The best of Rakesh Roshan
4. Kaamchor (1982)
After his initial attempt at film production (Aap Ke Deewane) failed to set the box office afire, Rakesh Roshan hit the jackpot with his second production, Kaamchor. Directed by noted filmmaker K Vishwanath, the movie turned out to be the biggest solo hit of Rakesh's acting career.
Rakesh had the meaty title role as a street-smart Mick on the make with a marked aversion to hard work. He marries a rich man's daughter (Jaya Prada) only for the family fortunes. The daughter, however, turns out to be a paragon of virtue, who refuses to stay on in her maternal home after marriage.
Rakesh the producer lavishes upon Rakesh the actor several scenes that showcase his by-now deft turn at histrionics. Rakesh's comic vein gets a free run in the sequence where he gatecrashes a wedding for a free meal and pretends to be on familiar terms with the bewildered guests. And Rakesh also has a showy drunken scene before the climax, in which he lets slip the reasons why he married Jaya and calls her foolish in public.
Two Kaamchor songs picturised on Rakesh -- Tujh sang preet lagayi and Tumse badhkar duniya mein -- became radio perennials in the '80s. They also indicated the symbiotic relationship between the brothers -- Kaamchor rejuvenated Rajesh Roshan's career too.
Kaamchor's box office triumph proved to be the launch pad for Jaya Prada's career in Hindi films -- something which her earlier hit Sargam had not been able to do. Yet, Rakesh chose to cast reigning queen Sridevi instead in his next two productions Jaag Utha Insaan and Bhagwan Dada. None of them could duplicate Kaamchor's success.