Before I talk about Anupam Kher’s film ‘Vijay 69’ which boosts enthusiasm, emotion and life, it is necessary to discuss some films of yesteryear. In 1982, the film directed by Basu Chatterjee came – ‘Shaukeen’; In which Ashok Kumar, AK Hangal and Utpal Dutt presented themselves as fashionable old men of the new age. They consider themselves no less than any modern youth. They would go to clubs, dance, wear latest design dresses, stay fit and have quick chats with beautiful girls and thus enjoy life to the fullest. The second film was – BR Chopra-Yash Chopra’s ‘Waqt’ (1965) in which hardly anyone could forget this song filmed on Balraj Sahni – O my Johra Jabi sss… you are still laughing… and I am young sss. Coincidentally, when BR Chopra made his directorial debut with the film ‘Afsana’ in 1951, there was a song in it- I am still young… Which is still on people’s lips even today. Now in 2024, when Anupam Kher brings ‘Vijay 69’, he does not shy away from asking to do triathlon here too. I am still young…
In fact, there was a touch of humor in these characters of such films of the sixties, seventies or eighties, but there was a spark of courage in their character, the flame of which was given a new height by the later filmmakers with full enthusiasm. Cinema is not just a world of fun for the youth; It is a reflection of life, family and society. In old films or songs, whenever an adult was filmed full of passion, or was shown in even the slightest romantic mood, the aim was only to make the audience laugh and tickle in the cinema hall, but Anupam Kher’s 1984 film ‘Saaransh’ After this the viewpoint of the filmmakers changed. Anupam Kher was only 28 years old in that film written and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. He played the role of a retired elderly man over 60 very well and gained fame overnight. At the same time, Rajesh Khanna-Shabana Azmi’s film ‘Avatar’ (1983) showed the same path of respecting old age on screen, which Amitabh Bachchan-Hema Malini’s ‘Bagwaan’ (2003) took to a new level. Now the characters of the elderly and the story of their world also started getting a serious place in cinema.
19 strong characters out of 69
Recently, Anupam Kher to do Triathlon in ‘Vijay 69’ released on OTT platform Netflix.I am still young…‘ and try to live a life of their own choice. He does not consider himself less fit than an 18 year old youth. When he participates in a triathlon, his closest competition is with an 18-year-old boy. There are conflicts with family members regarding triathlon. Friends get angry. Neighbors make fun of her, citing her increasing age – doing a triathlon at the age of 69 means an invitation to death. But they don’t agree. Vijay Mathew does not let the fire inside him get extinguished. He proves time and again that being 69 years old does not mean sitting at home and waiting for death. Vijay knows that in triathlon one has to swim one and a half kilometers, cycle for forty kilometers and run for ten kilometers. Despite this, he is ready to create a new record in the country.
In fact, ‘I am still young’ expresses the desire buried within any elderly person. Growing old can be a stage of age, not a sign of inactivity. People grow old in body, not in heart and mind. This line of the song was also included in Anupam Kher and Rishi Kapoor’s film ‘Shriman Aashiq’ (1993). There was humor here too, but that humor also had the same courage which was there in Rishi Kapoor’s films ‘Sharmaji Namkeen’ and ‘Rajma Chawal’ or in comedy-oriented films like Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘102 Not Out’ or ‘Buddha Hoga Tera Baap’. Where old age is celebrated. Traditionally, old age is said to be about retirement and retirement, but films like ‘Vijay 69’ break this notion and reach new heights.
This is how cinema reached heights
Vijay is known for his character Angry Young Man in Hindi films. Vijay means winner. A character who is never defeated. Amitabh Bachchan has played this character many times and has won the hearts of the audience but this time Vijay has come as an angry old man. No wonder Anupam Kher won everyone’s hearts in this character too. It rarely happened that an artist portrayed a character of his real life age on screen. In this respect Anupam Kher becomes unique. But Amitabh Bachchan is unmatched in playing the character of a lively old man on screen. This series starts with ‘Cheeni Kam’ and reaches its artistic ‘height’ through ‘Black’, ‘Pink’, ‘Piku’, ‘Nishabd’, ‘Jhund’. Those who have seen Amitabh Bachchan as Mirza in ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ can understand why Big B is 82 not out?
