Shaan (1980 film)

DCP Shiv Kumar (Sunil Dutt) returns home to his wife Sheetal (Rakhee Gulzar) and their young daughter Guddi, announcing that he has been transferred to Mumbai. He has two younger brothers Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) and Ravi (Shashi Kapoor) who live in Mumbai. They are intelligent, capable guys but spend their time loafing around the city and conning unsuspecting people. After being swindled by Renu (Bindiya Goswami) and her uncle Chacha (Johnny Walker), Vijay and Ravi join forces with them along with another glamorous thief named Sunita (Parveen Babi). However, one of their tricks backfires and lands up Vijay and Ravi in prison.

Meanwhile, a mysterious man (Shatrughan Sinha) attempts to shoot Shiv twice in the city, but Shiv survives both times. He goes on to bail Vijay and Ravi out in hopes of shaping them into a much honourable life. After learning about the two attempts on Shiv's life, Vijay and Ravi advise him to find a different line of work, arguing that his profession is unsuitable, dangerous and unpredictable for a family man. However, Shiv stands firm by citing his undying patriotic commitment to his corps and his country.

It eventually turns out that the mysterious man was working for Shakaal (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), sadistic international crime lord who is operating from a remote island outside India while funding crime in Mumbai and rejoicing in pain of his enemies and traitors. Due to the fact that Shiv is getting closer to finding out the root of the criminal acts in Mumbai, Shakaal has Shiv brought to his island, where he kills Shiv on the beach from his helicopter and has his body dumped back to Mumbai.

As Vijay, Ravi and Sheetal lament the tragic loss of Shiv, the mysterious man approaches them and introduces himself as Rakesh, a marksman and former circus performer who used to shoot targets blindfolded. Rakesh confesses that he was blackmailed to work for Shakaal, who held his wife Roma (Padmini Kapila) hostage, and that he deliberately missed on the two previous occasions in hopes of buying time to save his wife. However, Shakaal had already deduced this and arranged Rakesh's wife to be killed in a car accident in retaliation. Upon learning this, Vijay and Ravi ally with Rakesh in hopes of killing Shakaal in revenge of their loved ones' deaths.

To that end, the trio seek the aid of a legless beggar named Abdul (Mazhar Khan), who provides them information about Shakaal's contraband warehouse in Mumbai. Although the trio manage to blow up the warehouse, Shakaal retaliates by having his henchmen kill Abdul. However, Vijay angrily smashes up the local bar having the back offices of Shakaal's henchmen, where he also beats them all up for killing Abdul. On this development, Shakaal has his henchmen abduct Sheetal in hopes of causing the trio a lot of suffer to death.

Though it would have appeared that the trio are able to concede defeat over Sheetal's imminent fate, they are approached by one of Shakaal's aides named Jagmohan (Mac Mohan), who offers them his help to gain entry at Shakaal's island, as he was brutally crippled by Shakaal for his previous failure. Posing as a dance troupe, the trio (along with Renu, Chacha and Sunita) are able to enter the island and perform for Shakaal, who later captures them all and reveals that he had only sent Jagmohan (who was faking his injuries) to trap them. However, Chacha creates a commotion that allows the trio to be freed and kill Jagmohan and the rest of Shakaal's henchmen.

Just as the trio finally succeed in capturing Shakaal and are about kill him, Sheetal intervenes and refuses to let them do so, pointing out that their actions can be disrespectful to the law that Shiv upholds. The arguing commotion allows Shakaal to free himself, forcing the trio to fatally shoot him down in self-defense. However, Shakaal slyly sets the island to self-destruct before he dies. Despite this, the trio, Sheetal, Renu, Chacha and Sunita are able to find their way out of the exploding island and fly off safely from the villains' helicopter, satisfied that they have beaten Shakaal in his tracks for good.

• Sunil Dutt as DSP Shiv Kumar
• Shashi Kapoor as Ravi Kumar
• Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay Kumar
• Shatrughan Sinha as Rakesh
• Rakhee Gulzar as Sheetal
• Parveen Babi as Sunita
• Bindiya Goswami as Renu
• Johnny Walker as Chacha
• Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Shakaal
• Mac Mohan as Jagmohan (Shakaal's aide)
• Mazhar Khan as Abdul (Vijay and Ravi's friend)
• Padmini Kapila as Roma (Rakesh's wife)
• Bindu as Maharani in "Pyaar Karne Wale" song (Special Appearance)
• Helen as Cabret Dancer in "Yamma Yamma" song (Special Appearance)
• Yunus Parvez as Hotel Manager (Cameo Appearance)
• Viju Khote as Police Inspector who chases Vijay and Sunita (Cameo Appearance)

Logistical issues relating to other projects in which the cast was involved meant that Shaan took three years to make.[4] While Sholay drew its inspiration from the American Western and Spaghetti Western films, Shaan took its lead from the James Bond films with fancy sets and beautiful costumes. Shakaal, the bald villain (originally to be played by Sanjeev Kumar) played by Kulbhushan Kharbanda, was based on the James Bond villain, Blofeld.

A large golden eagle is prominent in Shakaal's island lair and in the Bollywood obligatory final song-and-dance. The eagle is reminiscent of the golden lamb in Cecile DeMille's Ten Commandments; construction on the golden eagle required outside experts to be flown in and cost, in Rupees, the equivalent of the chariot scene in Ben-Hur.

Sippy wanted to repeat the cast of Sholay for this film, but due to date issues, Sunil Dutt played the role initially offered to Sanjeev Kumar, Bindiya Goswami played the role initially offered to Hema Malini, and Shashi Kapoor was selected when Dharmendra declined to do the character of Ravi.

The film was set and partially filmed on the island of Steep Holm.[5]

Parveen Babi suffered her first anxiety attack when she completed shooting the song "Pyar Karne Wale". Just after the shooting of that song, there was a scene in the film where Parveen Babi is inside the car and then Amitabh Bachchan gets in the car. The scene was later shot when Parveen Babi returned from the U.S. and she recommenced work by shooting this scene.

The music was composed by R. D. Burman and the lyrics were penned by Anand Bakshi.

The version of the song "Yamma Yamma" is not the final recorded song, that is used in the movie. It was a rehearsed copy sung by Late Mohd Rafi, and the actual recording was scheduled for later, which was used by RD Burman in the movie due to the sudden untimely death of Mohd Rafi before the final recording. This is the only song where Mohd Rafi and RD Burman sing a duet together.

The film grossed ₹12.5 crores during its lifetime theatrical run. Adjusted for inflation, the film has grossed ₹271 crores ($33 million) as of 2023.

28th Filmfare Awards:

Won

• Best Cinematography – S. M. Anwar

Nominated

• Best Music Director – R. D. Burman

• Shaan at IMDb