Vijay Dinanath Chauhan...Poora Naam…Hi!!!

With just a week left for the release of Hrithik Roshan’s AGNEEPATH on 26th Jan 2012, the film takes me exactly 22 years back; the day was 16th Feb 1990 when Amitabh Bachchan’s AGNEEPATH was all set for release. I was in Calcutta (Kolkata) in my final year. An AB film release in those days used to be a HUGE event for all die-hard AB fans. Being one of the most awaited films of that year, we were told AGNEEPATH was going to be premiered at Calcutta’s Nandan Film Center which will be attended by all the star cast of the film and all the proceeds from the film would go to the war widows of AWWA (Army Wives Welfare Association).

I just couldn’t believe my luck as my father (then serving in the army, HQ Eastern Command) somehow managed to get six tickets for the premier. We all reached an hour before the show with 3 rolls of Fuji films. Nandan was jam-packed amidst tight security as the army commander too was attending the premier. The event began with the army commander and his wife occupying the stage which was followed by the introduction of the star cast…starting with Yash Johar & Hiroo Johar (Producers), Director Mukul Anand, Jaya Bachchan, Archana Puransingh, Madhavi, Mithun Chakraborty, Danny….and finally….AMITABH BACHCHAN….walked in, it was maddening, the crowd went berserk…My camera just couldn’t get any good snaps of any of the Megastar as the crowd went MAD asking for his autograph. Somehow AB made his appearance on the stage and by the time the crowd settled back in their seats the movie started to roll. It was AGNEEPATH, AGNEEPATH and only AGNEEPATH with AMITABH, AMITABH and only AMITABH all the way!!! Phew! What an experience to see the man in flesh and blood, I still have the stills and his autograph. We were amazed to see him signing autographs after the show with both his hands simultaneously. The experience at Nandan was magical.

Although, the film received mixed reactions but it’s still considered to be one of AB’s best films. The dialogues still lingers in everybody’s memory…

• Vijay Dinanath Chauhan…Poora Naam…Gaon Mandva, Umr 36 saal….ye, solvaan ghanta chaalu hai…
• Is duniya mein seedha rehne ke liye ulta sochna bahut zaroori hai…
• Main apne maalik ka puraana wafaadaar hoon…har cheez soot ke saath waapas karta hoon…
• Jab dushman ki umr badh jaati hai, toh us se dosti kar leni chahiye…apni umr badh jaati hai…
• Awaaz bahut ho gaya, Kancha Cheena…ab dhamaka sun ne ka…
• Yeh kya Kancha…pistol bhi dikhaata hai aur peeche bhi hat ta hai…peeche hatne ka nahin…

…and so many more…I can just go on and on and on. Long-live AGNEEPATH!