Coolie (1983)

When Iqbal gets separated from his mother and brother by a flood, he becomes a coolie at Mumbai railway station. He then fights for the coolies rights and faces challenges from a businessman.

Directors:

Manmohan Desai, Prayag Raj

Writers:

Smt. Jeevanprabha M. Desai (idea) (as Smt. J.M. Desai), Kader Khan (dialogue)

Stars:

Amitabh Bachchan, Waheeda Rehman, Rishi Kapoor

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Amitabh Bachchan	...	Iqbal A. Khan
Waheeda Rehman	...	Salma
Rishi Kapoor	...	Sunny
Rati Agnihotri	...	Julie D'Costa
Shoma Anand	...	Deepa Iyengar
Suresh Oberoi	...	Vicky Puri
Om Shivpuri	...	Mr. Om Puri
Satyendra Kapoor	...	Aslam (as Satyen Kappu)
Nilu Phule	...	Nathu (Mama)
Goga Kapoor	...	Goga (as Goga)
Puneet Issar	...	Bob
Mukri	...	Mr. Iyengar
Shubha Khote	...	Mrs. Savitri Iyengar (as Shobha Khote)
Krishan Dhawan	...	Maula Saab
Ashalata Wabgaonkar	...	Parvati (Nathu's wife) (as Ashalata)

Storyline

A wealthy, but evil man named Zafar Khan, has fallen in love a girl named Salma and wants to marry her, but she and her father do not let him. Zafar is arrested for various crimes and is imprisoned for 10 years, but when he is discharged, he sees that Salma is married to a good man named Aslam Khan. Zafar Khan, wants to convince Salma to marry him but Salma refuses. Zafar plots his revenge by flooding the region in which Salma lives in, killing her father, injuring Aslam and Salma, causing her to lose her memory. During this catastrophe, Salma is also separated from her young son, Iqbal. Zafar abducts Salma and tells the world she is his wife. He also adopts an infant from an orphanage in Kanpur, a boy named Sunny, for Salma to raise on the advice of a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, Iqbal is reunited with his uncle, who has lost his wife and son in the flood. The uncle will raise Iqbal as his own, as they have no more family. Years pass, and Iqbal and his uncle work as coolies. Iqbal has ...

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Plot Keywords:

boy | flood | porter | childhood sweetheart | hospital | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Manmohan Desai stated "Trade journalist's are now saying that Coolie is a Muslim mythological. The correct impression of impact of Coolie on Muslim audience's comes from watching the film at the Alankar Theatre ( at the edge of the Bhendi Bazaar neighborhood). I knew that once the ladies in burka's started filling that theatre, making the house full daily, that the film was a hit. The Muslim's have taken Coolie to their hearts. Otherwise Muslim ladies would'nt be there. They are very orthodox. They are not allowed to see any Tom Dick and Harry film by the family,unless the male member's see it approve".

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Goofs

When Iqbal is explaining to the Railway Minister that one of his porters was assaulted by one of the commuters, there is a yellow stick in front of him which moves with him.

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Crazy Credits

At the shot where Amitabh Bachchan actually got hurt and had serious injury, a card appear reading the same.

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Connections

Referenced in Raanjhanaa (2013)

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Soundtracks

Jawani ki rail kahin chhoot na
Lyrics by Anand Bakshi
Music by Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar & Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma
Performed by Shabbir Kumar & Anuradha Paudwal

User Reviews

Best Masala Entertainer of 80's .. Highly Entertaining yet true to its subject i.e. Coolie !!

I was blown away with movie when I saw its first time in 1995 .. and probably it was my 2nd or 3rd Amitabh bachchan movie back then. I became instant fan .. the persona, the larger than life presence, the voice, Best Entry scene ever , the comic timing, Dance sequence, fights .. everything simply blow me .. probably first time I became fan of any actor and I was 14 years old in 1995. Its fifteen years .. and I have seen all movies of Amitabh bachchan, no need to say bachchan movies are treasure of sort .. but Coolie is still my All time favorite, I have seen more than 100 times, have VHS, CD, DVD .. all formats at home, and still buy any DVD/CD if found any new cover .. :) Such a crazy fan of this movie.

Coming to review .. This is probably ONLY movie in this world which made on life of Coolie .. Entire movie and each scene is attributed towards them only including songs. Movie is so true to its subject(coolie) yet so much entertaining. Right from entry scene of Iqbaal(Amitabh) to Climax .. movie packs a SOLID punch of entertainment. Some best scenes :

1. Zafar breaking DAM and flood scene 2. Zafar Kidnapping Salma 3. Puneet Issar trying to kill Iqbaal(Kid) and breaking hands of Mama. 4. Iqbaal(Amitabh) Entry scene 5. Coolie on Strike 6. Strike ends and "Saari duniya ka bhoj" song. 7. Mujhe Peene Ka Shaunk Nahi Song 8. Amitabh and Rishi first confrontation 9. Lambu Ji Tingu Ji Song 10. Iqbaal taking coolies to Puri and Vicky house 11. Iqbaal kidnapping Rati and Omelet scene 12. Umbrella Scene and Amitabh proposing Rati 13. Rati Confession of love to Amitabh followed by "Dono Jawani Ki Masti" Song 14. Coolies getting their Home and Chitfund fight scene where Amitabh hurt 15. Amitabh met his mother Salma 16. Salma shot bullet and Hazi Ali sequence 17. Rishi get to know about his identity. 18. Amitabh electing and Climax speech sequence between Amitabh, Zafar and Salma. 19. Climax fight and Amitabh shot bullets 20. Amitabh rescued and saved .. and his final thanks to Audience.

Background score and Music is another high point .. Specially BG music during Amitabh Entry scene and Climax scene when he was shot dead .. is SUPERB.

I can watch Coolie umpteen number of times .. this is wholesome timeless entertainer. A MUST watch for all Bollywood and masala movies fans. Best Masala movie ever made .. even better than Amar Akbar Anthony.

Details

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi

Release Date:

2 December 1983 (India)

Also Known As:

Porter

Filming Locations:

India

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aasia Films Pvt. Ltd., M.K.D. Films Combine

Technical Specs

Runtime:

177 min

Color:

Color