" is a masked rider in black (rather like Zorro) who thwarts the Vazir's lackeys as they pillage the lands and harass the citizens. His plain self is Ali, an ordinary restaurateur, and his chum is Hasan (Rishi Kapoor). Together they foil the Vazir's evil schemes, raid his caravans, and woo their girls. Ajooba, as Ali, falls for Rukhsana (Dimple Kapadia, actually the daughter of Ameer Baba, returned from Hind to rescue her imprisoned father), while Hasan's affections are for the Vazir's Shehzadi Henna (Sonam).

Ajooba inflicts constant pain upon the Vazir. The Vazir eventually raises his "fauladi shaitan" and plans an all-out attack. The Raja of Hind (Dara Singh, in a special appearance) brings his forces to aid Ajooba. The resulting war brings all the central characters together.

Several questions are essentially resolved in the ensuing war. The climax is a panorama of demons, magical horses and donkeys, a full-scale combat between the Vazir's army and the Hind army, enchanted swords, and a final revelation about the true identity of Ajooba.

Cast

*Amitabh Bachchan ... Ajooba/Ali
*Rishi Kapoor ... Hasan
*Amrish Puri ... Vazir-e-Ala (aka Vazir)
*Dimple Kapadia ... Rukhsana (Ameer Baba's daughter)
*Sonam ... Henna (Vazir's daughter)
*Saeed Jaffrey ... Magician Ameer Baba
*Sushma Seth ... Zarina Khan (Ameer Baba's wife)
*Dalip Tahil ... Shahrukh (Vazir's brother-in-law)
*Areadna Shengelaya ... Malika
*Georgi Darchiashvili ... Altaf
*Shammi Kapoor ... Sultan-e-Baharistan (special appearance)
*Dara Singh ... Hind ke Maharaja

Notes and Trivia

This film was produced in association with Gorky Studios in Moscow. There are several Russian stars who seem to speak Hindi but their speech is not in sync with Hindi dialogue. Also, the design work (especially the battle and fantasy sequences) is minimalist and tacky. The battle sequences, supposedly representing a full scale conflict between two kingdoms with thousands of soldiers, seems to have been filmed with 50 or 60 people at most. The special effects (e.g. magic carpets, enchanted swords) are primitive at best e.g. it is plain that the magic carpet floats over a miniature set of Baharistan.

During a scene where the evil Wazir's soldier are kidnapping young women to force them in to concubinage, the right breast of a woman is clearly visible, possibly a wardrobe malfunction.

It is also rumored that Amitabh Bachchan worked in this film "gratis", as a favor to his longtime collaborator and friend Shashi Kapoor.