Based on the famous folk tale from One Thousand and One Nights, this film is a nice co-production between India and USSR and it's a very enjoyable film despite the fact that several of the leading actors in it are quite miscast, starting with Dharmendra in the title role. The story obviously makes up for many of its possible flaws given how good it is to begin with, and the film is well made in terms of execution, setting, and art direction. The script deviates from the original tale quite a bit, but I don't think anyone would mind it, it is its draggy narrative that takes it down. In its favour, once it picks up it gets relatively better, and the film is further enhanced by the wonderful music of R. D. Burman, with the famous "Khatouba" in Asha Bhosle's excellent rendition topping them all. Dharmendra despite not being the best choice for the part is quite good, so is Hema Malini, while Zeenat Aman does better as Fatima. The film is overloaded with stereotypical villains but for once it is good because that's what such a fairy tale calls for, and it works. While a little long and requires patience at times, it is still nice, wholesome entertainment.

I seldom review 'fairy tales' because of their speculative nature. Such tales usually take me to an imaginary world for an hour or two and when their effect fizzles out, I realize that it didn't work on me as it should have. However, this isn't the case with 'Alibaba Aur 40 Chor' released in the year 1979 or 1980. It was a collaborative effort between India and USSR. It was a film directed jointly by Umesh Mehra and Latif Faiziev. The duo would also direct 'Sohni Mahiwal' in 1984, yet another milestone with evergreen songs. Since 'Alibaba Aur 40 Chor' is a 3 hour film, we would better look at the characters and their parts in this film.

1. Fatima (Zeenat Aman): She is the daughter of an old and rich merchant (Madan Puri),who is not only a businessman but also the inventor of explosives! When his caravan is raided by 40 thieves, headed by the dreaded Abu Hassan (Rolan Bykov),Madan Puri and his aides try to stop them with explosives. Successful to some extent, the aides finally break down under the might of Abu Hassan, who takes Fatima and his dad captive and confines them both in an underground cave. Madan Puri is forced to make explosives for the thieves and Fatima is given charge to arrange stuffs for making bombs. In course of time, Fatima discovers that her dad committed suicide and is left all alone to avenge his death. With the help of Alibaba (Dharmendra) she finally manages to grab Abu Hassan.

2. Alibaba aka Ali Bin Yusuf (Dharmendra): He is a resident of Gulabad (a fictional town located in a fictional Islamic State of Baharistaan) and a wastrel. He loves to spend time with his beloved friend Hamid. Alibaba is concerned about the wellness of Gulabad and wants to serve the people of his community. Time takes turn when Alibaba's mother (Sofiko Chiaureli) asks him to look for his father Yusuf, who is a trader but hasn't returned to Gulabad in the last 40 years. Alibaba's journey takes him to Baharistaan where he finds that the current ruler Shah Alam Parvez (Pinchoo Kapoor) has been deposed and killed by his commander-in-chief Shamsher (Prem Chopra). Alibaba rescues princess Marjina (Hema Malini) killing Shamsher in the process and they both join a caravan that's heading to Gulabad. He meets his long lost dad Yusuf in the caravan, but the happiness is short lived when Abu Hassan and his men attack the caravan and Yusuf is fatally wounded. Ali vows to slay Abu Hassan and his men, not really knowing that Abu Hassan is mightier than what people have ever known about him.

3. Qasim (Zakir Mukhamedzhanov): He is Alibaba's elder brother. He is an industrious businessman and runs a store in Gulabad. His greed takes him to Abu Hassan's hideout, where he enters using the magical spell (Khul Jaa Sim Sim) but forgets it at the time he's about to leave. Abu Hassan and his henchmen discover Qasim hiding under the pile of dimes and quarter him. His corpse is hung inside the cave but Alibaba recovers it and gets it sewn by an experienced tailor.

4. Marjina (Hema Malini): She is the daughter of Shah Alam Parvez and the princess of Gulabad. First Alibaba rescues her from Shamsher and then from a lecherous merchant Mustafa (Frunze Mkrtchyan) when he is about to sell her in the slave market. Marjina becomes Alibaba's trusted friend and lover and helps him in devising a plan to track Abu Hassan down.

5. Abu Hassan (Rolan Bykov): Abu Hassan is the dreaded chief of 40 thieves. He is cruel, mean, cunning, courageous and a great actor. When I say actor, I really mean it. Rolan Bykov needs a standing ovation for his part. He has literally lived the character of Abu Hassan on screen. He portrays two different characters in the movie, who are not only one and the same but also exactly opposite. Either ways, he has justified his part and plays it fairly well. His dialogs are menacing, his humors are vengeful, his personality, his turban, his eyes, his looks and everything about him is sinister and the manner he magically transforms from one character to another is miraculous. The way he scolds his henchmen and makes them run like rats tells a lot about Abu Hassan's excellent commanding persona. I am so much in love with this man. He has sidelined all the other actors and meets success in making a special place in the viewer's mind.

Even though 'Alibaba Aur 40 Chor' has considerable differences from the actual '1001 Arabian Nights' yet it is no boring and is capable enough to take the viewers in the old Arabian world where Merchants, Caravan Raiders, Magicians, Qaazis, Haakims and such unique figures used to exist. The part of Abu Hassan has been well handled. The original '1001 Arabian Nights' doesn't have Abu Hassan in it, but here Mehra and Faiziev introduced him and thanks that they did. This is indeed a fine example of classic cinema and the lovers of classic cinema would appreciate it. I also appreciate Javed Siddiqui for penning down dialogs that are in simple Urdu (unlike Razia Sultan, Mughal-e-Azam, Sikandar-e-Azam and some others) and it is also 100 times better than other films with Arabian backdrop like Ravikant Nagaich's 'Thief of Baghdad-1977' and 'Shabnam - 1964'. The songs are fresh and soothing. Overall, a complete family entertainment.

Wow, is this a fascinating movie. Made in 1979 as Uzbek/Indian co-production, it covers classic Bollywood elements (well-done song&dance numbers, elephants, family relations) as well as Soviet themes (the chief robber doubling as Vezir, the plight for water - not as a priced commodity, etc.) In fact, the topic of water runs throughout this film - from drops in a bottle to destruction and reconstruction of a vital dam. (Not to forget the waterfall in front of the cave...) In addition, you get heroic fathers and mothers, really eerie villains, and all in all a jolly good yarn.

Praise be again to German magazine SuperIllu, which came with this film as gimmick yesterday. Highly recommended. And the songs are of course in Hindi :)