The 70s beyond any doubt belonged to Amitabh Bachchan. He gave some really memorable movies and performances, to name a few would do injustice to the others. Let’s revisit one of Amitabh’s greatest performances as Vijay in Trishul. Trishul had the memorable Deewaar team of Amitabh-Shahi Kapoor-Yash Chopra-Salim-Javed delivering yet another powerful movie.
Raj (Sanjeev Kapoor), an honest and hardworking engineer is in love with a simple, poor clerk Shanti (Waheda Rahman). Raj’s mother wants him to marry Kamini, his boss’s only daughter and become a partner in the construction company he works. Raj’s mother successfully brainwashes him and he marries Kamini. Meanwhile, Shanti bears his illegitimate son and brings him up the hard way. After her death, her son Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) decides to avenge the wrong done to his mother. Raj is now RK Gupta, a rich businessman with a son Shekar (Shashi Kapoor) and daughter Babli (Poonam Dhillon).
Now begins the clash between RK Gupta and Vijay. In the first showdown, Vijay gets rid of the goons from a land owned by RK Gupta and buys it. He sets up a construction company Shanti Constructions and with the help of a dishonest employee of Gupta, Vijay out bids Gupta in many projects. When Gupta accuses his secretary Gita (Rakhee) of dissent, Vijay clears her name. She joins Vijay’s company and soon becomes his confidante.
Vijay also tries to separate Shekar and his lover Sheetal (Hema Malini). But when Shekar gets to know the truth about Vijay, he deserts his father and joins Vijay. Vijay also helps Babli elope with Ravi (Sachin). Vijay turns the whole family of Gupta’s family against him. He buys all the property owned by Gupta and totally destroys himHe buys and finally reveals the truth to Gupta.
There is also another character, Balwant Rai (Prem Chopra) who hates Gupta and initially helps Vijay. But later turns against Vijay and joins hands with Gupta.
The music by Khayyam is just apt, no comparisons to his previous movie Kabhie Kabhie. All the songs are well placed except for Kabhie Kasame Na which seems to slow the pace of the movie. Yash Chopra as the director has extracted great performances from all and has done full justice to the powerful script.
The script and screenplay by Salim-Javed is one of the high point of the movie. There are some really amazing and memorable dialogues in the movie. Who can forget Mere paas na apane baap-dada ki daulat ki nahi ek pai hai aur nahi mujhe chahiye, mere paas agar kuch hain to apane maa ka diya hua aashirwaad, or Main panch lakh ka sauda karne aaya hoon aur mere jeb mein panch photi kaudi bhi nahi hai or Aaj aapke paas aapki sari daulat sahi, lekin aap se bada gareeb maine zindagi mein nahin dekha and many more.
The characters aren’t stereotypes, no just black or just white, but they are grey and very real life. The only disappointing character is that of RK Gupta’s wife. We can guess that she knows the truth about Vijay and accepts it easily!!
The movie completely belongs to Amitabh Bachchan. He is the angry young man again but with a difference. He is super cool yet has that burning anger underneath. Hats off to the Badshah of Bollywood. Also take nothing away from Sanjeev Kumar. The initial helplessness and later the arrogance and ruthlessness have been portrayed perfectly. Shashi Kapoor and Rahkee are fine. Hema Malini and others don’t have much to do.
Personally, this is the best ‘angry young man’ movie of Amitabh.