2-16-16 Sholay - Anti-hero and Interesting Storytelling

Sholay was the underdog of Bollywood films that was apparently expected to be a complete flop, only to be India's highest grossing film of all time and many factors play into the success of the film but the largest draw is without a doubt due to the antihero dynamic duo of Veeru (Dharmendra) and Jai (Amitabh Bachchan). Sholay was a vessel that carried part of a growing character archetype further cementing the anti-hero as a lovable and usable character. This style of character was quickly gaining popularity in Western film as well with characters like Max Rockatansky from Mad Max or Harry Callahan from Dirty Harry and it was no exception that India would also see and want to share similar narratives for films. 

The reason for the success of anti-hero characters is simple in that it makes for interesting story telling as characters suddenly become more accessible to viewers because anti-hero characters face challenges and react to them outside of the traditional good versus evil paradigm. It takes on a realistic approach to conflict in storytelling as characters are met with situations that are not entirely black and white but instead facilitate a large grey area much like real life consequences. Veeru and Jai are two criminals because that is how they survive. When these two are introduced, handcuffed and speaking to Thakur on the train, the audience sees these two men sporting Western fashion and arrested -- two things that are typically associated with villainy, especially in Bollywood where Western fashion usually connotes negative qualities of corruption or oppression. Despite this, the characters are exceedingly engaging, cool, and amiable. From saving the cop that has detained the two from, ironically, other bandits, to saving an entire village from genuine oppression and villainy from that of Gabbar Singh, the anti-hero character proves itself as capable of good when necessary and shows emotional investments unlike the typical antagonist roles in most films.

As mentioned in the blog postings by professor Ghosh, Amitabh Bachchan's character Jai, the moody, quiet, yet loyal character is a representation of the "growing angst and disillusionment of the Indian youth who felt let down by the government's inefficacy in combating corruption, poverty, and unemployment." This is a large component to the success of many anti-hero characters as characters like Jai are likely products of the very same concerns by the Indian youth's of the time. As a result, the character acts in ways that may seem unjust traditionally but in reality they act as one would out of genuine struggle and are not reprimanded for their actions in the film and demonized by being portrayed as characters that are evil. We see this in Sholay often as Veeru and Jai decide to be hired as mercenaries and attempt to steal from their employer but stop out of a sense of honor to the woman that catches them in the act and Thakur, saying that it will never happen again. Similarly, when Veeru and Jai hear Thakur's reason behind wanting to capture Gabbar Singh, the two willingly choose not to accept money for capturing this villain because they have sense of justice that they would still wish to defend despite being criminals themselves. They're criminals, but they're not "bad guys." 

The wonder of the anti-hero is in the complexity that the characters are allowed to have. They are allowed to be imperfect and only part-time selfless people as Jai and Veeru never once apologize for their way of life and what they believe to be just and unjust. Other than the capacity to relate to the characters as being more realistic, the anti-hero is able to do what the viewers are thinking. When we see the gnarly-toothed criminal Gabbar and see what he has done and continues to do to the villagers, we are relieved to see Veeru and Jai gunning down Gabbar's lackeys so that we might finally get to see Gabbar get what he deserves. True evil, which is what Gabbar seems to represent in the film, should be punished and the fact that Gabbar was able to get out of prison, murder Singh's entire family fuels the fire of those that doubt the efficacy of governmental institutions and their capacity for public safety, making characters like Jai and Veeru all the more necessary because stopping Gabbar with traditional means of justice do not always work and these characters are able to vent the frustrations of those that see the shortcomings of the institutes that are supposed to aim to protect and maintain justice

The film's setting also reflects the nature of the anti-hero as we see areas of bright flora to represent good amidst a very dry and barren landscape to represent the bad. Veeru and Jai are typically in a rocky, barren, or generally plant-life vacant location when they are fighting: on a train surrounded by an arid landscape and fighting off bandits or surrounded by a mountainous, rocky scene and defeating Gabbar's men and later Gabbar himself. Conversely, in times of peace and relationship building, both characters are seen relaxing under the shade of a tree at different occasions throughout the film or at Thakur's estate which is surrounded by crops and in many areas, grass. Thakur, the general proponent for justice is often surrounded by flora and fauna whereas the most evil character, Gabbar, is literally living in the rocky, barren hillside of a mountain. The two characters that are constantly navigating between these two distinct areas would be Veeru and Jai, the anti-heroes. The anti-hero harnesses both problematic traits of good and bad, which is what makes them so human, interesting and relatable.

Sholay is without a doubt, a massive success that more than likely influenced many changes in film for both Bollywood and the world at large as it pushes a budding new character archetype that is now a staple in modern Western media. The creation of the anti-heroes in Sholay is only one of many successful challenges to tradition that are seen throughout the film and the result was a record-breaking highest grossing Indian film. But the film owes much of its success still, to the unique anti-hero dynamic that shows off the exciting, intriguing and accessible characterization as well as a strong and intricate narrative.