Disco Dancer

This article is about the Indian film. For the Devo song, see Total Devo.
Disco Dancer

Poster
Directed by Babbar Subhash
Produced by Babbar Subhash
Tilotima Babbar Subhash
Written by Dr. Rahi Masoom Reza
Deepak Balraj Vij
Starring Mithun Chakraborty
Rajesh Khanna
Kim Yashpal
Om Puri
Gita Siddharth
Om Shivpuri
Music by Bappi Lahiri
Cinematography Nadeem Khan
Edited by Mangesh Chavan, Shyam Gupte
Production
company
B. Subhash Movie Unit
Release dates
 10 December 1982
Running time
 135 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi

Disco Dancer is a 1982 Indian Hindi/Bollywood feature film directed by Babbar Subhash, starring Mithun Chakraborty in the lead role and Rajesh Khanna in a special appearance plays the mentor of the lead hero. The film tells the rags-to-riches story of a young street performer. It is especially known for its filmi disco songs composed by Bappi Lahari and dance of Mithun Chakraborthy. Songs including "I am a Disco Dancer" and "Yaad Aa Raha Hai" (picturized on Mithun and sung by Vijay Benedict and Bappi Lahiri) and "Goro Ki Na Kaalo Ki" (picturised on Rajesh Khanna and sung by Suresh Wadkar with Usha Mangeshkar) became very popular.

The film was a worldwide success, with its popularity extending across Southern and Central Asia, Eastern and Western Africa, the Middle East, East Asia, Turkey and Soviet Union. It was one of the most successful Indian films in the Soviet Union, drawing an audience of 40 to 63 million viewers there. Disco Dancer established Mithun as a household name in Southern Asia and the Soviet Union. In China, the soundtrack was a success and received an award.

It was remade in Tamil as Paadum Vaanambaadi with Anand Babu and in Telugu as Disco King with Nandamuri Balakrishna.

Plot

Anil (Mithun Chakraborty), a street performer and wedding singer, is scarred by the memory of the rich P.N. Oberoi (Om Shivpuri) beating his mother (Gita Siddharth) in an incident during his childhood. When David Brown, the manager (Om Puri) of current Indian disco is fed up of champion Sam (Karan Razdan) and looks for some new talent, he happens across Anil who is dance-walking down a street. Rebranded as 'Jimmy', the rising disco star must take the throne from Sam and win the heart of Rita (Kim Yashpal), Oberoi's daughter.

All seems to be going well until Oberoi hires men to connect Jimmy's electric guitar to 5,000 volts of electricity, causing Jimmy's mother to die in a tragic accident. With his legs broken by Oberoi's goons and guitar phobia from the incident with his mother, Jimmy must claim first place for Team India at the International Disco Dancing Competition amidst strong competition from Team Africa and Team Paris.

Cast

Production

The title song "I Am a Disco Dancer" was shot at Natraj Studio in Mumbai over three days, where scenes featuring Mithun Chakrobarty's signature moves were filmed. Thereafter, the shooting featuring crowds scenes at Filmistan Studio in Mumbai.[1]

Soundtrack

The music for the movie was directed by Bappi Lahiri. The tracks on the 1982 soundtrack album are as follows:

  1. "Goron Ki Na Kaalon Ki": Suresh Wadkar & Usha Mangeshkar
  2. "Auva Auva – Koi Yahaan Nache": Usha Uthup & Bappi Lahiri
  3. "Ae Oh Aa Zara Mudke": Kishore Kumar
  4. "Krishna Dharti Pe Aaja Tu": Nandu Bhende
  5. "I Am a Disco Dancer": Vijay Benedict
  6. "Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja": Parvati Khan
  7. "Yaad Aa Raha Hai" Bappi Lahiri

The song "Auva Auva" was influenced by the 1979 English synthpop hit "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.

"Yaad Aa Raha Hai"
Bappi Lahiri's "Yaad Aa Raha Hai" is a synthesized, minimalist, electronic disco song. It may have influenced the 1982 proto-acid house album Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The song "Yaad Aa Raha Hai" has been described as a synthesized, minimalist, high-tempo, electronic disco song. Geeta Dayal described it as a "disco anthem for the ages, and one of the best songs Lahiri ever did." It has been cited as a possible influence on the 1982 prototypical acid house album Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat by Charanjit Singh.

The song "Krishna Dharti Pe Aaja Tu" was influenced from "Jesus" by Tielman Brothers. This version was used in the movie where Mithun is practicing dance.

The British Sri Lankan alternative musician M.I.A. re-recorded "Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja" as "Jimmy" in 2007 for her album Kala. The music of this song was also used in the 2008 Adam Sandler movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan. There have been cover versions of "Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja" from other international musicians, including the 1998 hit "Jimmy" by Russian techno group Ruki Vverh, "Jimmy Jimmy" by Russian artists DJ Slon and Angel-A, and a cover version by Tibetan artist Kelsang Metok.

In popular culture

In 2010, the songs "I Am a Disco Dancer" and "Yaad Aa Raha Hai" were used in the 2010 Bollywood comedy film, Golmaal 3, directed by Rohit Shetty. The songs were relevant to the performance of Mithun Chakraborty's character Pritam, who reflected on his past as a young mega-hit disco dancer. The first song was the inspiration to Devo's 1988 "Disco Dancer."

The music from "Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja" was used in the final fight scene in the Adam Sandler film You Don't Mess with the Zohan.[2]

Aamir Khan's special appearance as Disco Fighter in the Imran Khan starrer 2011 film Delhi Belly is inspired by Mithun Chakraborty's role in Disco Dancer.

"Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja" and "I Am a Disco Dancer" are very popular in countries such as Mongolia and post-Soviet states such as Russia, Azerbaijan, Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan.

Baimurat Allaberiyev, an ethnic Uzbek from Tajikistan, became an internet sensation by singing "Goron Ki Na Kalon Ki" and "Jimmy Aaja" in a warehouse. The 2008 video recorded on a mobile phone got over 1 million views on YouTube. He landed an acting role in a Russian comedy film, Six Degrees of Celebration (2010).

References

  1. ↑ "On a disco high!". Pune Mirror. Retrieved 2014-04-29.
  2. ↑ You Don't Mess with the Zohan#Soundtrack

External links

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