| Achanak | |
|---|---|
 Achanak film poster | |
| Directed by | Gulzar |
| Written by | Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Gulzar |
| Produced by | Raj N. Sippy Romu N. Sippy |
| Starring | Vinod Khanna Lily Chakravarty Asrani |
| Cinematography | K Vaikunth |
| Edited by | Waman B. Bhosle Gurudutt Shirali |
| Music by | Vasant Desai |
Release date |
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| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Achanak (transl. Suddenly) is a 1973 Indian Hindi-language film, directed byGulzar, written byKhwaja Ahmad Abbas, and starringVinod Khanna. Gulzar received a Filmfare nomination as Best Director for this film. Even though Gulzar is an accomplished lyricist, this film did not have any songs in it.[1]K. A. Abbas earned a Filmfare nomination for best story.[2] It is inspired by the real-life sensational 1958 murder caseK. M. Nanavati v State of Maharashtra.[3]
The actual messages conveyed by the movie are more sublime than simplecuckoldry. First and foremost is the futility of a doctor's efforts to save life of an already condemned person. After months of untiring efforts of doctors, nurses and all paramedics, the condemned man finally meets his fate at the gallows. Ethics of human killing is another message. While on one hand the protagonist is awarded aVir Chakra for killing several humans during war, on the other he is sentenced to death for killing two humans close to him.
The 1963 movieYeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke is also based on the same case.[4] TheAkshay Kumar-starrer 2016 movieRustom is based on the same case as well.[5]
The film had no songs, and the background score is composed byVasant Desai.
Major Ranjit Khanna and his wife Pushpa are in love with each other. His commanding officer, Lt. Col. Bakshi, is his father-in-law. Ranjit is happy in his married life, until he finds out about his wife's affair with his best friend. He kills both of them and surrenders to the police. Then, he escapes from the police to go to theriver Ganga, as he wants to fulfill his wife's desire to leave her Mangalsutra in the river. However, in his escape attempt, the police shoot him, and he is injured. He is then admitted to the hospital, where he becomes emotionally attached to the doctors and nurses. When he is finally sentenced to death, they are moved to tears.
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Major Ranjeet Khanna | Vinod Khanna |
| Dr Chaudhary | Om Shivpuri |
| Mrs Pushpa Khanna | Lily Chakravarty |
| Nurse Radha | Farida Jalal |
| Dr Kailash | Asrani |
| Colonel Bakshi | Iftekhar |
| Mr Gupta, Supdt of Police | Kamal Deep |
The entire film production was completed in 28 days.[6] Achanak was based on a Khwaja Ahmed Abbas story,The Thirteenth Victim, which had appeared in the magazine called Imprint.[7] In 1973 N.C Sippy's sons, Romu Sippy andRaj Sippy collaborated with partnerHrishikesh Mukherjee to produceAchanak and they approached Gulzar to direct it. Gulzar approached Vasantrao, amarathi background score composer to compose the score for this film since it would have no songs otherwise.[1]
Background music was composed byVasant Desai.
| # | Song title | Singer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sun Mere Bandhu Re" | S D Burman |