User Reviews

Kaala Patthar is a meaningful movie with a good theme as well as entertainment.

The plot of Kaala Patthar is hard to describe, because the whole story is molded through strong characters. The three center characters are Vijay Pal Singh (Amitabh Bachchan), Ravi Malhotra (Shashi Kapoor), and Mangal Singh (Shatrugan Sinha). All of these men work in the same coal mine company which is owned by Seth Dhanraj (Prem Chopra).

Everyday, workers are treated with injustice. Seth Dhanraj is only interested in making his own money, and he could care less about the welfare of the thousands of people that work at his mine.

Vijay Pal Singh is known for his bravery around the mine. He saves people that are in trouble, and is always for justice. But Vijay himself believes that he is a coward, because he has a past that he does not share with anyone. Anyone except for a new doctor in town, Dr. Sudha Sen (Rakhee), who Vijay communicates well with. She also has a past, and both of them are broad-minded. Hmmnn, we all know what that means! :-D

Ravi Malhotra is hired as the engineer for Seth Dhanraj. He isn't heartless like Seth Dhanraj though, he cares about the needs and wants of the people who work at the mine. Ravi can basically be called a leader for the workers. On the job, he is reacquainted with an old friend and now-turned journalist, Anita (Parveen Babi). She also cares about the people, even though she is the rich daughter of Seth Dhanraj's friend.

Mangal Singh is a criminal who escapes from jail and ends up at the mine. He is very egotistical and likes to cause trouble. But through the tough times and the events surrounding the coal mine, he changes, and he becomes one of the many members who are in the battle against Seth Dhanraj for justice. He also saves a and falls in love with Channo (Neetu Singh), who is a jewelery seller who is liked by everyone.

So with so many wonderful people, will the fight for justice end? Or will it all end up in tragedy? Watch Kaala Patthar to find out.

Actingwise, everyone did a great job, and that's mostly what held the whole movie together. The star cast was well-chosen by Yash Chopra. Of course as usual, Amitabh Bachchan steals the show. His intensity mixed up with his coal-covered look make him light up the screen and he is a delight to watch. Shashi Kapoor and Shatrugan Sinha were wonderful. Both of them were funny in many scenes, and they played their characters perfectly.

The heroines, though none of them have too much of a role, make a big impact on the film. Rakhee is flawlessly beautiful, and she acts very well. She even made me cry in a few scenes. Neetu Singh plays her innocent, funny character well. She also dances good. Parveen Babi spoke her dialogs with much emotion and she suited the fashionable type role.

The music is not exactly the highlight of the film. The background music was directed by Salil Chowdary, and it was quite effective during the movie. Especially the music that's given when Amitabh stands up when he's mad hehehe. Anyway, Rajesh Roshan songs were average and aren't really worth listening to (in my opinion), except one song that I enjoyed, "Dhoom Mache Dhoom" by Lata and Rafi. Lata, Rafi, Kishore, and Mehendra Kapoor (who is given many meaningful lines to sing) all sing very nicely...it was just the tunes that were not that great.

And last but not least, Yash Chopra's direction. It was very professional. He could have easily made it a boring movie, but he didn't. He made good choices for dialog writers (good old Salim-Javed) and the art director (Sudhendu Roy). It was nice of Yashji to choose an important topic so the audience would have a taste of what goes on in the coal mines, and how rich people can deceive the poor. The story itself is based on the Chasnala Coal Mine tragedy in Bihar. The only mistake Yash Chopra makes is his ending, and you'll have to see for yourself to know what I mean.

So basically, Kaala Patthar is a movie worth watching, you'll be entertained and you'll be touched. Great movie!

