Damini
| Damini | |
|---|---|
| File:Damini - Lighting, 1993 Hindi film.gif DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Rajkumar Santoshi |
| Written by | Dilip Shukla |
| Produced by | Aly Morani Karim Morani Bunty Soorma |
| Starring | Rishi Kapoor Sunny Deol Meenakshi Sheshadri Vijayendra Ghatge Rohini Hattangadi Kulbhushan Kharbanda Amrish Puri Paresh Rawal Tinu Anand |
| Cinematography | Ishwar Bidri |
| Edited by | V. N. Mayekar [1] |
| Music by | Nadeem-Shravan Sameer (Lyrics) |
Release date | 30 April 1993 |
Running time | 176 minutes |
| Country | Template:Film India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | Rs. 7,50,00,000[2] |
Damini - Lightning is a 1993 Hindi film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi starring Rishi Kapoor, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Sunny Deol, Amrish Puri, Tinu Anand and Paresh Rawal in lead roles. The story is of how a woman fights against society for justice.
Besides being critically acclaimed, the film became the sixth highest grossing of the year and was declared a 'hit' at the Indian box office.[2] Damini - Lightning is also memorable for Sunny Deol's role as an advocate and gained him a Filmfare as well as National Film Award for Best Supporting actor for 1993. The movie strengthened his Bollywood he-man image. The film was a milestone in the careers of Sunny Deol and Amrish Puri who gave some great hits like Ghayal, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Ghatak: Lethal together. Aamir Khan acted in a very special appearance in the stage show dance song. Damini - Lightning was remade into Oriya as Nari Nuhne Tu Narayani starring Sidharth and Rachana. It was remade into Tamil as Priyanka starring Revathi as the titular character.
Synopsis
Shekhar Gupta (Rishi Kapoor), a rich businessman falls in love at first sight with Damini(Meenakshi Sheshadri). The duo get married & Damini moves into his palatial bungalow. One day, Damini witnesses Shekhar's younger brother, Rakesh, molesting the maid-servant and rushes to tell Shekhar. Shekhar rushes over to prevent the sexual assault but is too late. The Gupta family conspire to cover up this shameful incident. But Damini decides to inform the police. The matter is taken up in court, and Damini is asked to testify. Damini is portrayed as a mentally unstable person & confined in a mental institution for two weeks by a judicial order. Unable to bear the mental torture in the institution, she escapes and runs into a down-and-out alcoholic lawyer by the name of Govind (Sunny Deol), who has the rape case re-opened. The maid-servant dies in hospital, and the police write her death off as a suicide. But Govind is able to prove otherwise. It is upto Damini, Govind & Shekhar to provide justice to the victimized girl. famous dialogue - tareekh pe tareekh ( sunny deol),
yeh dhai kilo ka haath ( sunny deol),
wo govind shrabi use to mai dekh loga( ambrish puri)
Plot
Shekhar Gupta(Rishi Kapoor) is the elder son of Mr. & Mrs. Gupta(Kulbhushan Kharbanda & Rohini Hattangadi). He sees Damini(Meenakshi Sheshadri), a poor girl who is an upcoming dancer. The duo fall in love. The couple get married without a hitch. It is only when Damini enters the Gupta household that the problems start. She learns that her mother-in-law wanted Shekhar to get married to the daughter of Mr.Bajaj(Paresh Rawal), a wealthy acquaintance of Bajaj family. Her world turns topsy turvy when her brother-in-law rapes a servants teenage daughter, Mamta. The girl is later said to be missing. Damini decides to testify, much against her in-laws wishes. Even Shekhar seems to be reluctant to aid her.
The case stands in court, but Indrajit Chaddha(Amrish Puri), a corrupt lawyer fighting for Gupta's, embarasses Damini by asking her uncomfortable questions in front of the court. When Damini's own father Chandrakant(Anjan Srivastav) gives a false testimony that she had mental problems, Damini is declared insane & sent to an lunatic asylum. Damini's confidence is crippled, but she soon recovers. Soon, Damini stages an escape from the asylum. Govind(Sunny Deol), an ex-lawyer, gives her shelter. It is revealed that Govind's girlfriend herself was a victim. When Govind failed to give her justice, he left his practice & took to drinking.
On Damini's insistence, he reluctantly agrees to see into the case. When Chaddha meets Govind personally, Govind decides to come out of his retirement. The case is reopened. However, this time, Govind turns the tables & methodically thwarts all the pressure tactics of the villains. However, things again take a turn for worse, when Mamta commits suicide, now disgraced as a rape victim(although it is hinted that the police themselves murdered her). Without Mamta's testimony, the case seems lost. However, Bajaj decides to kill Shekhar as he might buckle under the pressure. He also sends his goons to kill Damini. Damini escapes & counter-attacks the goons. Here, the judge is tired of waiting & is about to give a decision in Gupta's favour. Damini enters just in time to declare that she wants to withdraw the case.
Govind tries to talk her out, but she vents her anger on Chaddha & all others for the things that happened. Shekhar, who is thoroughly ashamed of himself, steps in & testifies. He tells the truth & asks Damini's pardon. On basis of his testimony, the villains are arrested while Shekhar is given a lighter sentence. Govind leaves happily, while Mamta's father is seen thanking him & Damini.
Cast
- Meenakshi Sheshadri - Damini Gupta
- Rishi Kapoor - Shekhar Gupta
- Sunny Deol - Govind
- Amrish Puri - Barrister Indrajit Chaddha
- Anjan Srivastav - Chandrakant (Damini's dad)
- Paresh Rawal - Mr. Bajaj
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda- Mr. Gupta
- Rohini Hattangadi - Mrs. Gupta
- Vijayendra Ghatge - Inspector Kadam
- K.K. Raina - Shekhar's friend
- Tinnu Anand - Shekhar's uncle[3]
Soundtrack
| # | Title | Singer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Jab Se Tumhein Dekha Sanam" | Kumar Sanu, Sadhana Sargam |
| 2 | "Gawah Hain Chand Taare" | Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik |
| 3 | "Bin Sajan Jhoola Jhoolu" | Kumar Sanu, Sadhana Sargam |
| 4 | "Sacha Aashiq Hai To" | Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik |
| 5 | "Kaga To Udd Gaya" | Alka Yagnik |
Awards
- National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor - Sunny Deol- best performnace of the life
- Filmfare Award
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