Bobby (1973 film)

Plot

The story is about the love between two Mumbai teenagers of different classes — Raj Nath (Rishi Kapoor), the son of a rich businessman Mr. Nath (played by Pran), and Bobby Braganza (Dimple Kapadia), the daughter of a poor Goan Christian fisherman Jack Braganza (played by Prem Nath).

The couple first sees each other during Raj's birthday party and meet when Raj goes to see his old governess, Mrs. Braganza. There, he sees her granddaughter Bobby, and it is love at first sight for him. Raj and Bobby go to see a movie but find out it is closed. Then Raj gets an idea to go to a party. At the party, Bobby sees Raj talking to another girl and thinks he is using her. As the story progresses, Raj realises that his relationship with the daughter of a poor fisherman is not taken kindly by his eccentric father. Upon Raj's insistence, Mr. Nath visits Jack to initiate talks of Raj and Bobby's wedding. But instead, Mr. Nath accuses Jack of using his daughter's beauty and charm to trap Raj for his money. He even offers Jack cash to have Bobby stop seeing Raj. Jack feels highly humiliated by this accusation and reciprocates by insulting Mr. Nath. Their talk enters a deadlock and spells doom for Raj and Bobby's tender love.

Mr. Nath engages Raj to a mentally challenged girl, Alka (Farida Jalal), to establish business ties with her rich father. But Raj runs away from home in order to unite with Bobby. They run away together. Mr. Nath advertises a reward for anyone who can help find his son. Prem Chopra (Prem Chopra) decides that he wants the money, and he and his goons kidnap Raj and Bobby. When they try to escape, Prem starts beating Raj. Mr. Nath and the police come to help, and they find Jack already there attempting to help Raj. Raj and Bobby run away from their fathers and jump over a waterfall. Mr. Nath and Jack jump into the water after them. Mr. Nath rescues Bobby, while Jack rescues Raj.

They realize that they love their children very much and don't want to stand in the way of their happiness. They accept each other's kids as their own and give their blessings to the union.

Cast

Production

In an interview in 2012, Rishi Kapoor stated, "There was a misconception that the film was made to launch me as an actor. The film was actually made to pay the debts of Mera Naam Joker. Dad wanted to make a teenage love story and he did not have money to cast Rajesh Khanna in the film".

Filming

Some scenes were shot in Gulmarg. One scene was shot in a hut in Gulmarg, which became famous as the 'Bobby Hut'. A few scenes towards the end of the movie were shot on Pune-Sholapur highway near Loni Kalbhor where Raj Kapoor owned a farm.

Box office

In India, Bobby was the highest-grossing film of 1973, earning ₹11 crore. It was also the second highest-grossing film at the Indian box office in the 1970s, second only to Sholay (1975). Adjusted for inflation, it grossed ₹398 crore in 2011 value, equivalent to ₹574 crore (US$90 million) in 2016 value. As of 2011, it is one of the top 20 highest-grossing films of all time in India.

Overseas, Bobby was very successful in the Soviet Union when it released there in 1975, due to Raj Kapoor's popularity in the country. Bobby drew a Soviet box office audience of 62.6 million viewers, making it the second best-selling film on the Soviet box office charts in 1975, the most popular Indian film of the 1970s, the second biggest foreign hit of the decade, the sixth biggest box office hit of the decade, the second most-viewed Indian film of all time (after Raj Kapoor's Awaara), the sixth biggest foreign hit of all time, and one of the top 20 biggest box office hits of all time. The film's success launched Rishi Kapoor into an overnight movie star in the Soviet Union, much like Awaara had done for his father Raj Kapoor.

Awards