How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

After KAALIA, Tinnu Anand returned with Big B with Shaheenshah(1988) which was his comeback since his brief exit for politics. Shaheenshah is however very overrated. The film starts off well with Amrish Puri staging a bank robbery with Prem Chopra being along with him(who is the manager in the bank) and Innocent Inspector Kader Khan who catches one of them in a bar is arrested in a case of bribe. He commits suicide leaving behind a son, predictabily Amitabh Bachchan who first is shown as a buffoon raving about his fake encounters but he has a disguise of Shaheenshah who kills people. The handling however is very corny, much akin to cinema in 80s It's very heartening to see Amitabh in the Paan Banaras waala style especially because he was past his prime, overweight and wrinkles but yet some scenes are good especially Shaheenshah beating Muqtar Singh.An ode is given to DON where Amitabh too ate paan and spoke in the dialect There are several stupid scenes like the entire climatic court scene which is too stupidDirection is okay Music is decentAmitabh Bachchan does show good comic timing and his role of Paan Speaking Cop(looks similar to DON)but as I said he was past his prime by then(late 40s) and he looks old and overweight.He is good as Shaheenshah though. Meenaxi is okay in her role, To see a talent of her calibre in such roles is odd, but anywayz bollywood had not yet seen her perform in Damini that time. Amongst rest Aruna Irani is good, Rohini Hattangudy(though younger to Bachchan) is good, Pran is good too, Kader Khan leaves a mark in a cameo Aftab is decent as the child artist of Amitabh, Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra are as usual, rest are okay

Big B went into politics after super hit Aakhree Rasta and flop Inquilaab. This was his comeback into films and the movie went on to become a blockbuster. The movie is another typical film with wrong happening to people and the criminals doing their crimes with ease and the police acting stupid as usual not knowing anything. Big B's dad Kader Khan making his move against the villains and getting falsed accused and sent to jail, him committing suicide, and then the typical young boy grows old and takes his revenge by fighting against crime. Shahenshah's main plot has been told a million times in Hindi films many times where wrong is done and action taken against wrong as action. But, Tinnu Anand's handling is top class which makes the movie entertaining. Though, Bachchan's cop act irritates and the overall comedy in the film is not well extracted, the Shahenshah act of Bachchan and songs of the film keep the movie up. The villains and their plans are well shown, the famous court scene at the end is well demonstrated. Though the film has few rough patches in the plot, the movie still entertains and it doesn't drag like other films. Acting is good, Big B is damn good, his acting is up to standard, Meenaxi is good, Amrish Puri has got to be the best villain, rest are typecast but good. Direction by Tinnu is good, after Kaalia, Tinnu gives Bachchcan another hit. But, Main Azzad Hoon after this was a flop though it was a great film. Overall, Shahenshah is another classic which will definitely be remembered as Big B's good films.

