Agneepath = Scarface

Every upright man must at one time walk the path of fire. That is agneepath. The path of fire. Agneepath. AGNEEPATH!
 
AFI described gangster films as "a genre that centers on organized crime or maverick criminals in a twentieth century setting. Profit-minded and highly entrepreneurial, the American gangster is the dark side of the American dream. The gangsters' lifestyles are portraits in extremes, with audiences cheering their excesses and reveling in their demise." 

Writing about Gangster Genre is always stimulating; Narrative holding back on the undertone of fascinating dark plot personifying angry protagonist, who fights against the vicious circle of crime and morality.

Gangster Genre is foddered upon sinister actions of criminals or gangsters, particularly organized crime figures, bank robbers or hoodlums who operate outside the law. 

Narrative structure of stories highlights the life and times of crime figure or a crime’s victim, sometimes glorifying the rise and fall of particular criminal, gang or lawbreaker. The plots often engage viewers through depiction of power struggles or conflict with law or its representatives. 

Does Agneepath equate Scarface?

 Do both movies travel on same linear ground?

Strikingly similar plot lines do give us reflection of one inspiring the other; both movies have coherent narrative structures and their very own social influences.  Agneepath’s script writer Santosh R Saroj does justice with Vijay Chovan and manages to stir emotional turmoil in viewer’s heart, similarly Oliver Stone the script writer of Scarface successfully creates one of the greatest characters in movie business – Tonny Montanna.

“Agneepath” and “Scarface” both enjoy substantial cult following, not to mention later being a cultural icon in the U.S. On the other hand Agneepath still burnishes upon memorable performance of Amitabh Bacchna as Vijay Chouhan. Now, tracking back to the question I posed earlier, why Agneepath failed at the Box office?

Like hordes of Bollywood characters Vijay Chouhan too personifies Robinhood of East, surprisingly in the Land of Buddha and Gandhi characters like Vijay Chouhan are required as essential stimulants for ever evolving social consciousness. 

Reflecting upon the opening scene of the movie where Vijay sits in front of Commissioner Gaitonde, arguing about his ideals and struggle with the social system. Vijay has risen from utter poverty, fought through a hard and bitter world, and become a wealthy don; the system (including several corrupt cops) has failed him entirely; and why must Gaitonde, (Police Commissioner) who is unable to eliminate corruption in his own house, speak to Vijay of law, order and a just society?

Vijay points out that for all of Gaitonde's efforts, the cops have no real evidence (yet another failing of the system) to prosecute him. Gaitonde resignedly warns Vijay of danger and death at every turn. Vijay retorts that he knows who his enemies are, whereas Gaitonde must forever be subject to an irrecoverably failed system. This interchange forms an important theme in the film where a society will produce many more Vijays. Vijay arrives next at a gathering of the dons Terelin, Usman bhai and Shetty and tells them that he knows of their plan to assassinate him. 

He tells them that he won't run away and will take their bullets head on. If he dies they get everything but if he survives it's him all the way. As he expected, they attempt to assassinate him; they are stunned when he bares himself and invites them to shoot him at point blank range; they shoot him nonetheless and leave him to die.

Yes, this is where Script Writer went wrong I guess, the scene was hard to digest, and I don’t want to see my hero throwing himself chest on against the burst of bullets, eating the dust and negotiating against his blind faith and destiny. 

This scene doesn’t come handy for the audience. In Scarface, Tony does the same, in the climax - As Tony sits in his office, snorting a huge pile of cocaine, Sosa's men surround the mansion, armed to the teeth. 

Tony loses control. In a cocaine-fueled rage, Tony makes his last stand, using an MI6 that is equipped with a Grenade launcher opening fire before being gunned down himself. His body falls off the staircase and into the fountain, floating by the statue bearing the slogan "The World is Yours".

To be continued..........