When I first saw Muqaddar Ka Sikandar as a kid, I absolutely loved it and all I wanted to do is to watch it again, which I ultimately did the following day. Something in the film's emotional ingredients really moved me. Today I of course look at it differently, but I still enjoy it. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar is a melodramatic and tragic fairy tale, and that's how I prefer to see it. The story of the film is actually fantastic, it is the script that often resorts to sentimentality. But as I said, if you see the movie from a clear perspective and take it as a fairy tale, there should be no problems. Some of the scenes in the movie are very good, particularly the one with the old man played by Kader Khan telling young Sikandar and his sister that the best way to deal with problems in life is to laugh when you want to cry and cry when you want to laugh. Never tried this tactic, but in the film it looked quite effective.This is the story of a little orphaned boy who works as a servant in the house of a wealthy man named Ramnath. The boy develops a friendship with his employer's daughter Kaamna, but Ramnath notices this and fires him. All alone in the big city, he is found and adopted by a poor widow named Fatima, who names him Sikandar. When Fatima passes away, Sikandar remains all alone with the responsibility to take care of her daughter. Years go by and Sikandar grows to be a rich man. His only wish is to meet again Kaamna, who he has not stopped thinking of. They finally meet, but Kaamna does not love him the way he would want her to. He finds solace in a brothel where he often watches the dances of a beautiful courtesan names Zohra Begum. He befriends a young lawyer named Vishal, who actually later falls for Kaamna.The story of the film looks quite complicated but it is actually very easy to follow. Despite being melodramatic, it is for the most part enjoyable and it often moves you with its impossibly tragic proceedings. Some scenes are really well done. The main character of Sikandar is a good one. He is tough, loving, selfless and caring, and sadly he fails to get what he longs for the most - Kaamna's love. And Amitabh Bachchan is there to portray it with utmost sincerity. Raakhee plays his love interest with a usual dignified and modest persona. Vinod Khanna does a very good job as Vishal. Rekha steals the show with a heartfelt portrayal of a courtesan who hopelessly falls for Sikandar, knowing she has no chance of being loved in return. One can see this role as a prologue to her all-time great performance as Umrao Jaan. No one could play such roles better.The film's soundtrack by Anandji-Kalyanji is excellent. My favourite track is of course "O Sathi Re..." which is beautifully performed by both Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle in their individual versions. "Salam-e-ishq Meri Jaan" is also a nice song which introduces Rekha's Zohra Begum. The film's ending is tragic and a bit unpleasant to see, but as I said, this movie is better seen as fairy tale and so everything is acceptable in that context, even the melodramatic ending. Lovers of Hindi cinema and Amitabh Bachchan fan in particular will totally love this movie. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar is a nice movie by Prakash Mehra, which is always good to see with the family.

