Akayla (1991) User Reviews

A lesser effort from Ramesh Sippy

[Ibuk · 6/10 · 3 February 2016]

At the time there must have been a huge buzz surrounding Akayla as it was directed by Ramesh Sippy, who directed Amitabh Bachan in Sholay, Shaan and Shakti. This movie also reunited Big B with Shashi Kapoor, who were last seen in Namak Halaal. Unfortunately the end product is a pretty average effort. To be honest I hadn't seen it in it's entirety for at least a decade.

As a movie it shouldn't have worked at all but it remains watchable thanks to Big B, who carries the movie on his shoulders. He is really intense in this movie, which is what the audience at the time expected at the time from him. That said even he isn't able to salvage the mediocre material. He is supported by a decent cast in supporting roles, consisting of Jackie Shroff, Meenakshi, Amrita Singh and Aditya Pancholi and a special appearance by Helen.

There isn't really a script to speak of really, the entire movie is basically Amitabh confronting the villains again and again. The main villain himself, Keith Stevenson is very weak. I am wondering why the directors went for him when they could have found a better villain like Amrish Puri or Raza Murad etc. Stevenson really hams it up with a double role. The songs are decent, particularly Aag lag jaye, which is a great song.

All in all I think without Big B's performance it would have been a much worse movie than it is.

Dirty Harryish Bachchan.

[nadkarnisumeet · 6/10 · 8 November 2020]

Akayla review :

A Dirty Harriysh type cop chasing down villainous twins who practically bump off his entire family and friends; Akayla saw legendary director Ramesh Sippy team up with Amitabh Bachchan once again after their successful run in Sholay (1975), Shaan (1980) and Shakti (1982). Unfortunately, the film didnt exactly set the box office on fire and settled in just about average category.

Bachchan played the alcoholic loner with his usual flair but he was constrained by Salim Khan's predictable plot which was stuck in the 70s. He got to romance two heroines - Amrita Singh and Meenakshi Seshadri - but lost Meenakshi to his bestie Jackie Shroff. Amrita had the better role of a bar dancer and I loved the scene where she makes Amitabh jealous just to make him confess his love.

Keith Stevenson was the main villain in a double role of Tony - Jojo, one a shrewd and cunning criminal while his younger bro is a lollypop sucking dimwit. Writer Salim had high hopes on his debutant villain but sadly, the audience didnt find Keith as menacing as Ramesh Sippy's Gabbar or Shakaal. Personally, I liked him in the scene where he goes to rape Amrita Singh in her apartment. Its a chilling moment!! Interestingly, Aamir Khan played a similar double role in the recent blockbuster Dhoom 3 (2013). Hmm!

As for the rest of the cast, Jackie Dada and Meenakshi were shortchanged by bumping them off ingloriously in first half. Worse was Aditya Panscholi who got just two scenes with Amitabh before his death.

Laxmikant Pyarelal's music score was strictly average but still, the 'Ram pyaari' song featuring a yellow Volkswagen Beetle driven by Amitabh became fairly popular.

Finally, Akayla was an out and out Amitabh Bachchan show and he didn't disappoint one bit. It was his final collaboration with Ramesh Sippy and released just before Diwali 1991 at Mumbai's Novelty cinema. Playing safe, Yash Chopra actually postponed his Lamhe by couple of weeks to avoid clash with this Ramesh Sippy- Amitabh Bachchan film. Such was their power!!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni

Pretty Good

[superindrajit · 7/10 · 8 March 2012]

