Jaadugar (1989)

Absolutely Fantastic

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This is a case where you have to respect the movie's idea and message, but not the movie itself ! At that point, the Masala was living a sparkling era in the Indian cinema. (Amitabh Bachchan) and (Amrish Puri) were the perfect lion and tiger. And melodrama was the boss. This time the same elements, without much melodrama, were used for something else, something more serious. The movie is about the deception under the name of god, and turning religion into business. The intro of the story is so right; an encounter between a simple magician who wants to entertain people, and a dangerous quack who wants to rob people. Just the idea is catchy when the first wages war against the last, and by his very own weapon; smart quackery. So far, so great. However the rest isn't ! The first half is a strangely inserted romantic comedy, so boring and ridiculous, starring (Bachchan) and (Jayapradha). Then, we come to the basic story, which the movie was made for, where the naivety rules and wins.Don't ask about motives because this is a massacre of motives; why this magician, a helpless womanizer, becomes a sacrificing man who gives all of his money to rescue this village ? Why (Pran) hates (Puri) so much ? How the son of (Puri) believes so easily that (Bachchan) is becoming another quack ? and so on.The movie is extremely poor, with nothing sharp along the way. The magical games between the 2 teams are campy at best. The dealing with the idea is low. Some events can't be taking place in a kids' show; such as the fake murder of (Pran)'s character, then framing it to (Puri). The transforming of (Puri)'s henchman, who went to kill (Bachchan), by only a loud speech is laughable. Cutting off the hands of (Puri) later is even more laughable. The dialog seems like something written in 2 days. It's wholly as direct and dry as public service announcement, however less convincing!Add to that; the very beautiful and talented star (Amrita Singh) is so wasted, a male sidekick would have been more useful than her! (Aditya Pancholi) isn't powerful, being the least interesting factor. (Jayapradha) and (Bachchan) himself are ghosts in lame drama, rather heavy guests in light ad. (Puri) does fine as the evil man because he always does fine as the evil man, whatever the movies sucked !Except the first number of (Bachchan) as a dazzling entertainer, a few – and I mean a few – comic moments, and the main good intention; this is emaciated and forgettable. (Bachchan) needed so much to change the taste of his roles and movies at the time, let alone passing the failure of his previous ones (Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswathi – 1988) and (Toofan – 1989). However, the thing that he didn't need at all is (Jaadugar). It is something rare, sorrowfully not as a meaningful comedy, but as a self-destructive one! Selecting to work in movies made by that level is sure why this phase of the big B is now descried as the end of his career as the one and only leading man of the Indian cinema once.As you see the blindness of some kind people, due to their ignorance and foolishness, could hurt them…in and outside the movie !

This movie is a classic example of the terrible movies Amitabh acted in late 80's. Really childish, overacted and long movie. About the only thing notable about this movie is the title song sung by Kumar Sanu marks his entry in Hindi movie industry in a big way (he had a couple of stints before it.)If you liked "Shahenshah" there is a chance you might like this movie. Songs are so-so, acting is mediocre. There is too much silly/bad Amitabh in this movie even for an Amitabh fan like me. I watched this movie in theater when it came out and had to force myself to stay in there only because I had paid 7 bucks to watch it.

Bad script! Bad Direction! Things gone haywire!Prakash Mehra and Amitabh Bachchan made a very good pair in past. Great entertainment in history. The movie could have been a good one, considering it had a novel theme. A Fake Godman (Amrish Puri) exposed and in turn defeated by a magician (Amitabh Bachchan) in his own game! The icing was the magician is brought to game by none other than the son of the Godman (Aditya Pancholi).But the script was lost, at times songs and dialogue become vulgure. Acting is average and the movie, it appears was made only for the front benchers, and was perhaps even rejected by them.There are some shades of past brillience, on screen its not worth, but on vedio / DVD - thanks to technology - we can fast forward what we don't like. This movie perhaps can be watched in double quick time.