Saaheb (1985) User Reviews

The movie is an accurate reflection of life in 80s in India.

[aman-agx · 8/10 · 3 April 2008]

This movie was very contemporary in its theme at the time of its production. People might not identify with it now, but it is a very good representation of the middle class society of the Eighties. Resources were scarce, ambitions were big and everyone in the family needed to adjust to the conditions often giving up on their dreams. I think this movie is a must watch for today's generation who have grown up after the economic reforms. It gives a very accurate and detailed picture of our past and is a cue to understanding the generation before us.

The performances are Top notch. Utpal Dutt has portrayed the helplessness and hurt with a dignity that only he could manage. Rakhi has again given one of those performances in which silence and actions speaks louder than words. This was one of Anil Kapoor's earlier movies and he was still not a star. But his potential was well noticed in this movie.

Script and editing are also good although I can understand that things have been a bit over-dramatized and there are a few unwanted song sequences. But again 80s were not really good times for the Indian cinema. And for once the movie was about a real Indian family. Not the Super rich, cash abundant, Ferrari driving, Personal jet owner NRIs who have so much money that the only thing they can think about is love and marriage. This was real cinema not a dreamland. So on a scale adjusted for trends in different times, I would still give it an 8.

Perfect display of pure serious acting by Utpal Dutt - One of The Masters of Comedy

[jai-2061 · 8/10 · 29 July 2011]

I have never seen a movie which has such a simple plot, yet its so interesting to watch. This is only because of the pure acting display by Utpal Dutt and Anil Kapoor and for a change, Rakhee.

Unlike other movies, Saaheb has a happy beginning and a serious end. The story is not gripping, but its the acting, emotions, and the innocence displayed by characters which makes this a great movie. The father and son relationship was brought to a different level, especially in the pen-ultimate scene.

There are very little flaws in the screenplay and direction, considering this released in 1985.

All in all, a good movie to watch especially if you want to see the best of Utpal Dutt.

Emotional tear jerker

[silvan-desouza · 7/10 · 18 February 2014]

The film released in 1985 when Anil was a newcomer This film is one of his underrated films It is a nice emotional film involving family values, sacrifices.etc but the film is filled with emotions, also there is romance and comedy Deven Verma takes a dig on other films. The film is indeed watchable though it didn't work much that time.

Direction by Anil Ganguly is good Music by Bhappi Lahiri is good, Yaar Beena Chain became famous though it's copied from a south number, Kya Khabar Kya Pata is a nice song by Kishore Kumar, Chalte Chale too is a superb number

Anil Kapoor underplays his part beautifully, His role required great talent and he does a great job in emotions Amrita Singh is decent, Utpal Dutt is fantastic Raakhee is good as Anil's sister in law,Vijay Arora and others are decent, Deven Verma lends some funny moments.

Saaheb - The 'Goalkeeper'!

[Loose_Canon · 10/10 · 25 February 2010]

'Saaheb' is a movie that grows on you .. slowly and surely. You'd want to watch it over and over again to appreciate the subtlety with which the travails of a middle class Indian family are captured on celluloid. Utpal Dutt, Rakhee & Anil Kapoor deliver stellar performances that are restrained yet eloquent. Silent yet expressive. Soft in execution yet hard-hitting with strong messages. Even the character actors in this movie are very believable and hence good to watch and identify with. At no place, do you feel that what you are seeing in front of you is not something that you have already witnessed at some point of time in your life either with yourself or someone close to you. The story itself is about a middle class Indian family that's going through the routines of life. So, you have a young college student, Anil Kapoor, who dreams of making it big in life through his first love - playing football. Rakhee plays the doting bhabhi who treats him like a son but is unsure of how to reconcile his differences with his father Utpal Dutt who thinks playing football is a waste of time and instead he should focus on clearing his graduation and look for a job to contribute monetarily in the house. There are the regular caricatures of no-good sons who don't want to accept responsibility beyond a point and are thus of no reassurance to the hapless father looking for their support in marrying off his only daughter, the youngest sister to the four brothers. The story progresses and circumstances change that drives Saaheb to give up on his football career dream to come good on expectations, that are set by his own value system, to contribute to the cause of his sister's marriage and help out in completing his father's last responsibility.

"Sloppy!" Do I hear you say? Say it at your own peril for Director, Anil Ganguli, treads the path of storytelling with such finesse that you can't help but feel for the protagonist's dilemma and his decisiveness in addressing the same, in the end, without remorse and any emotional overkill. In the end, teary-eyed, you walk away from the movie reprimanding yourself for all those selfish decisions that you have taken in your life that did not have much relevance for anyone else except yourself and in making happy you alone. You walk away inspired to resurrect whatever self-respect you have left to reach out and tell your family that you love them and are there for them, no matter what. 'Saaheb' is about sacrifice. 'Saaheb' is about facing your moral dilemmas and finding out who you really are. 'Saaheb' is about valuing relationships. 'Saaheb' is about saving the goal, as the director shows us by brilliantly choosing to show his protagonist as a goalkeeper, at the beginning of the movie. Its a decision, the metaphorical interpretation of which dawns upon you only at the end of the movie. As one of the characters says, translated in English,"There are many players in a football team but there's only one goalkeeper". The weight of that statement stays with you for quite sometime and causes you to think back and reflect upon on your life. You are bound to try and count how many goals did YOU really manage to save when your family needed you in the football of life, and feel sad or proud, accordingly!!!

Such Cinema is rare to come by now. If you've not seen it yet, you are missing something. Do yourself a favor and watch it today. You'll probably realize that the best things in life are really not what you have been chasing all this while....

Anil kapoor biggest superstar after amitabh bacchan

[rajputshri · 10/10 · 13 September 2022]

Many many blockbuster and Superhit movies made anil kapoor excellent Superstar in Hindi world Many many blockbuster send superhit movies anil kapoor excellent actor like sunny deol Real superstar of anil kapoor Blockbuster and Superhit movies 1)Ram lakhan 1989 2)Tejab 1988 3)Mr india 1987 4)Judai 1997 6)1942 a love story 1994 7)Beta 1992 8)meri jung 1985 9)karma 1986 10)joshile 1989 11)Lamhe 1990 12)deewana mastana 1997 13)Ladla 1994 14)ghar wali bahar wali 1998 15)loafer 1996 16)pukar 2001 17) Nayak 2001 18)Mashaal 1985 19) kaala bazar 1987 20) Benam badshah 1994 21) Welcome 22) No entry 23) Parinda 1988 24) Taal 2004.

Movie with a very hopeless theme

[Lover-UD · 5/10 · 26 October 2010]

Looking at a bright star cast, I developed quite a few hopes with this movie but all worthless. I always found movie off track and progressing with no definite theme. It started on a light node and was moving smoothly with the entry of Amrita Sen. Though I could not figure out significance of his Mama's role played by Deven Verma. Many sequences of the movie did not make any sense to me, like Anil's visit to his brother in law's place, his visit to Amrita's place. Also why Anil's passion about football was consolidated again and again.

I am trying hard to convince myself that it was the story of the sacrifice of Anil, but sometime he was shown so lame that he is not absorbing, what is happening around him. Utpal Datt did a wonderful job but he is best suited in his typical energetic old man roles. His character was poorly sketched in the movie. Mostly it was a waste movie.