The Plot was really a good one and the movie was well made with Amitabh winning all hearts, as usual. I watched the movie firstly because it stars Mr.Bachchan (who is my favorite actor-I am in love with him!!!). And 'O saathi Re...' is my all time favorite song. My expectations were high from the film and I am happy to say that it has reached that level very convincingly. The story is about an orphan boy (played by Amitabh Bachchan) who is given love and care for a short time by a man and his young daughter. He finds a loving mother in a woman (played by Nirupa Roy-Amitabh's most loved mom on screen). He gets the name Sikander but soon he gets thrown out from the girl's house accused of robbery (which he hadn't committed). His new 'mother' dies leaving her only daughter on Sikander's shoulders. He grows up to a handsome (yeah everyone knows how handsome and cute he is!!!…you go Fido over his Ada…) and responsible man in the same town as his old memsaahab-Kamna (played by raakhee).Sikander is a great characterization who loved his love interest and friend (vishal-vinod khanna) so deeply that he would give his life for its sake... Though it has a tragic end, once you see this film, you can't help falling in love with Amitabh!!!The cast was...I would say...PERFECT!!!...Amitabh just seemed to go deep into the character and play it with such versatility that you actually tend to cry when u see some scenes… His acting is WONDERFUL...AND MORE…The mixture of motions in that character-happiness, love, care, sacrificing mentality, anger…Only Amitabh could have done it so well and in such a touching manner. Obviously Rekha just makes you go bowled over…U feel "arre yaar…she is too beautiful to live"....The jodi the two (amitabh and rekha) make is just beyond words to describe. Not many will love Rakhee's character, though- Mainly because her character doesn't demand much. Vinod Khanna, incite of having just a side character, did a great job and supported Amitabh well. The film also has Amjed Khan doing the villainous role, who at last…kills Sikander and himself dies. Zohra {Rekha} too suicides (That scene is really touching- when she dies lying in Amitabh's Arms) Amjed Khan too proved that he is the best bad man in town!!! Therefore, it was completely an Amitabh show, ably supported by vinod khanna. It's a typical Hindi film but you will love it for sure. The best parts of the film are: Amitabh-First and foremost-He is just the best! The beautiful music (each and every song is wonderful) and the climax.IN SHORT...THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE films along with classics like Deewaar, Sholay, Don, Kabhie kabhie, Silsila, Amar Akbar Anthony, Mili, Abhimaan, Zanjeer, Trishul, Kaala Pathar, Anand, Chupke Chupke, The Great Gambler, Namak Haraam, Namak Halaal, Sharaabi and other countless numbers...this is one great film which is a proof for the real capacity and versatility of this great actor-Amitabh Bachchan. From a struggling actor…to an actor…to a star…to the superstar of Indian cinema…To the biggest star in the world…the greatest and best actor ever born in the universe…to the GOD of Indian cinema…this man has done it all!!! No wonder he is the called the "One man Industry". He deserves this and more and more.

For me, the most beautiful thing about 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar' is the song 'O Saathi Re'. It is a wonderful song and is sung beautifully by Kishore Kumar. Amitabh Bachchan does a good job of expressing the emotions of the song."Muqaddar ka..." is a tragedy (and a particularly tragic one), but it's a tragedy that manages to evoke just the right amount of sympathy, without becoming unduly weepy or maudlin. It's a tragedy done properly, with class, honesty and depth. Amitabh Bachchan is great as the lead character. I just loved him in this film, from start to finish (the little boy who played the young 'Sikandar' was wonderful too). Sikandar is at heart a good (even noble) man, but yet is a deeply flawed character, who feels deeply but is completely unable to express it. He's been hardened by his life, but he still has a very soft core, which few get to see. The scene at Memsahib's birthday celebration (when she's older), when Sikandar comes in with her precious gift, is breathtaking. It's a haunting echo of the experience Sikandar had at her 'younger' birthday party. A beautifully nuanced performance, definitely one of the Big B's best.Vinod Khanna also does a lovely job as the young lawyer, Vishal, in this movie, and the rest of the cast does well, too ... with one notable exception: the lead female, Rakhee. By the time the film was over, I hated her character, and I'm not sure that was the intention of the film makers(or was it?). She managed to portray 'Memsahib' as extremely shallow, uncaring and fickle. It's difficult to see even what the character of Vishal sees in her (although Sikandar's love for her - being completely childlike, pure and unselfish, is perfectly understandable). Even her last-minute repentance rung hollow. I've seen Rakhee do loads better in other movies, so I won't hold it against her in this one .. although it does slightly retract from the overall quality of the movie.Rekha, as Zohrabai, deserves a mention ... hauntingly lovely and tragic (which is what she does best), she puts in a very good performance. Her role is very stereotypical, but she pulls it off and makes it memorable. Watch out for the scene where she threatens to swallow the diamond.All in all, this movie is simply unmissable Bollywood. Watch it, and I guarantee you'll be hearing 'O Saathi Re' in your head for a few days afterwards.

This movie while appealing to popular tastes also conceals esoteric reflections on life, death and purpose. Just some examples(warning! -may be a spoiler-watch the movie now!): -To taste life to the full play with death(including a muslim dervish implicitly referring to Jesus Christ) -the purpose of life is love(with subtly impled scenes of estatic sexual union in Zohra's death scene) -Life review before death(occurs twice-once in a dream and then in the last scene) And other such pearls of hidden wisdom A mythological drama for modern times and indeed a 'Film to Remember' This movie is a proud rebuff to those who would denigrate 'bollywood' movies and sets a high standard for quality entertainment in the shakespearean mode rarely equalled since in Bollywood. Take Care, Avi Solomon