Like a lot of seventies Bollywood action movies, Lahu Ki Do Rang (1979) has a really complicated backstory to get through before the action starts in earnest; it's also a complicated family drama about a very complicated family. Here's the short version: In 1943 Hong Kong, Shamsher Singh (Vinod Khanna) has deserted from the British Army, instead joining Subhas Chandra Bose's revolutionaries in order to throw the British out of India by force. While fleeing from the dastardly Brits, he barges into the house of Suzy (Helen), and she shelters him for the night. And then another night, and so on. Six months later, it's time for Shamsher to return to India. Suzy is pregnant, but will not stand in his way, and he promises to bring her and their child to India once his work is finished.
Back in India, Shamsher explains things to his wife Ladjo (Indrani Mukkherji), then gets to work. In short order, he's betrayed and murdered by Shankar (Rajneet), who uses the opportunity to rob the bank and steal enough gold to fill the trunk of a car. Then Shankar is betrayed by his sidekick Mac (Mac Mohan, by far my favorite Bollywood henchman), who sinks the car in a lake before shooting himself in the knee and surrendering to the police.
Years pass. Mac is released from prison. Shekhar, now going by the name Devi Dayal, sends his stepdaughter/reluctant henchwoman Roma (Shabana Azmi) to collect him, and find out where the gold is. meanwhile, Shamsher and Ladjo's son Raj (also Vinod Khanna) has become a policeman, dedicated to finding his father's killer. And Shamsher and Suzy's son Suraj (Danny Denzongpa) has grown up to be a cynical street-smart martial artist and professional diver who will do anything to provide for his mother, even if it means going to work for some rich Indian jerk who needs him to a sunken car filled with gold.
And then things start to happen. Suraj is hired by some rich Indian jerk to locate a sunken car filled with gold. He does, but Shekhar/Dayal needs capital for the next stage of the plan, so Suraj is left to hang out in India for a while; he befriends Shabbo (Baby Shalu), an orphan, pickpocket, and easily the most competent character in the film. He also has time to fall in love with Roma, but can't work up the courage to say anything to her, despite Shabbo's coaching.
Meanwhile, Mac is murdered, surprising no one. But the killer leaves his wallet at the crime scene, which eventually leads Raj to Roma. He disguises himself as a photographer and basically stalks her until she falls in love with him. But while Raj gets the girl and valuable information, a heartbroken Suraj throws himself wholeheartedly into his henchmaning, believing that if he can't have love, he can at least provide for his mother in style.
"Long lost brothers, but one is a cop and the other one is a criminal" is a very common plotline in Bollywood, and there are no real surprises here. But while the plot is a bit predictable, it's executed well; the leads are charming, and while the story is complicated, nearly everything makes sense in the end. The Hong Kong setting is unusual, but I suspect it's mostly an excuse for Danny Denzongpa to do his best Bruce Lee impression. He's got the look, he's got the style, he's got the attitude, but it's mostly a visual homage. The movie throws in a tournament near the beginning to establish that Suraj has martial arts skills, and then he spends the rest of the movie not using them. The rest of the film is pure funky seventies Bollywood cop movie.
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