Ajooba
| Ajooba Черный принц Аджуба | |
|---|---|
Indian Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Shashi Kapoor Russian film director Gennady Vasilyev |
| Written by | Prayag Raj Brij Katyal Bharat B. Bhalla Russian screenwriter Yu Avetikov Valentin Ezhov |
| Produced by | Shashi Kapoor |
| Starring | Amitabh Bachchan Dimple Kapadia Rishi Kapoor Sonam Shammi Kapoor Dara Singh Amrish Puri Saeed Jaffery |
| Cinematography | Sergei Anufriyev Aleksandr Kovalchuk Peter Pereira |
| Edited by | Bhanudas Divakar Tatyana Malyavina |
| Music by | Songs: Laxmikant–Pyarelal Score: Vanraj Bhatia |
Production companies | Aasia Films Pvt. Ltd. Gorky Film Studio |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 170 minutes |
| Countries | India Soviet Union |
| Languages | Hindi Russian |
| Budget | ₹8 crore |
| Box office | ₹3.50 crore |
Ajooba (transl. 'Wonder') is a 1990 superhero film, produced and directed by Shashi Kapoor and co-directed by Soviet filmmaker Gennadi Vasilyev. An Indian-Soviet co-production, it is loosely based on Arabic folklore such as One Thousand and One Nights. The film had a Russian language version released in the Soviet Union, Черный принц Аджуба ('Black Prince Ajuba'), in 1990, before its Indian release in 1991. The film starred Amitabh Bachchan as the titular superhero Ajooba, along with Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Sonam, Shammi Kapoor, Dara Singh, Amrish Puri and Saeed Jaffery in pivotal roles. Made on a budget of ₹8 crore, it was the most expensive Indian film made until then.
Ajooba released worldwide on 12 April 1991, on the Eid weekend. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances, special effects and music, but criticised the story, screenplay and direction.