Nagina (1986)

Ok so i know the whole woman shifting into a snake thing is corny and down right out ridiculous but i just love these movies, they are different and if the story is well told like it is in this case, they are down right out entertaining. So hold on to your knickers dear ones, we're in for a saas-bahu-saap (Mother in law/daughter in law/ snake ) affair

The movie opens with a shot into a massive mansion with the obligatory winding staircase which seemed to be a sign of wealth in many 80's bollywood flicks

Sushma is awaiting the return of her son Rajiv (Rishi Kapoor) from England after 15years of travelling there following some disturbances in his childhood

He's welcomed by Ajay Singh (Prem Chopra) the family business proprietor and his daughter Vijaya (Rupini), plans are made for both Rajiv & Rajini to get married by his mother and Ajay

While out and about trying to familiarise himself to his surroundings Rajiv finds himself being drawn to an old haunted mansion, there he meets Rajini (Sridevi) who tells him they were childhood lovers he becomes infatuated with her and they both fall in love (aahhhhhh)

When Rajiv rejects the family's choice Vijaya, her father Ajay Singh isn't too pleased and decides on getting even

Ahh poor Vijaya, i feel your pain girl

Rajiv introduces Rajini to his mother, she's won over by Rajini and plans are made for the two to get married. Ajay still furious that his daughter Vijaya was given the cold shoulder sends his men to bump Rajiv and Ragini off, on their way they are disrupted by two angry looking cobras (Why is this)

The snakes stop the goondas from attacking the newly married couple, and seeing as his frst attempt to kill Rajiv & Rajini has failed, Ajay then refuses to hand over the family business to Rajiv, a bothered Rajiv comes home lamenting to Rajini who eases him down by revealing where the said files are (Hmm how did she know this, isn't there something fishy about this Rajini)

Alas our suspicions are confirmed when a sage Bhairon Nath (Amrish puri) comes by the family house one day and reveals to Rajiv's mother that there is a poisonous snake lurking around the house, he reveals her bahu (Daughter in law) is a snake which leaves her in shock of course, he tells her to be observant

True enough Rajiv's mom observes rajini and turns out she is indeed a snake catch this dramatic moment below

Rajini' confesses to Rajiv's mother that she is indeed a snake and tells her not to be afraid affirming she's harmless & then warns her mother in law to beware of the sage, that he is out to destroy her family

What will be the effect of this revleation to Rajiv & Rajini's marriage? Is Rajini really as harmless as she makes out? How and why did Rajini become a snake?How true are her claims of her and Rajiv being childhood buddies, Plus who is the sage and what are his motives?

Ok so I know the story seems a little bit out there to most of you but this is an entertaining female centred film, which is something we don't get a lot of in bollywood.


The first thing that came over me after watching this film, no matter how ridiculous it sounds is,

"what would i do if i found out my daughter in law is a snake?"

In fact ask yourself that question, what would you do if you found out your daughter or son in law were a snake? If you're not one (i.e a mother in law or father in law) just imagine ...LOL

Nagina's strength lies in the director Hamesh Malhotra's style of storytelling, it draws you in and holds your attention, plus there's a bit of suspense, yes we all know Rajini's a snake (duh!! from the Dvd cover) but its the reason as to why she is one, as well as her motives that keeps us at the edge of our seats.

Decent performances from all the cast here but Sridevi steals the show and lets not forget Amrish Puri he was a treat as Bhairon Nath, Rishi wasn't given much scope to shine as the whole film centres around the grand diva of 80's bollywood 'Sridevi', she just owned this film.
Check out those eyes (it musn't have been easy to wear contact lenses back then)

Overall Nagina remains one of my favourite flicks, there's a certain Indianness to this film, from the story to the execution that i love, something i miss so much in bolywood these days, i love all these movies where Indians just did their own thing without caring about the western audience, only bollywood could pull off all this snake woman sagas

If you're very squirmy about snakes you might want to avoid some Scenes in Nagina like this ridiculous one below, PETA will definitely not be happy after watching the clip above, the directors just can't claim no snakes were harmed in the making of this film

Of the snake movies Ive seen so far Nagin (1976) still remains my favourite, so camp, so colourful and so deliciously thrilling. I love Nagina too but not on the same level as Nagin, perhaps Malika's Hissss (see end of post) might trump them both

Good soundtrack from Laxmikant Pyarelal highlights are 'bhooli bisri ek kahaani', 'tune bechain itna', 'aaj kal yaad kuch' my favourites are the lovely 'Balma' with beautiful vocals from kavita Krishnamurthy, check out how Sridevi teases Rishi in the clip below


and in what has to be one of the campest song picturisations ever 'Main tera dushman' (see it below)

Paisa Vasool Rating: 7/10

Buy the dvd here



Malika's fothcoming film Hissss which is based on the legend of the snake woman makes a return to our cinema's this August, it's directed by Jennifer Lynch and features A Grade Make up and special effects, see the trailer below