Vijay Pal Singh(Amitabh Bachchan) is a Merchant Navy officer,one who stands by his principles.A sea-storm one night has him and colleagues saving their own lives rather than those of the passengers.Later they come to know the ship survived the storm and all passengers were safe.Vijay was court-martialled and left to live a disgraced life.Even his parents left him.Vijay starts working as a coal-mine worker leaving his unpleasant past behind him.There he meets Ravi Malhotra(Shashi Kapoor),a young,dashing,romantic engineer. Both make good friends. There is Anita(Parveen Babi),a journalist who wants to write about the plight of the mine workers,who falls in love with Ravi.A very important character is that of Dr.Sudha(Rakhee)who awakens Vijay of his past and urges him to fight his inner self,to come to terms with reality.Vijay falls in love with Dr.Sudha but they cannot meet each other due to the difference in their social standing.Seth Dhanraj(Prem Chopra)wants to dig the mine deeper and deeper to make more profits,in the process risking the lives of numerous workers as water level is very close to the point of digging.Vijay,Ravi and Mangal rescue the workers from the mines in the end.Another significant character is that of Mangal(Shatrughan Sinha). His fight sequences with Vijay are beautifully shot and executed.Actually,at the time of shooting,AB and Shatrughan were not even on talking terms.Their real-life enmity passed on to the big screen,so to say.Prem Chopra does not convince as Seth Dhanraj.I think Amrish Puri would have done justice to the baddie's role.Parikshit Sahni as the Punjabi truck driver is fabulous.You can catch a glimpse of the two-film old and former Miss India Poonam Dhillon towards the end if you don't blink. The songs are quite good.One of my favourites is 'Ek Raasta Hai Zindagi Jo Tham Gaye To Kuch Nahin' by Kishore Kumar. The song by Mahendra Kapoor picturised on Parikshit Sahni in the rain is also good. All in all, a complete entertainer.I watched this movie in December 2003,24 years after its release.Pity,they don't make films like that anymore.

Review By Kamal K

The fact is that Kaala Patthar is one of Amitabh's (and Yash Chopra's) most under-rated films. It is a film that definitely deserves to be better known.

A dark mining town, where the black rock means untold wealth for a few and poverty and death for many. Among those many men is one tall, silent man, Vijay Pal Singh (Amitabh Bachchan), whose days are filled with frenzied activity and nights, destroyed by the demons of his past.

One night, woken up from an uneasy sleep by his recurring nightmares, he hears the klaxon call warning of danger in the mines. The miners in tunnel no.4 are trapped. Undeterred by the thought of personal danger, Vijay goes down into the mines looking for his doomed colleagues. That he succeeds is not due to his personal bravery but his complete disregard for his own safety. Outside, the joyous yells of his fellow miners mingle with the jeers from his past. Where does one end and the other begin?

Dhanraj Coal Mines are obviously dangerous, and the mine owner Dhanraj Puri (Prem Chopra) is deeply contemptuous both of the mines and the workers who risk their lives to fill his coffers. He is given the disconcerting news by his Chief Engineer Maneklal Saxena (Yunus Parvez) that they cannot continue digging in tunnel no.4. The adjacent tunnel is filled with water and there is fear of it leaking and bringing down the walls, putting the lives of more than 400 workers at stake.

But how much do they stand to lose if they stop working the tunnel, Dhanraj asks. Rs4 million. Your mathematics is weak, Dhanraj tells Maneklal. 4 million is worth more than 400. He warns Maneklal not to discuss the matter with anyone. In the meantime, they have appointed a new engineer - Ravi Malhotra (Shashi Kapoor), whose first meeting with his new boss does not go too well.

Along with Ravi, there are two other newcomers in town; Dr Sudha Sen (Raakhee), who has come to take charge of the tiny clinic, and Anita (Parveen Babi), a journalist who has been expressly invited by Dhanraj to write a story about his mines. Ravi is deputed to fetch Anita from the airport, and it is clear that they know each other.

The next stranger to arrive is Mangal (Shatrughan Sinha), an escaped convict. Having made a daring jailbreak, he decides to hide out in Dhanbad until the heat dies down. But he doesn't actually hide; he walks in with an arrogant swagger and lords it over the inhabitants. Until he runs into Channo (Neetu Singh), an itinerant bangle seller; she offers him what she considers a piece of well-meaning advice - don't mess with Vijay. It acts as a gauntlet, which Mangal promptly picks up.

Meanwhile, Vijay's enemies, Tanna (Sharat Saxena) and his friends trap him in the mine at the end of the shift. Luckily for Vijay, Ravi helps him escape. Vijay is taken to the hospital where he meets the new doctor. Much to her consternation, he refuses anaesthetics while she is cleaning coal dust out of his wound. It is his punishment. For what, she doesn't know.