I watched it for the first time at the end of the 1980's right after its first release as a video in Egypt. I remember being dazzled. The presence of Shahenshah's character was too captivating. The cinematic halo around it did move us greatly; from the framed appearance in the dark, and the frightful high breath, to the strange outfit and the white hair. I put it in the best 10 movies of Amitabh Bachchan at the moment which already had (Amar Akbar Anthony, Mard, and Coolie). Over the years my memory didn't hold well all the events, but I loved the Zorro theme; where there are 2 faces for the lead, one as a clumsy sissy that he has to wear in daylight (Vijay), then another one as the public hero at night (Shahenshah). And I kept talking to everybody about how marvelous the climax was. The sight of Amrish Puri hanged in the courtroom after some action left me speechless for years, and still does.After 20 years, I re-watched it. I found the plot a real coherent except for some minor problems; how the old witness (who has the only proof that the lead's father was innocent) kept the tape which convicts the bad guys for all of these years unused?, How the lead knew about it ?, Why to tape this conversation in the first place? And when the police did arrest the framed inspector why he didn't ask them to search the room (where sure the real tape was present)??? Unlike Zorro, Batman, Superman and whatever any other 2-faced heroes, it would have better, and more mysterious, if we were left to ask for some time what the real identity of Shahenshah was? (Meenakshi Shesadri) is supposed to be a poor pickpocket while wearing flashy dresses and short shorts, doing nothing but singing and dancing in the streets (!!).. simply she was a pure image of the commercial Indian movie's heroine more than a character! Some matters ran randomly near the end; Bachchan didn't have the appropriate time to change his character, the matter of the bloody newspaper was cheesy, and the worst of all was how the bad guy's assassins wore one uniform ??!! But it got its merits. Shahenshah's characterization was inspiring, with fine background and special designing (the rope, the bulletproof arm, the leather outfit, the haircut, not to mention the gritty tone). Then, there is a slight metaphor in the story; whereas the law is as corrupted and helpless as Vijay, and it needs not only more idealism and carriage to be effective. In fact, what it desperately needs is a ruthless power, or in other words a vigilante of a good hero who executes justice by his bare hands, repelling violence with violence.The direction delivered a fair show. The editing with the script made a tight pace, despite the running time (182 minutes). There weren't the countless far coincidences, "lost and found" stuff, or exaggerated acting. There is plenty of catchy lines (the moon can't fix its deformities by itself) about how justice is in the need of help to be perfect, (I need a knife to cut the name of your father off your own disgraceful one), and (the officer's suit wasn't enough) along with the lead's loud speech at the end, in which he kind of demands from the law's enforcers – out of the movie – to be partly a Shahenshah against the criminals, and in front of the rotten policemen and politicians too.The all star cast managed to be memorable. The script gave them images of stereotypes and as character-actors they were stars. Just put (Amrish Puri, Pran, Kader Khan, Prem Chopra) together in anything and it'll be a hit, or – in the worst cases – a must-watch assembly. (Meenakshi Sheshadri) was the dream girl of the show, I loved every cadre of her, radiating fresh sexuality for all the time. As another review referred; Amitabh Bachchan was the betel-chewing idiot, and the angry young man again (after being both in many previous movies such as Don). However, he did it brilliantly, investing the 2 personas in creative way. And when it comes to the title's role then I must be that dazzled kid once more and maybe forever. The charisma of the big B looked like a thunderstorm as that Savior. He was larger than life, raising many eyebrows while; walking, talking, or his tough decisive dealing with the baddies.No doubts that (Shahenshah) was a peak for Bachchan of the 1980s. Because things wouldn't be quite in the right track for him after it. He would do the infamous (Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswathi) and (Toofan). Then his popularity would run low, and in no time (1992) he would retire acting again but not for politics like he did 3 years before Shahenshah. I believe this time wasn't for resting and restudying matters wisely. It was rather for understanding more the dilemma of his speedily advancing age (if you noticed, Vijay was supposed to be a 20-something man, but Bachchan was 46 !). Of course it was tough enough for India's top star, and most famous angry "young" man, to move on to another stage and type of roles.It's a combination of fine storyline, good cast and lovable star, having action and satire more than melodrama. But while being a peak, it's not the peak. Nevertheless it vanquished its own problems, proofing itself as a 1988's hit. Plus it is a classic in my book; after 2 decades it's still watchable and distinct. If anybody ever forgot this awesome knight with his shinning armor smashing walls by the evil guys' bodies while the impassioned theme song is on, then he or she must be one ungrateful person !

Shenshaah is the first ever Superman kind of movie made in India. Like Superman he has a dual life. In first he plays the role of Inspector Vijay (he loves to have the same name in most of his movies), the other being Shenshaah, a menace for the evil.As the Police Inspector he is corrupt so that he can get close to the baddies of the city and then controls them as Shenshaah. Like the usual Superman movie, there is a heroine who loves Shenshaah not Vijay. And in the typical fashion as in SUperman movies, evil is finished at the end. Here the villain played by Amrish Puri is hanged inside the courtroom by Shenshaah. Shenshaah played by Amitabh Bachchan; this is one of his memorable roles ever. Meenakshi Shesadri plays the love interest of Shenshaah. Rohini Hattangadi plays the role of Vijay's mother. She has done justice to her role.