Soorma Bhopali

Soorma Bhopali review :

Ramesh Sippy's Sholay (1975) is so great a film that people remember even its peripheral characters. Soorma Bhopali was one such character played by Jagdeep which became quite popular and inspired the veteran actor to produce a spin off..

Jagdeep Saahab had a double role in the confusing plot with almost half the film industry in cameos. Sholay leads Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan featured in unrelated cameo roles. Infact, Dharmendra's track featuring himself and his doppelganger fan who assumes his identity was later adapted as the main plot of Shah Rukh Khan's Fan (2016).

The film's highlight was the breakdance performed by beta Javed Jaafrey which appears in the second half. Jagdeep Saahab tried to cash on his iconic character from Sholay but Soorma Bhopali lacked a coherent script and competent execution.

If I remember correctly, the film had released at the iconic Sholay theatre - the Minerva - in matinee shows. I had seen the movie at Citylight cinema, Matunga on its first sunday. It was a housefull show but the movie was so pathetic that it nosedived soon after and became a box office flop. It did very well only in Madhya Pradesh particularly Bhopal for obvious reason.

Fortunately after this flop, we were saved from any spin offs of Ramlal and Hariram Nai...lol!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.