90's has got to be the worst decade for Amitabh, though he rose again with his first hit Mohabatein in 2000 before 2000 and after 1990, Amitabh gave a lot of flops and a few disasters. This film is good and the message is well conyed. Police hands are always bound because the villain hires a good lawyer to prove the police wrong though Amitabh gave a wonderful speech in the courtroom though he was insulted and proved as a drunken cop who doesn't know what he's doing. The scenes were he captures the villains in old school action style is good and the action is well demonstrated. Though Deol movies have reasonable action, 1 guys bashing up 20 is too bland and unrealistic. Bachchan's entry is extraordinary, he doesn't fight unlike most action hero's and he intimitdates the villain. The movie's major problem is the story, which isn't really bad but at times it drags and the 2 back to back melodramatic songs aren't good. There is no interest the audience will find the story besides the murders the villain commits and the way Amitabh stops the injustic after resigning from the police force. The subplots aren't strong, the Jackie Shroff track is well executed and Amitabh's sacrifice for his love because Jackie loves the same girl is good, the entire Akalya Amitabh is also well demonstrated but even this will not be enough to create an impact to the audience. The other subplots like the twin brother of the villain making silly jokes is stupid and the other badguy who fights with Bachchan in the bar is also another typical subplot coppied from other movies. Though the movie flopped, this was one's of Amitabh's good flops. Like always, Bachchan excels as Vijay Verma and this movie had a better story than Shahenshah which was like a copy of Batman. Jackie Shroff is good, no overacting from him. Shashi Kapoor as the overwright head of police is OK. Meenxi is good while Amrita Singh is average. The supporting cast is average and the villain Keith Stevenson hams it up really badly by regularly shouting, his double role means what could be worse than 2 Keith's in one film for most viewers and mostly me. But, the movie is still pretty good for me, I wish this was Big B's comeback instead of Hum. Both films were good and even Ajooba wasn't that bad, don't know why critics and viewers made the box office make these films a flop. Overall, a very underrated movie from the legend Amitabh Bachchan

AB does Dirty Harry!

[jattunit · 15 May 2009]

During these days when Amitabh was almost on his way out and Ramesh Sippy wasn't in the comfort zone either. The 90's had to be the worst decade for Amitabh as it marked the fall of a legend. After Ganga Jamuna Saraswati, Toofan and Jaadugar, it was Akayla's turn to take the beat by the public. And did they public beat it? Of course. The film was something we had been seeing since the 80's, AB's act towards injustice and being a responsible cop to take the villain but this time, Clint Eastwood style! Obvoiously AB had done his homework to mimic Clint because I cannot imagine anyone else that could have done it down Bollywood! The story itself is too hallow. More hallow then Ramesh Sippy's last nightmare Bhrastachar. So no way this film could have survived at the box office. The villain, Keith Stevenson, hammers badly. A miscast. The only thing that could have helped this film was AB's performance which didn't find any takers at all.

The supporting cast wasn't too bad. Jackie Shroff was good. Aditya Pancholi was better. Meenakshi Sheshadri does okay in a small role. Amrita Singh is average. Shashi Kapoor, well, cant say much about him.

Overall, a bad experiment and comes too late in its day. Story too hallow. Music below average. But some of the action scene are good to look forward to.

2 out 5

P.S If your not too sure about a Ramesh Sippy film just remember, a his films that begin with 'S' are the better lot. Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Shaan, Shakti and Saagar :)

Salim Khan Proves his Mettle Again!! AB's characterization is perfect.

[kunalbajaj272 · 8/10 · 30 January 2020]

This Movie is pure classic and gold I have got hold of. Its inspired from Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry and its done in quite excellent manner. Characters have been built quite perfectly, and have given an arc its needed and progresses well with the story. AB's character is perfectly built upon while other characters are used quite welll but not built upon. Yes, The Villain is quite miscast, I think the makers wanted to create 'Naam' like Villian which creates "Comedy" at the same time and add entertainment value in the scene. I think Paresh Rawal would have been perfect pitch. Overall movie is quite entertaining, and action sequences are executed well. We have got a clear classic movie here. Kudos go and watch it at one go. Its on youtube.

Comic and entertaining !

[chumpa_chameli · 8/10 · 1 April 2006]

Akayla was one of the movie Amitabh Bachchann did before his retirement to America in the early 1990s.The movie brought two of the greatest pairing in Indian cinema Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchann after a very long time.The film also stars Amrita Singh, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Aditya Panscholi and not to forget Kawanljeet in crucial roles.Akayla is the story of a hard hitting cop Inspector Vijay (Amitabh B).He is a loner in real life and smart,witty an intelligent when his work is concerned.In a supermarket robbery he catches the culprit (Keith Stevenson) whose identity couldn't get proved in the Indian law court.From there on the culprit and Inspector become enemies as the story unfolds.The villain the culprit is the villain of the movie whom Vijay has to finish and bring justice to the society.Akayla is the story of how a smart Inspector brings justice with the help of his friends and family.The movie is one of the best movies of Amitabh Bachchann if not the best.Also it is written by Salim Khan who once penned the 'angry young man' image of Amitabh Bachchann in the 1970s.8 out of 10