User reviews

This action-thriller had proved itself to be the trend-setter in the decade of the eighties. Many politics based action movies came thereafter on the lines of this movie and this movie can, quite justifiably, be called the predecessor to the blockbuster movie of Rajeev Rai - Mohra (1994). It provides some glimpses of Rajkumar Santoshi's much later movie - Ghaatak (1996) too.

Like the Arjun in Mahabharat, here also there is an Arjun who is inspired by someone to take on the evil forces the same way Krishna had inspired the mythological Arjun. However here the person appearing like Krishna is actually someone of the category of Shakuni in the disguise of Krishna. He is, in fact, himself a part of the Kauravas and only exploiting the might and the talent of Arjun to cater to his own interests by misguiding him under the name of working for some ideals.

Arjun (Sunny Deol) is an educated but unemployed youth who is the son of an aged ordinary accountant Mavalankar (A.K. Hangal) working in a private company. The other people in the house are his step-mother (Shashikala) and his step-sister, Sudha (Supriya Pathak). Arjun has to listen to the taunts of his step-mother and tolerate her ill-treatment. Coincidentally, one day, he bumps upon the men of a local hoodlum, Ranga (Goga Kapoor) who is, in turn, the man of local gangster, Anoop Lal (Paresh Rawal) who, in turn, the confidante of local MLA, Deen Dayal Trivedi (Prem Chopra). After a fight with Ranga at his den, Arjun gets arrested, only to find on release on bail that he has no place in his home despite sympathy of his sister Sudha. The politician, Shiv Kumar Chowgule (Anupam Kher) who has given his bail only supports him thereafter too. He arouses the patriotic sentiments of Arjun and uses him against Deen Dayal Trivedi who is his competitor in the same political party. Arjun works for him thinking that he is doing some noble cause. His friend, Mohan (Satyajeet) gets killed in a retaliating attack by Anoop Lal. But he, with the moral support of honest police inspector, Ravi (Raj Kiran) who has married Sudha with his help and his sweetheart, Geeta (Dimple Kapadia); keeps on working against Trivedi with zeal and a clean heart.

The day, Arjun hands a file containing evidences against Trivedi over to Chowgule, Chowgule's approach towards him is changed and he throws him out of his life withdrawing all his support to him. Reason ? Viewers already know but Arjun does not know that Chowgule himself is no better than Trivedi. Both were two sides of the same coin of political corruption. Chowgule blackmails Trivedi on the basis of that file and takes care of his vested interests. Now Arjun comes to know of the real character of Chowgule and the fact that he has been used by him like a pawn on the chessboard of selfish politics. His another friend, Chander (Raja Bundela) also becomes a pawn in political hands and commits a murder to arrange money for his needy family. Finally Arjun exposes and punishes Chowgule in the climax.

Jaaved Akhtar has written this film after getting separated from Saleem and given it the shape of a regular masaala movie of Bollywood. The subject of use of unemployed youths by selfish politicians was handled very well in Gulzaar's classic movie - Mere Apne (1971). Arjun is a regular masaala flick and cannot be compared to that classic film. However in this movie, the unemployed youth is shown as a man of character and principles and that's why the selfish politician is shown as exploiting his noble thoughts to suit his interests. That's a new angle. Besides, exploiting the personal feelings of the youth who is starving for parental love through emotional blackmail, has also been shown with finesse. How such innocent youths are discarded like something useless by such politicians after the have done their bit for them, has also been shown emphatically.

But the thing is, the presentation of the story is less realistic, more filmy. The characters of corrupt politicians and their criminal counterparts are over the top and appear like caricatures. That's why the reality of Chowgule may come as a surprise for the hero in the final part of the movie but it's not at all a surprise for the audience because due to to faulty portrayal of characters (devoid of naturalness), everything is clear before it since the beginning itself. Jaaved Akhtar has used his experience of writing masaala flicks by inserting all the regular formulae of Bollywood movies in the script. Using that script, Rahul Rawail has made an entertaining movie for the regular Bollywood movie buffs.

But, this movie was a path-breaking one in its time because for the first time, the idealist hero was shown as being used as a pawn by someone.

Arjun established Sunny Deol as an action hero. Sunny has always proved that he is a good actor and a perfect choice for action-emotional roles. He has carried this movie on his lone shoulders because all other characters are auxiliaries only. However Dimple Kapadia, Supriya Pathak, Raj Kiran, A.K. Hangal, Shashikala, Satyajeet, Raja Bundela, Shafi Inaamdaar, Annu Kapoor etc. have done well in their small roles. I found all the baddies as over the top.

