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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ajooba
| image = Ajooba.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Shashi Kapoor]] Gennadi
Vasilyev
| producer = [[Shashi Kapoor]]
| writer = Yu Avetikov Bharat B. Bhalla Valentin Ezhov Brij Katyal Prayag Raj
| narrator =
| starring = [[Amitabh Bachchan]] [[Rishi Kapoor]] [[Amrish Puri]] [[Dimple Kapadia]]
| music = [[Laxmikant–Pyarelal]]
| cinematography = Sergei Anufriyev Aleksandr Kovalchuk Peter Pereira
| editing = Bhanudas Divakar Tatyana Malyavina
| studio =
| distributor = Aasia Films Pvt. Ltd. [[Gorky Film Studio]]
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1991|04|12}}
| runtime = 179 mins
| country = India [[USSR]]
| language = [[Hindi-Urdu]] [[Russian language|Russian]]
| budget = {{INR|80 million}}
| gross = {{INR|38 million}} {{small|(India)}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Box Office 1991 |url=http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=197&catName=MTk5MQ== |website=[[Box Office India]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131152326/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=197&catName=MTk5MQ== |accessdate=30 May 2020 |archive-date=31 January 2009 }}</ref>
}}

'''''Ajooba''''' ({{trans|''Prodigy''}}) is a 1991 [[superhero film]], produced and directed by [[Shashi Kapoor]] and also co-directed by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] filmmaker Gennadi Vasilyev. An Indian-USSR co-production, it is loosely based on [[Arabic literature|Arabic folklore]] (such as ''[[One Thousand and One Nights]]''). The film had a [[Russian language]] version released in the [[Soviet Union]] as two parts, ''Vozvrashcheniye Bagdadskogo Vora'' (''The Return of the Thief of Baghdad'')<ref name="kinopoisk1"/> and ''Черный принц Аджуба'' (''Black Prince Ajuba'').<ref name="kinopoisk2"/>

==Plot==
The [[Afghan]] kingdom of "Baharistan" is ruled by a just and kind [[Sultan]], Ali Rizwan Mohhamad Dokeer Khan ([[Shammi Kapoor]]). All is well in the land, except that the [[Sultan]] seemingly can't have children. An evil devil-worshipping [[Vizier|Vazir]] ([[Amrish Puri]]) seeks to usurp the throne, revive his ''"fauladi shaitan"'' (a huge demon-like figure made of stone), and take over the world. The Vazir instructs his maids to strangle every child born to the [[Sultan]]. Finally, however, a spark of divine intervention (presented literally as a spark which descends from the heavens and enters the womb) renders the next newborn son immune to the poisons and strangulations administered by the maids. This Shehezada (''prince'') eventually becomes ''Ajooba'' (miracle).

The [[Sultan]] and his wife Malika ([[Ariadna Shengelaya]]) kick off celebrations throughout the land. The good court magician Ameer Baba ([[Saeed Jaffrey]]), recently returned from his travels to the "land of Hind" (i.e., [[India]]), presents a magic sword to the [[Sultan]]. The [[Sultan]] thrusts it into a pillar (verifying its keenness), and Ameer Baba pronounces that it may be drawn out of the stone again only by a member of the royal family (rather like the [[Excalibur]]).

Soon after, the [[Sultan]] privately discusses "traitors" with Ameer Baba. The Vazir overhears, eventually tricks Ameer Baba, steals his Necklace of Immortality, throws him into the dungeon, attempts to murder the Sultan and his family and take over the throne. The Sultan escapes with his wife and child. After a pitched battle involving magic carpets, storms and ships, the Sultan is missing. Malika is blinded, and the young Shehzada is washed ashore by a dolphin (whom he eventually thinks of as his mother) to a blacksmith. This blacksmith adopts the kid, trains him in all the worldly and martial arts, and thus creates ''Ajooba''. In the meantime, the Vazir blames Ameer Baba for the Sultan's murder, takes over the throne, and begins ravaging the land, always uttering his slogan ''Shaitan Zindabaad'' (Long live the Devil).

''Ajooba'' is a masked rider in black (rather like Zorro) who thwarts the Vazir's lackeys as they pillage the lands and harass the citizens. His plain self is Ali, an ordinary restaurateur, and his chum is Hasan ([[Rishi Kapoor]]). Together they foil the Vazir's evil schemes, raid his caravans, and woo their girls. Ajooba, like Ali, falls for Rukhsana ([[Dimple Kapadia]], actually, the daughter of Ameer Baba, returned from Hind to rescue her imprisoned father), while Hasan's affections are for the Vazir's Shehzadi Henna ([[Sonam (actress)|Sonam]]).

Ajooba inflicts constant pain upon the Vazir. The Vazir eventually raises his ''fauladi shaitan'' and plans an all-out attack. The Raja of Hind ([[Dara Singh]], in a special appearance) brings his forces to aid Ajooba. The resulting war brings all the central characters together.

Several questions are essentially resolved in the ensuing war. The climax is a panorama of demons, magical horses and donkeys, a full-scale combat between the Vazir's army and the Hind army, enchanted swords, and a final revelation about the true identity of Ajooba.