Retirement means beginning of life
The story of ‘Black’, ‘Pink’, ‘Piku’, ‘Jhund’ or ‘Unchai’ rebels against the traditional image of old characters in films. These films changed the face of the hero. Changed the equation of success at the box office. The hero is not only the one who compromises the reputation of his old parents in order to get his girlfriend, but the hero is also Vijay Barse, the elder of ‘Jhund’ who selects a team of poor, neglected players from the slum and turns them into international football players. Are. The hero of ‘Black’ is a teacher, the hero of ‘Pink’ is a militant lawyer, the hero of ‘Piku’ is 70 year old Bhaskar Banerjee, suffering from constipation, who against medical advice wants to eat a lot of Jalebi and also go cycling at high speed.
The protagonist is a friend from Sooraj Barjatya’s film ‘Unchai’, who climbs Everest Base Camp in his old age. Anupam Kher is also here in the role of old Om and there are also Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Danny Denzongpa and Neena Gupta. This film of the year 2022 also passionately carries forward the philosophy of Rishi Kapoor’s film ‘Sharma Ji Namkeen’ – Retirement does not mean giving up on life but also the beginning of a new life. Even in ‘Unchai’, the elderly are prevented from going to the base camp citing their age and health, just like in Vijay 69, Anupam Kher is stopped from joining the triathlon. But courage has always outweighed age, be it life or cinema.
Life of retired elders in Jogger’s Park
In this connection, the 2003 film ‘Joggers Park’ cannot be forgotten. Subhash Ghai had also written and produced this film. The director was- Anant Balani. The story of the film was based on the turmoil in the life of a retired judge. The judge is thinking about what he will do after retirement and what impact it will have on the new generation. Artists like Victor Banerjee, Girish Karnad, Divya Dutta and Perizad Zorabian had performed well in the film. This film had garnered a lot of praise and earnings at that time. What should be the retired life and what messages should the new generation get from it, it was shown very seriously in the film. The mood, hope, pain and ambition of the elderly characters were meticulously portrayed on the cinema screen. Jogger’s Park had also shown a new path to the filmmakers in this direction.
Example of victory in female characters
Vijay Mathew of 69, when his daughter refuses to do triathlon, he says – If I am 69 then why should I stop dreaming, if I am 69 then I should read the newspaper in the morning, take a morning walk, take only medicines and sleep and one day Should I die? But when he remains firm on his activism, one day the same daughter tells him – Those who do not give up, never lose. In contrast to such male characters, many adult female characters on the film screen have also presented examples of similar victory and will to live. As if strong female characters are complementary in cinema.
Even if we do not specifically discuss biopic films like Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Panga’, Priyanka Chopra’s ‘Mary Kom’ or Bhumi Pednekar-Taapsee Pannu’s ‘Saand Ki Aankh’ here, it is important to mention the OTT release Sharmila Tagore’s ‘Gulmohar’. Is. An elderly woman who is truly searching for the meaning of life, finds the warmth of relationships not in blood relations but in the warmth of hearts, but the younger members of her family are indifferent to it. It is to live a new life that she is inspired to buy a house in Pondicherry in her old age.
In this sequence, how can we forget some important roles of actresses like Neena Gupta. Be it his film ‘Khujli’ with Jackie Shroff or the popular film ‘Badhaai Ho’ with Ayushmann Khurrana and Sanya Malhotra. In both these films, Neena’s life does not appear to be a fantasy, but a real character born out of circumstances. The most important thing is that the filmmakers have not portrayed these characters with any contempt or sense of humor but have maintained their dignity. Surely old people also have a heart, their heart is also a child. If you make fun of their courage, enthusiasm, emotion and creativity, they will also say – You will be old… so and so…
Amen.
