Bollywood has always ripped off, sorry paid homage to Hollywood films and here its the turn of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to get the Bollywood treatment.Amitabh Bachchan still in his pomp plays Ravi the more educated and cultured eldest brother. The other brothers are what might be termed as 'junglee' living in the jungle.When Ravi gets married his wife Indu sets about straightening the brothers and getting them spruced up and tidied up.Soon the brothers are also looking to get hitched.Of course Bollywood films have long running time and in amongst the singing and the dancing, there has to be a dastardly villain.The second half of the film introduces a conspiracy plot line. Indu's wheelchair bound friend is an orphan under the care of her uncle played by Bollywood's favourite bad guy Amjad Khan who wants her money.Khan hire an ex-con Babu (Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role) who kidnaps Ravi and enters the house impersonating Ravi and hopefully do away with Khan's niece.The thriller element sits uneasily with the first part of the film but this is how the Bollywood formula works.The 'seven brothers' part is a lot of fun, this is a good showcase of Bollywood circa early 1980s and of course a chance to see a younger Amitabh, then the equivalent of Robert Redford/Paul Newman in India.This film was released just before he had a serious health issue and I believe he never reached the height of his popularity after he recovered.

Satte Pe Satta was another hit of Amitabh Bachchan and perhaps his only collaboration with Raj Sippy. The film was a remake of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The film had a good ensemble cast of Amitabh, Shakti Kapoor, Kanwaljet, Paintal,Sudhir.etc The first half is a riot at many places like the fights between the brothers, Amitabh-Hema romance till the wedding. The Babu twist too is well handled, the drunk scene which Amitabh didn't dub for was simply superb, while the emotional scenes between brothers is also well handled, the end though being filmy works well for it's timeDirection by Raj Sippy is good Music by RD Burman is magical, Dilbar Mere by Kishore is superb, Pyaar Humein by Kishore and an array of singers is fab, ditto for Dukki pe Dukki ho, Mausam Mastana is good too, Pariyon ka Mela Hai and Zindagi Milke Bitayenge are also fabAmitabh Bachchan is a natural in both roles, he portrays both the roles equally well, for the gangster's role he is given grey in his hair and also has lenses to add for the role, his expressions when he tries to kill the girl is simply fab, Annete a singer from RD Burman's troupe used to gargle to make the sound used when Babu enters which is also used by Raj Sippy in Andar Bahar(1984). Hema Malini(was pregnant during the making) is superb and her comic timing is fab as always. Kanwaljeet, Paintal, Sudhir, Shakti Kapoor all are superb Amjad Khan is as usual,Ranjeeta Kaur and others are good too

That's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, for you in Hindi ! If Amitabh, and Hema Malini were not there in the lead role, this movie, perhaps would have fallen flat on it's nose ! But it's the dual role of Amitabh, one as a simpleton, hard-working, duty-conscious, loving brother, and the other, a contract killer at that ! Unable to manage his unruly, filthy, and lazy seven brothers, now what was Family Planning workers were doing all this time , one may wonder ? Amitabh also manages to win the love of a nurse, played by Hema, and gets her into marrying him, finally, though she is negative in the beginning, and brings her to his farm house ! She is hardly aware, of what's in store for her ! Those grown-up in age, but little kids in behavior , one more than half-a - dozen brothers, she is practically in tears ! But perhaps it's her profession, which comes to her rescue, while making these useless young men, into clean, neat, tidy, and smart fellows ! Amitabh is also surprised at this make-over, and loves his wife even more ! And then there is a twist ! our real hero is replaced by a duplicate, who has only the color of his eyes different than the original one ! and that can be managed,by the contact lenses, isn't it ? Then follow all the essential ingredients of a block buster ! The confusion, the torture by the villain, and the climax !Ranjeeta, that talented actress, who played her first role as Laila, with Rishi kapur, enacts a handicapped , rich girl ! Amzad Khan is good as her uncle, who wants to kill her in an organized accident, and swallow her wealth ! The choreography is good, all have done their parts quite well, and the plot line includes some moments, when the replaced hero does not take the advantage of his position ! But some how, the movie did not make that well on the box ! Perhaps, the Indian audience could not digest the very concept of a young , married woman , playing elder sister to such grown up boys, and being so close to them, physically as well, to even make them bathe ! Though this is some thing different than the usual sing and dance situations, perhaps the number seven should not have been copied to such an extent ! If you sit and enjoy this one, without remembering the original, go ahead, you will not repent , after all, there is Amitabh in it !

Let me start off by saying that Seven Wives for Seven Brothers is by far one of my favorite movies. The story. The music. The humor. The clothes. Which is why I was absolutely extatic when I found out that Satte Pe Satta is a remake of SWSB. After watching Satte Pe Satta I however felt a little disappointed and a little cheated.Had the makers of this movies stuck to the original SWSB, they would have ended up with a funny romantic musical. Unfortunately most Bollywood movies aren't Bollywood movies unless they contain a certain amount of dushm dushm. Which explains the introduction of an evil uncle, an evil look-a-like hitman and the foremost motive for crime - MONEY.SPOILERSJust as SWSB Satte Pe Satta is the story of the lives and loves of seven brothers. There are however eight girls. One of which is a young crippled woman who will come into her fortune at the age of 21. This spurs her evil uncle Amjad Khan (who else?) to hire a hitman who looks exactly like the oldest of the brothers, Amitabh Bachchan. If you think it's impossible for Amitabh to play a bad guy, you are absolutely right. Naturally, as all Bollywood movies this one also comes to a happy end.The story leaves a little to be desired for. The introduction of a thriller plot is a mistake as the original was more entertaining. The performances nonetheless remain entertaining for the first half of the movie. Hema Malini tries her best to approach the leading lady in the original SWSB, but just falls short. The second half is less entertaining because the dushm dushm takes the upper hand. Nonetheless it is a fun ride.***/5 stars