Yash Chopra's 1975 film, Deewaar , one of the most iconic and influential works
of superstar Amitabh Bachchan, has been (to borrow a line from the film itself)
the 'lambi race ka ghoda', enjoying a nearly unrivalled popularity in the long
history of Hindi cinema. Its remarkable plot, crisp dialogues and epic narrative
structure, revolving around the familiar story of two brothers whose paths
diverge and lead to a fatal collision, have endeared it to millions. And its
most famous line, 'Mere paas ma hai', has been endlessly imitated, parodied and
referenced in cinematic and cultural works.
However, as Vinay Lal demonstrates in his study of