Bluff Master Movie Review: The Beginning of a Great Journey

Two friends, actor Shammi Kapoor and director Manmohan Desai, first came together with the 1963 black & white classic Bluff Master. Despite the film not being a great success, the duo went ahead and collaborated on another film, called Budtameez made in 1966. The heady taste of success was never shared by them together. However, their children, Kanchan and Ketan's coming together in marriage has proved to be more successful.

Bluff Master is an early film in the repertoire of Manmohan Desai. It was probably his second film. As such, the film is not packed with all the little tricks of the trade that the director picked up down the years. He had still to polish his art and craft. But the genius of the man was not hidden and came out superbly in the song picturisation. No director till date has managed to capture the boisterous, heady spirit of the Dahi-Handi game as the song, 'Govinda Ala Re,' does in Bluff Master. Topping it was the voice of Mohammed Rafi, who always managed to get something special into his voice when doing a playback for Shammi. The strapping, handsome actor brought a rare sense of immediacy and fun to the number, making it memorable even today for its sense of atmosphere.

Bluff Master had Shammi paired with Saira, his heroine from the Junglee days. The two made a lovely pair while one was all man, tall, broad and handsome the other was the delicate female, fair and full of grace. Their jodi works well for the movie, as there exists a certain chemistry between them, which smolders on screen with being too explicit.

The film's story centres around Ashok, the protagonist or the Bluff Master of the title. Ashok (Shammi Kapoor) is a well meaning, unemployed youth on the lookout for a job. However, despite having many good qualities, Ashok has one bad habit, which is bound to get him into trouble one day. It is his habit of boasting and telling tall stories. Undeterred by his unemployed state, he continues to put on airs and pretends that he is from a rich, illustrious family. But all this changes when he finally lands a job as photographer for a tabloid called Bhukump. But unfortunately this pleasant state of affairs does not last too long. One day, Ashok takes the photograph of the owner's daughter Seema (played by Saira Banu), slapping an eve teaser. Ashok tries to retain his job by meeting Seema and convincing her of his good intentions. He manages to do that, but also ends up losing his heart to Seema. She too falls in love with him. Now a much chastened Ashok decides to reform his ways and stop bluffing. But it is easier said than done as people refuse to believe him. When he was a Bluff master, they would fall for all his stories. But now that he was genuinely trying to be honest, people did not want to believe him.

By the time Bluff Master arrived on the scene, Shammi had already established his image as the 'yahoo' star with films like. Junglee, Dil Tera Deewana, Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Professor. He had a certain light-hearted flamboyance which underscored his masculinity, and became his signature style. This playboy image of his comes into full play in this Manmohan Desai caper. But with the filmmaker still being in his earlier days, there are fewer evidences of his madcap gimmicks, which were such an intrinsic part of his later films like Naseeb, Amar Akbar Anthony and Coolie. Bluff Master has a much simpler narrative. But the Manmohan Desai touch can be seen and felt in many scenes and sequences. His handling of emotions is especially praiseworthy.

The film's music has been composed by Kalyanji Anandji. They were the composers for the filmmaker's first film Chhalia as well. The songs of Bluff Master were quite popular at that time, and there are a couple of numbers which can be called evergreen melodies. One of them is the Rafi-Lata Mangeshkar duet, 'Husn Chala Kuch Aisi Chaal,' or the Mukesh number, 'Socha That Pyaar Hum Na Karemge' or even the dahi-handi number, 'Govinda Ala Re' by Rafi.

Of the star cast, Shammi Kapoor behaves as only he can. He is very convincing as the Bluff Master. He essays his role with natural ease and style. He also manages to carry off the second half of the movie as well, when the plot takes on a more somber note. Of course, he is at his best when he is being the boisterous, loud, flamboyant lover. Shammi is very well matched by Saira Banu, who enacts her role very well indeed. Veteran actors Pran and Lalita Pawar spring no surprises and put in good supporting performances.

Bluff Master is by no means the best of what Manmohan Desai had to offer. Looking back in retrospect, the director grew by leaps and bounds in the Eighties and found in Amitabh Bachchan, the one actor, who could best enact his vision. But till then, Shammi Kapoor actually fitted the bill very well. He had the makings of a Manmohan Desai hero, with his unique brand of madness. Hence, Bluff Master occupies an important place in the works of the maverick director, as it marks the beginning of a great journey.