But she is intuitive, and scarily right in her understanding of him. Vijay is taken aback. Very few people can read him so easily. Surprisingly, she shares her story with him, and Vijay is touched in ways he cannot comprehend. Something unspoken passes between them, and when he turns to go, she offers him her name - Sudha.

Meanwhile, Ravi is finding himself pitted against Dhanraj. But not even Dhanraj's threats can swerve him from fighting for the worker's rights. Dhanraj is not a fool. He realises that Ravi has a lot of influence on the workers. He will bide his time. That night, the miners celebrate, but Ravi is fearful. They do not know the dangers they are courting. Not true, replies Vijay. The first thing that miners do when they get their salary is to buy a shroud for themselves. What if they are not fated to have a shroud? Counters Ravi. What if they are destined for a watery grave? Vijay is stoic, but asks to be warned when Ravi is sure the disaster will occur.

Mangal has not forgotten the gauntlet he picked up. Only, he's underestimated his man. Vijay is not one to back down. The fight may not occur then, but the mutual antagonism is simmering under the surface. It will finally break out, and spectacularly so, when Mangal deliberately insults Sudha.

Ravi and Dhanraj are heading for a collision too. Ravi orders new machinery that will make the miners' work easier, and safer. Dhanraj is furious. The mines are being worked for the owners' profits, not for the workers' safety! Everything is beginning to come to a head - the police are searching for Mangal, unlikely romances flare up, Anita has exposed the conditions in the mines and been kicked out by Dhanraj for her pains, accidental deaths continue, Ravi is forced to stop work in the mines, and Dhanraj is furious. Confrontations and consequences come thick and fast. And all the time...

Will Ravi's fears come to pass? Would Dhanraj really gamble with the workers' lives? Will Vijay's guilt lead him to taking impossible risks? What about Mangal? And Sudha, Anita and Channo? Are they fated to helplessly watch their destinies play out?

Kaala Patthar is a very raw film at heart. Much like its setting - the coal mines - the whole atmosphere of the film itself was bleak and forbidding. There was no room for levity, and the script, based on the real-life Chasnala coalmine disaster in Dhanbad, does ample justice to the disaster-film genre. It is a shame that Yash Chopra stopped making films such as these - the tautly scripted, emotional, conflict-driven, dramatic films that were his forte. This is the man whose debut film was Dharmputra - a tale of human relationships tested by the Partition. He also gave us Ittefaq, a taut songless thriller with just four characters, Deewar, Trishul, and Waqt - all dramatic films with a strong emotional core.

The acting was excellent (Amitabh and Shatrughan sharing the honours, Shashi offering quiet support), and it was not just the leads; Prem Chopra, Parikshit Sahni, Manmohan Krishna... they were all good. It is the songs that, while pleasant enough, were an unnecessary distraction, and so were two of the three heroines.

But these are only small quibbles about a film that was breath-taking both in scope and vision. Everyone involved were at the top of their game. It seems incredible, then, that the film failed at the box-office. Take the acting: this was Amitabh's show all the way. Vijay is a decorated naval officer who, disgraced by his actions, dishonourably discharged from the navy, and disowned by his family, seeks oblivion in this dusty little town. His hatred is for self, and he lives with it. He volunteers for the most dangerous jobs, regardless of danger. All his actions are driven by a desire to prove he is not a kaayar, a burzdil (coward). And Yash Chopra channelised that anger in a way that seared the screen.

Vijay's romance with Raakhee's Sudha is very subtle and understated, very much like their romance in Trishul. In this film too, he plays a tortured character, carrying his demons with him, and trying to outrun them at the same time.

It truly is a diamond in the rough. Now... to go watch it again.

Since "discovering" Bollywood cinema when I went to see the 2007 film Ta Ra Rum Pum with a friend,I have always heard about an actor called Amitabh Bachchan being one of the all time legendary actors of the industry.Having seen a few of Bachchan's most well known films (Don,Agneepath) over the last few years,I was happy to discover that the IMDb's Indian Cinema board,had chosen a Bachchan movie that I have never heard of before,which would also give me a chance to see one of his highly-praised 4 film collaboration with director Yash Chopra.

