Amar Akbar Anthony

Three brothers, three religions, three lots of fun

A wonderfully cheesy Hindi film from the late 1970s when flares were in vogue and disco ruled the world. Even now some 30 years on, this film still holds its own and is as charming now as it was then but with the added bonus of subtitles to help those people along whose Hindi is somewhat scratchy or in my case totally none existent.

This is a typical Hindi film with a zillion songs, lots of fancy dance routines along with the usual flimsy plot following the fate of three young brothers who find themselves being raised as a Hindu, Muslim and Christian respectively when they are separated from each other after their father goes on the run from the police and their mother disappears.

"Amar, Akbar, Anthony" is a film with no genre whatsoever; it is a drama, comedy, adventure, musical and love story all rolled into one, with the actors and actresses singing and dancing their way through a series of impossible events that culminate in everyone getting their girl, and the mother and father being reunited after 20 years apart.

This is escapism in its literal sense but it is great fun to watch and you will soon find yourself booing the baddies and cheering on the goodies. Oh yes this film has goodies and baddies, kidnapped girls (who happen to be very beautiful) and heroic rescues from burning buildings, the odd miracle or two, along with a forced marriage, one funeral, an act of vengeance and a delightful scene of riding off into the sunset that will have you laughing and cheering from beginning to end.

With an excellent cast of characters playing the lead roles, all you can do is sit back, pop open a bag of pakoras and munch your way through Hindi movie heaven. August 21, 2006

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