Armaan review :
Adapted from Hollywood classic Casablanca (1942), Armaan is memorable for Bappi Lahiri's disco songs - Rambha Ho Ho and Mere Jaisi Haseena - picturised on the glamour doll Kalpana Iyer who elevated the tracks to different level altogether.
The firangi plot is adapted to the Indian palette. In the pre-independence era, Deepak Parashar plays a freedom fighter landing up in Goa to migrate to Japan and join Indian National Army (INA). Raj Babbar, a Goan bar owner has a grudge against him as his lady love Ranjeeta ditched him for Deepak. Shammi Kapoor plays the jovial bar staff cum piano player who loves pulling the leg of Shakti Kapoor playing the freeloading Portuguese Captain Gomes. Shammi refers to him as HK which is Holy King as well as Haraam Khor to gather a few lol moments.
The Portuguese- British diplomatic relations is interestingly woven in to the narrative. So is the fact that Portuguese were even more cruel and corrupt than the British. An antique watch is enough to entice the authorised signatory to approve a visa application.
The film also had a bold scene where it is implied Raj Babbar has had sex with Kalpana Iyer in his car and then he ditches her there and then. Kalpana's bare back is shown even as Babbar asks her to buzz off.
But most importantly, it was the Rambha Ho item number which makes Armaan immortal. The song became an anthem of sorts in the early '80s and Kalpana Iyer's dance moves attained the level of immortality. This is one movie where Kalpana stole the show over the film's lead heroine Ranjeeta Kaur.
Regards,
Sumeet Nadkarni.
