Review By Kamal K
It is perhaps because Bobby was so ahead of its time that the film - which introduced Bollywood to the concept of young romance - doesn't seem to have grown old even now. It set countless trends for films that failed to replicate even a fraction of the success that Bobby enjoyed. It took 15 long years for the Hindi film industry to come up with a young romance that could match Bobby in its freshness, innocence and impact - Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, in which Mansoor Khan launched his nephew Aamir Khan, and Juhi Chawla, as two star-crossed lovers who elope to escape their parents' wrath.
Rishi Kapoor, who made his debut in Bobby, has admitted that Aamir's debut, followed by that of the other two Khans - Salman and Shah Rukh, sounded the death knell for his stint as a romantic hero. As the Khans took over as romantic leads, Rishi had to take a backseat and reinvent himself for roles more suited for his age. However, he is proud of being instrumental in changing the tone, language and texture of Bollywood romances with Bobby. He pointed out that before Bobby, the hero and heroine were a man and a woman. But after Bobby, filmmakers and audience realised that the hero and heroine could also be a boy and a girl
This is the love story of a pretty, smart and headstrong Christian school-girl named Bobby, and a romantic, rich and well-mannered young man named Raj, who, unlike most of his contemporaries, prefers to sit at home and write poetry. He falls in love with her the first minute he meets her, and surprisingly enough, it does not look clichéd. The story shows how they start dating each other and how they later fight parental opposition.
Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia have great charisma. Yes, the performance was plausible but what makes it super is originally the casting. The two of them are real teens. Being in the right age for a romance was always a problem in movies. The bet at the newcomers here was right. Sadly I didn't see both of them as bright except very few times later. And last but not least, the direction by our showman Raj Kapoor. It was great; every scene is directed and edited with care, in order for the movie to be organized as well as entertaining. Some scenes made me cry. The character development is displayed well through the direction.
The hit song "Mein Shayar Tho Nahin" is composed perfectly...the lyrics are quite nice too. "Na Chahoon Sona Chandi" is quite entertaining, Manna Dey sings very nicely
The film's cinematography is effective, the editing is good as well, and the art direction is fantastic. The characters are well-written, and most importantly - the music is simply outstanding. All in all, Bobby was a trend-setter, and it still remains an all-time sensational and fresh love story, which will never look dated.
