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Hitlar
(1986)
Starring: Sultan Rahi, Mustafa Qureshi, Anjuman, Bahar, Firdous Director: Idrees Khan Synopsis: A sweeping historical epic. Lollywood's version of history is gas and a half! Reviewed by: Omar Khan |
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The film starts with the intriguing premise that Hitler in fact never died but escaped and started a family somewhere in the Punjabi heartland. He fled to Pakistan with legions of his followers having perpetrated the worst atrocities on mankind. According to the director Idrees Khan, Hitler was even responsible for the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a fact that was brilliantly covered up by his cohorts.
The film shows Hitler Jr. - the son the world never knew about - sending his goons to ravage the local villagers and terrify them into submission.In order to finance his insatiable appetite for the very best wigs and fashions he must obtain large quantities of cash and so Hitlar (note changed spelling to disguise his identity) sends his henchmen on errands murdering prominent businessmen and relieving them of their cash. One day one of the villagers, upright and incredibly handsome young Sultan witnesses the goons attack and murder an industrialist in broad daylight. This experience shatters Sultan's idyllic complacency and under the tutelage of his mentor Aman, the town sage, he promises to battle against the forces of injustice and brutality. One night Sultan is attacked by a pack of men in bear suits and he is saved from certain death by the timely intervention of Rustam Khan, a dakoo sardar. The sardar happens to be his long lost father, but Sultan doesn't find that out till much later on. Rustam protects Sultan from Hitlar's goons and throws down the gauntlet challenging Hitlar to the ultimate showdown. Meanwhile Sultan vows to seek justice for the murder that he witnessed but that path soon brings him into conflict with the most dreaded force on earth; the son of Hitler. We learn that Hitlar (Hitler's son from a Pakistani woman) lives with mummy and yearns for revenge in his fathers name who he refers to as "Master".
During a flashback we learn that poor Hitlar turned to a life of vice and crime when his family were brutalized and tortured by the local mafia and were helpless to do anything about it. In a dark stormy night of intrigue and murder, a young Hitlar watched helplessly as the mafia men hack his uncle to death right infront of his eyes. He swears then and there that he will dedicate his life to exacting his own twisted form of justice in the land and also that he will crown his mother Queen as she is the rightful heir to Hitler's lost empire. The film is so utterly OTT that its actually fairly amusing. Mustafa Qureshi turns in a fantastic performance in the title role. His screen presence and dialogue delivery are brilliant and his costumes and hairstyles simply breathtaking. If ever there was an adversary worthy of doing battle with the great Rahi, it is Mustafa Qureshi. Right from the days of Maula Jat it was evident that when you put Qureshi and Rahi together, the sparks just won't stop flying.
The chemistry between the two actors is electric and this trio (including Anjuman) virtually ruled the Punjabi film scene for a decade or so with absolutely no competition. There was a time when 80% of films being produced had the three ingredients Rahi, Anjuman and Qureshi in them with the behind the screens ingredient of Madame Noor Jehan - a combination that almost always spelt success. This film succeeds in providing a thoroughly good giggle, firstly at the insanity of the plot that starts with the German A-bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and secondly at the amazing antics of Mustafa Qureshi who totally steals the show from under Sultan Rahi's nose. Anjuman has little to do and just shows up whenever the director feels a song is required. Unfortunately the songs aren't that hot and just manage to slow the film down from its otherwise feverish pace. Bahar is in top form again as the fearless mother of Rahi and she has shaped her eyebrows quite beautifully for maximum emotional impact. A seasoned veteran and one of the powerhouse performers of the industry, Bahar turns in yet another memorable performance. She is in a class of her own among the oldies and has been for ages now. Sultan Rahi exudes "charm" and a raw charisma, if one could call it that and plays his role with gusto. Firdous, ex siren of the 60's and early 70's is well cast as Hitler's mother and the woman Adolf wed when he fled to the Punjab. She delivers a potent performance though never quite matching the intensity of the amazing Bahar Begum. Mustafa Qureshi walks away with top honours along with the director Idrees Khan whose narrative has a gritty, kinetic edge to it, and there is a freaked out kind of trash art style to proceedings. Special praise is due to the people in charge of the wardrobe and the costumes, especially the range of superlative wigs…………none of which ever fit!
A giggle and a half, a must for fans of Mustafa Qureshi and those who enjoy their camp and cult truly loud and garish. Blissfully bizarre and very, very funny. |
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