The plot:

Being the sole owner of a number of coal mine's,Seth Dhanraj is determined to get every single penny possible from the "black stone gold" contained within the mine.Keeping his eyes on the balance sheet,Dhanraj attempts to keep as much of the income as possible,by treating his hard working miners like slaves,who are given the cheapest equipment around and the lest amount of medical care possible.Learning that miner Vijay Pal Singh has become a hero for rescue a number of trapped miner's from one of his "smaller" mines,Dhanraj decides to send Vijay to his top priority project,so that he can have all the heroism in him completely beaten out.Ignoring a damming investigating journalist report,and multiple requests to stop the work taking place at the main mine,from chief engineer Ravi Malhotra,due to the miners getting nearer to a section filled with gallons of water that would wipe all of them out.Seth Dhanraj sticks to only caring about his balance sheet,and orders the miners to keep digging until not a single piece of coal is left in the mine.

View on the film:

Bassing the awful events that the miner's suffer in the movie on the tragic 1976 Chasnala Mining Disaster,screenwriter's Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan show the treatment and the problems that the miner's face in a way which is still sadly relevant today.From the moment that owner Seth Dhanraj (played by a great,nasty Prem Chopra) appears on screen,Akhtar and Khan show him to be someone whose sole purpose in life is to line his own pockets,despite seeing the rusty equipment and the poor health of his workers right before his eyes.Diapointingly,about an hour into the film,the writers switch their focus from the struggle of the miner's,to focusing on the blossoming romances of its main character's.Despite the commendable cast (led by a strong performance by Bachchan,who gives Vijay a brash confidence in front of his fellow workers,and a consuming side of regret,which he tries to keep hidden) best attempts,the middle section of the film feels rather plodding and mostly unconnected to the more realistic plot featured in the first half.Whilst he leaves the "gritty" approach behind for the final,director Yash Chopra does thankfully,for the films last 30 minutes, unleash an explosive,Disaster movie final.As Chopra uses fast moving whip-pans on the "surface" to increase the edge of the seat tension,Chopra uses tight,nail biting shots in the mines,to create a thrilling claustrophobic feel as the gallons of water start flowing in.

Yash Chopra and Salim Javed gave great films in 1970s starting from DEEWAAR(1975), KABHIE KABHIE(1976), TRISHUL(1978) and KP

Kaala Patthar depicts a story about the people working in coal mines, the film starts off straight away in the mines. We are first introduced to Vijay(played by Bachchan, who else) who is a grim guy but very daredevilry, He saves the life of Satyen Kapuu and as all the people cheer for him, his face goes sad and he remembers his past wherein people want to stone him and call him a coward. This scene itself speaks brilliance of Yash Chopra, Big B and SJ. The film then introduces Shashi Kapoor a funloving guy who works in the mine for a high post of Engineer, His entry is with a Kishore classic song EK RAASTA HAI ZINDAGI on a bike. Then we are introduced to Shatrughan Sinha a thief/goon who runs from the jail and enters the mine. There are several interesting characters like Raakhee who comes as a women doctor, Sanjeev Kumar in a 1 scene role as the depressed doctor who resigns, Mcmohan who is fond of playing cards and cheats, Parikshit Sahini as the singing Jatt. Neetu Singh as Channo who sells women ornaments and many more. Parveen Babi the fierce journalist The villain played by Prem Chopra who doesn't care about the workers but only about profits. Amitabh's AYM persona too is used to the fullest and his scenes make a great impact The story moves gradually but picks up at a crescendo towards the climax. There are several subplots too and some few songs thrown in and some masala too The clash between Big B and Shatru(real life rivals of 70s) is superb especially their fight scene. The second half gets more absorbing, AB confronting Prem Chopra and his flashback is superb, while the entire climax is brilliantly filmed and is superb, The climax was actually based on a real coal mine tragedy Though it's depicted in a filmy manner with superificial sacrifices yet it's superb Direction by Yash Chopra is superb, after this film sadly he made mostly romantic films like SILSILA(1981) and his films never where like this anymore Writing by SJ is superb yet again Music is good, The best song is Ek Raasta, Dhoom Mache Dhoom and all songs, Again no song on Big B just one background love song sung by Parikshit Sahini showing Big B and Raakhee under an umbrella. Dialogues are awesome, esp those mouthed by Big B and Shatru Amitabh's dialogue PAIN IS MY DESTINY is superb while Shatru's teesre baadhshah hum hai aur The Onga Ponga waala dialogue