==Cast==
*[[Amitabh Bachchan]] as Ajooba/Zaffar Ali Rizwan
*[[Rishi Kapoor]] as Hassan
*[[Amrish Puri]] as Vazir-e-Ala (aka Vazir)
*[[Dimple Kapadia]] as Rukhsana (Ameer Baba's daughter)
*[[Sonam (actress)|Sonam]] as Henna (Vazir's daughter)
*[[Saeed Jaffrey]] as Magician Ameer Baba
*[[Sushma Seth]] as Zarina Khan (Ameer Baba's wife)
*[[Dalip Tahil]] as Shahrukh (Vazir's brother-in-law)
*Georgi Darchiashvili as Altaf
*[[Shammi Kapoor]] as Sultan Ali Rizwan Mohhamad Dokeer Khan
*[[Ariadna Shengelaya]] as Malika (Sultan's wife)
*[[Narendra Nath]]...Sharafat Khan
*[[Dara Singh]] as Emperor of India
*[[Tej Sapru]] as Uddham Singh (Prince of India)
*[[Tinnu Anand]] as Anwar Khan (Emperor's Advisor)
*[[Sudhir (Hindi actor)|Sudhir]]...The bandit who kidnaps rukhsana special And Cameo Appearance
*[[Yunus Parvez]]...Bandits who kidnaps rukhsana special And Cameo Appearance
*[[MacMohan]]...The bandit who kidnaps rukhsana special And Cameo Appearance
*[[C S Dubey]]...The bandit who kidnaps rukhsana special And Cameo Appearance
*[[Praveen Kumar Sobti]]...Vazir Soldier (special And Cameo Appearance)
*[[Manik Irani]]....Vazir Soldier (special And Cameo Appearance)
*[[Bob Christo]]
*[[Mohan Choti]]...Tailor (special And Cameo Appearance)
*[[Rajendra Nath]] ... as Spectator in Public at Beginning of Movie(special And Cameo Appearance)

==Production==
The film was made in the wake of ''[[Adventures of Ali-Baba and the Forty Thieves (1980 film)|Alibaba Aur 40 Chor]]'' (1980), an earlier ''[[Arabian Nights]]'' themed Indian-Soviet production (based on the story of [[Ali Baba]]) that became a success in both India and the Soviet Union.<ref name="Salazkina">{{cite journal |last=Salazkina |first=Masha |title=Soviet-Indian Coproductions: ''Alibaba'' as Political Allegory |journal=[[Cinema Journal]] |date=2010 |volume=49 |issue=4 |pages=71–89 |doi=10.1353/cj.2010.0002 |url=https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/978004/1/Soviet-Indian_coproductions_proofs.pdf#page=4}}</ref> The film had a budget of {{INR|80 million}}, which was amongst the highest at the time.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jha |first=Lata |title=Ten big-budget Bollywood box-office disasters |url=https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/j0uwEr1EQbbKoB83ASpASK/Ten-bigbudget-Bollywood-boxoffice-disasters.html |work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] |date=28 September 2015}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ibosnetwork.com/asp/filmbodetails.asp?id=Ajooba ibosnetwork]</ref>

This film was produced in association with [[Gorky Film Studio]] in [[Moscow]]. There are several [[Russia]]n stars whose speech is not in sync with Hindi dialogues. Supposedly, [[Amitabh Bachchan]] worked in this film gratis, as a favor to his longtime collaborator and friend [[Shashi Kapoor]].

==Soundtrack==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! # !! Title !! Singer(s)
|-
| 1
| "Are Tajub Hai"
| [[Mohammad Aziz]], [[Sudesh Bhosle]]
|-
| 2
| "Chukdum Chukdum"
| [[Mohammad Aziz]]
|-
| 3
| "El Najoomi Se Poocha"
| [[Kavita Krishnamurthy]]
|-
| 4
| "Main Matti Ka Gudda Tu Sone Ki Gudiya"
| [[Mohammad Aziz]] , [[Alka Yagnik]]
|-
| 5
| "Oh Mera Jaan-E-Bahar Aa Gaya"
| [[Mohammad Aziz]] , Sudesh Bhosle, Alka Yagnik, [[Anuradha Paudwal]]
|-
| 6
| "Ya Ali Ya Ali"
| Sudesh Bhosle
|}

==Box office==
In India, the film flopped at the box office, despite managing to do a net business of {{INR|45 million}}. Later, by selling the satellite rights [[Shashi Kapoor]] was able to recover all his investment and subsequently it became an earner as of today.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}

In contrast, the film was a financial success in the Soviet Union,<ref name="Salazkina"/> where it was released in two parts.<ref name="kinopoisk1">{{cite web |title=Возвращение багдадского вора |url=https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/vozvrashhenie-bagdadskogo-vora-1990-223028/ |website=[[KinoPoisk]] |accessdate=11 December 2018 |language=ru-RU}}</ref><ref name="kinopoisk2">{{cite web |title=Черный принц Аджуба |url=https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/18755/ |website=[[KinoPoisk]] |accessdate=11 December 2018 |language=ru-RU}}</ref> It was the last successful collaboration between the Indian and Soviet film industries.<ref name="Salazkina"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0101283|Ajooba}}

[[Category:1991 films]]
[[Category:1991 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:1991 in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:1990s multilingual films]]
[[Category:1990s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:1990s Indian superhero films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Laxmikant–Pyarelal]]
[[Category:Fictional Afghan people]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian fantasy action films]]
[[Category:Indian multilingual films]]
[[Category:India–Soviet Union relations]]
[[Category:Russian-language films]]
[[Category:Soviet films]]
[[Category:Soviet fantasy films]]
[[Category:Soviet multilingual films]]
[[Category:Soviet superhero films]]
[[Category:1990s Urdu-language films]]

Ajooba - Revision history

>Samwag20012000 at 15:10, 1 July 2021