R.D. Burman's music with Jaaved Akhtar's lyrics is good. Two songs stand out - Mamaiya Kedo Kedo Kedo Mama (by Shailendra Singh and chorus) and Bhoori Bhoori Aankhon Waala Ek Ladka Hai (by Lata).

Technically also, the movie is satisfactory. Cinematography, editing, art direction, everything is in order.

I recommend it to the fans of Sunny Deol as well as the audience liking action-thrillers.

Arjun film is written by none other then SALIM JAVED. sorry JAVED AKHTER..... JAVED AKHTER & film director Rahul Rawail, R D BURMAN & SUNNY DEOL has earlier worked together in BETAB. & it was smash hits on box office... BETAB has established RAHUL RAWAIL as a director, SUNNY DEOL as a hero as like his father DHARMENDRA but more important is for JAVED AKHTER, because he was just separated from his professional partner SALIM.(SALIM- JAVED is the only name in Indian cinema history that audience were used to watch a film by their name on poster even audience never care that who is the star & director of the film ) BETAB was a big hit & established four of them... now again they meet together with another refreshing subject somewhere trendiest a original subject..! story,dialogs & script is representing the 80 to 85 period of India...! young generation were surrounding with the unemployment, unstable government,politician & their connection up to university's leader. earlier GULZAR has made film "Mere Apne" on similar kind of subject...! but here JAVED AKHTAR has polished this subject without lost & found formula... with superb script & dialogs...also RAHUL RAWAIL Handel very well...RAM GOPAL VERMA so many time said that his first film SHIVA was a influenced from ARJUN...!ARJUN film has been his primary textbook of learning film making process , both in technically style and story content. this film also established PARESH RAWAL, ANUPAM KHER as actor....! editing is really really sharp... action is also wonderful....Mohan Baghdad done a good job... particular when arjun first meet to RANGA(GOGA KAPOOR) in bar.. also at MATKA where first time he meet Annup Lal (paresh rawal) even in climax, i think this was the most unusual climax action seen of Hindi cinema. at that time i have read some where in film-magazine that after ARJUN film every producer wants Mohan Baghdad in his film to direct their action sequence .. For a music it was not big chance somehow RD BURMAN has done wonderful job, particular in this song MAMAIYAA CARO CARO CARO MAMA....while the film was release bollywood was suffering from video piracy & i saw this film on video & i remember that we were use to see this song again & again... film's background music was fabulous, particular while ARJUN (sunny) was waiting for street DADA at CHAI KI KITALI & then their friends just come out to support him in this seen they just don't speak anything to each other but in background it just whistling...! that sound was fabulous...! even so many film have copied those particular tune & several other tune from this film. after this film's enormous success, this team has continue to work together, in, SAMUNDAR, DACAIT...! but success were bit far... RAHUL RAWAIL & SUNNY have 7 film together..! upcoming director have to learn from this film...! rather then to inspired from Hollywood film or to do copy...! Indian cinema has also have encyclopaedia of creative work...! ARJUN is one of top 100 Indian cinema....

i watched it us 2 days back after reading about it in IMDb review- and am big fan of sunny deol.. no doubt he's real action hero of bolywwood-n has great voice. when it comes to voice-we get pictures of amarish puri n sunny deol..

story is so simple and so natural is acting.. its wholly sunny movie packed with sentiment action and songs.. rd burman songs rawli direction laudable..

dimple kapadia very much looks like her babe-twinkle in younger days..n sadly dimple not has any scope in this movie...i thought sunny -dimple pair has some interesting scenes...!! none...its just natural relationship in movie...!

i watched n liked it... go n watch it...

9/10

Arjun is really worth a watch, as long as you are not prejudiced towards old films and Sunny Deol.

Story is about an unemployed youth in Bombay who gets involved in crime ad politics because of the circumstances around him. The film also throws light on the hypocrisy and deception politicians use to fulfill their greedy ambitions.

Concept is good, music is just alright, dialogues are among the best with good action sequences. I feel the background score should've been more punchy for a film like this, but that's OK.

I feel they should even make a sequel to this film.

Sunny deol starting career movies expression not Like gadar and ghayal but not bad movie for watching 1 time but not original sunny in it otherwise nobody beat it at bollywood.