Amitabh Bachchan is matchless as the angry, depressed Vijay yet again Yash chopra + SJ and Big B together work beautifully and his role is yet another memorable one His outbursts, his emotions are all simply outstanding. Shatrughan Sinha does well in his role in his own style. Shashi Kapoor is superb in his role though he does play second fiddle Sanjeev Kumar is wasted yet he does the most of it in just 1 scene Raakhee is superb, She starred in Yash Chopra's film before in Kabhie Kabhie and TRISHUL and here too does a great job Parveen Babi and Neetu Singh are superb in their roles, though PB does get sidelined towards the end Amongst rest Parikshit Sahini is superb, Sharat Saxena is superb, Prem Chopra is good as the villain, Macmohan is superb, Iftekar, Suresh Oberoi have guest roles Satyen Kapoo and rest lend good support

Great movie! Wonderful performances from all the characters. It amazingly describes a coal miner's life. I do feel Yash Chopra could've made the movie a little more entertaining. Chopra's other movies are fantastic. Amitabh Bachchan has the best performance, but I feel that this movie belongs to Shatrughan Sinha. He did a marvelous job. The most sad part was when Shatrughan dies at the end.During these times Shatrughan had a rivalry with Amitabh which is why I think he was able to do such a great job in the movie. Shashi Kapoor and Parveen Babi were romantic as always.Wonderful songs with great lyrics. Everything else is just OK

Old is gold here. Tight script, well-defined plot line, a multi-star cast handpicked to play well-etched characters, understated romances, action well-balanced with situational song-and dance routines. The movie has it all.

Amitabh is the lead protagonist, the seething introvert who is atoning for a past act of cowardice, by constantly striving to be useful to his fellowmen. Shashi is the flamboyant extrovert with the proverbial heart of gold. What unites them is their quest to protect the lives of the 400 mine workers being exploited by the stereotypically evil and capitalist to the core Prem Chopra. Throw a rustic runaway convict Shatru, who believes in picking a fight with Amitabh at the drop of a hat, and the conflicts add up.

Neetu Singh as the village belle, assigned to play the lead in all song and dance sequences, provides the glamour quotient and also the love interest for the rustic Shatru. The romantic undercurrents between the other two lead pairs are more subtle and shown to develop gradually. Parveen and Shashi are the urban sophisticates, whose easy camaraderie as ex college friends turns into a smoldering attraction. (This movie was made more than 40 years back so we don't see them in bed even though they are told to be living together.) Raakhee plays a mellow doctor who succeeds in building a deep relationship that transcends romance, with the introverted Amitabh, the high point being his willingness to share with her his deep secret of shame.

Kaala Patthar stands out for its polish within the mainstream framework. The climax is well shot though fairly predictable. The fight scenes are well executed and realistic. Even the minor characters show common sense instead of blindly giving into herd instinct - with some folks 'choosing' to follow the protagonists' plan and some others picking the opposite side, in the pre-climax scene. Neither Amitabh nor Rakhee is made to sing any song, adding gravitas to their intended characters. Parikshit Sahni is used for this purpose instead, as he breaks into songs that aptly micro their feelings and the progression of their relationship. A fine film ahead of its time.

One of the better Yash Chopra films which alongside The Burning Train is among the rare disaster films in India. The film was made in the wake of the Chasnala mining disaster in Dhanbad in which hundreds of miner were killed in an underground flood. Set in a small mining town, the film does a quick description of various characters in the mix -- an idealistic engineer Ravi(Shashi Kapoor), a lonely medic Sudha (Rakhee), an exploitative mine owner Dhanraj (Prem Chopra) and several colorful miners including an escaped convict Mangal (Shatrughan). The film quickly centers on brooding court martialled officer Vijay (Amitabh) who works as a coal miner as an escape / self-flagellation for an act of cowardice several years ago. The engineer's warnings to cease underground operations is rejected by the greedy owners, leading to the protracted climax of the actual disaster. As the disaster unfolds, the three protagonists - Ravi, Mangal, and Vijay seek their own redemption in the rescue operations. An entertainingly hammy Shatrughan Sinha and Amitabh in his angry young man element made the film a cult classic despite being a failure at the box office.