I take this opportunity to claim from roof tops that I have a fetish for great action movies.Although I love the high-tech action Hollywood movies but I hate to believe that our directors cannot show great action sequences.This review is dedicated to the directors who are great and very famous but I try to bring about their ability to shoot great action sequences.As is evident that I could not short list 10 so have made a list of 15 top-notch directors including directors from the past and present who gave us amazing action movies and memorable action sequences.
It is obvious that the directors could not have made them great without the help of fight masters, cinematography, duplicates and the leading men so this is s tribute to all of them who gave me some great cinematic movies in terms of action.
1.Mehboob Khan-This might come as a surprise as the legendary director is very famous but not for the action sequences of his movies.However if one looks closely at action movie or for that matter action sequences in Hindi cinema Mehboob Khan is by all standard a trendsetter.During early 50’s action and stunt movies were considered B-grade stuff as mostly out of work actors and small time film-maker would make such cinema.However the legendary director shocked everyone when after the mammoth success of Andaaz-1949-Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Nargis, he announced Aan with Dilip Kumar, Prem nath, Nadira and Nimmi.Based on Taming Of The Shrew aan was a big budget action movie with palaces, farms, sword fencing, animals and chariots.The movie when released was a cult hit and was the first popular Hindi movie to be premiered at London thus getting international acclaim for its makers and actors.The sword fencing between Dilip Kumar and Prem Nath forms the highlight of the action scenes and this movie also has the distinction of being the first technicolour Hindi movie when released in 1952.Later when Khan made the immortal Mother India-1957 which was a remake of his own aurat he again ensured that there were some great action scenes in it.The sequence when the brothers Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar alongwith their mother Nargis fight among themselves for a gun is one of the most hard-hitting and real-life action scene.Again towards the end when Dutt again picks up fight with his brother Kumar the scene looks close to reality because of the raw impact it makes.
2.Shakti Samanta-This guy is more famous for his romantic movies with Rajesh Khanna-Aradhana and Amar Prem but deserves kudos for being the pioneer action film-maker in popular A-grade Hindi cinema.His earlier action movies with Ashok Kumar-Howrah Bridge had great action scenes.Later with his other favourite Shammi Kapoor he made great action movie-China Town.Even the romantic An Evening In Paris with Shammi had a rivetting action filled climax shot at Niagara falls.When Rajesh Khanna’s carrier hit rock bottom he made 2 hits with Amitabh Bachchan-The Great Gambler-1979(read my review for details) and the billingual Barsaat Ki Ek Raat-1980.The Great Gambler was a slickly shot spy movie with great locations-Rome, Venice and Lisbon and amazing action sequences.Barsaat Ki Ek Raat was shot in Bengal and besides good action scenes had a terrific climax fight between Amitabh and Amjad Khan shot on a trolley.
3.Manmohan Desai-The King of masala made formula based movies where action was the highlights.The cilmax of Kismet, the action scenes between both Rajesh Khanna’s in Sachcha Jhootha(read my review) and the climax of Roti where Sujit Kumar follows Rajesh Khanna with his team in the isnow capped mountains were great action sequences by any standards.The sword fencing of Dharam Veer(read review), submarine and underwater fights of Parvarish shows his verstality in shooting action scenes.While his rival Prakash Mehra’s hits with Amitabh did not had highlighted action scenes desai always gave memorable action scenes to Amitabh.The fights in Coolie, the chase of Amitabh by Navin Nishchol in Desh Premee and the climax fight of Mard were well executed.The entry fight of Amitabh and Shashi in Suhaag(read my review) were total filmy but still enjoyable.Naseeb was his most ambitous movie which had great sequences all over.Although the cinematography and special effects of desai’s films were disappointing but the fights had a total filmy look to it which went well.
4.Raj khosla-Another great filmmaker who made all kinds of movies.His penchant for action movies in the great sequences of Mera Gaon Mera Desh and Dostana.
5.Vijay Anand-A master story teller.He had great action scenes in his hit Ram balram and fliop Rajput.
6.Ramesh Sippy-The maker of the biggest hit action film-sholay.Sippy was a great director and action scenes of his films Sholay and Shan in particular were world class.Even in a dramatic Shakti he shot some great action scenes on Amitabh.Although yash Chopra also made some great angry young man movies with Amitabh and Salim-Javed but barring Kala Pathar, Ramesh Sippy takes the cake for the action sequences.
7.Subash Ghai-Another formula film maker.His debut Kalicharan(read my review) had great fights and so did his follow up act in Vishwanath.The sequence in Karz where Simi kills Raj kiran by a jeep is marvellous.Vidhaata, Karma, Saudagar all had some finely shot action scenes.
8.Mukul S.Anand-He was a great technician.His films although at times lacked the punch but were technically sound.The action scenes of most of his movies are ample proof of it.The opening fight sequnce between Dharmendra’s army and Amrish Puri’s men in Sultanat is amazing.The opening scene of the sport played in Afganistan between Amitabh and Sreedevi in Khuda Gawah is amazing.Hum had great action scenes I the first half between Amitabh and Danny.His hal completed Dus also had terrific sequences as was evident in the promos but unfortunately he died at a rather young age.
9.J.P.Dutta-Whether it is a desert saga in Rajasthan like Ghulami, Batwara or a war epic-Border, LOC Dutta shot the action scenes to perfection.The dusty look, cinematography and amazing action scenes always made action his forte.Even in Yateem and Batwara there were great action scenes.a rather romantic Refugee also had 2 great action scenes one the fight between Sunil Shetty and Mukesh Tiwari with a lot of camels and the other being the run of Abhishekh from Jackie Shroff and the other BSF jawans shot amazingly in Rann Of Kutch.
10.Raj Kumar Santoshi-Right from his first film Ghayal to his last released flick Khakee Santoshi made action look real.Even his flops Pukaar, China AGte and Lajja-Ajay Dvgan’s entry on the top of a moving train had good action scenes.
11.Feroz Khan-The car race in his debut Apradh(read my review)is still a classic.So is the the Bazauki scene in Dharmatama.Qurbaani had a great cilmax and the climax of Jaanbaaz was also not bad either.
12.Rahul Rawail-Although famous for his love story Betaab and Love Story Rawail will also be remmebered for the great action scenes of his Sunny Deol starrers-Arjun, Yodha.The under water scenes and fights on the islands of Maldives in Samundar, the scene in Dacait where Sunny tries to get water for a fainted Meenakshi Sheshadri by letting a group of camels run all over the place is a master of an action scene.The fight between Sunny and Shahbaz Khan in Arjun Pandit at a monastery is also great.
Note-Read my comments on 13, 14 and 15.