| 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 |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Achanak (transl. Suddenly) is a 1973 Indian Hindi-language film, directed by Gulzar, written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, and starring Vinod 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 case KM Nanavati v State of Maharashtra.[3]
1963 movie Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke was also based on the same case.[4] Akshay Kumar starrer 2016 movie Rustom is based on the same case as well.[5]
The film had no songs, the background score is composed by Vasant Desai.
Plot
Major Ranjeet Khanna is in love with his wife Pushpa, who seems to love him as well. His commanding officer, also his father-in-law Lt Col Bakshi. Ranjeet is happy with his marriage, until he finds out about his wife's affair with his best friend. He kills them both and turns himself in to the police. Then, he escapes from the police to find the Ganges River, because he wanted to fulfill his wife's wish of dropping her wedding necklace (mangalsutra) into the river. However, the police shoot him first and he is hospitalized, where he becomes emotionally attached to the doctors and the nurse, who are also devastated when he is sentenced to hang to death.
Cast
| 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 |
Production
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 and Raj Sippy collaborated with partner Hrishikesh Mukherjee to produce Achanak and they approached Gulzar to direct it. Gulzar approached Vasantrao, a marathi background score composer to compose the score for this film since it would have no songs otherwise.[1]
Soundtrack
Background music was composed by Vasant Desai.
| # | Song Title | Singer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sun Mere Bandhu Re" | S D Burman |
References
- 1 2 Gavankar, Nilu N. (2011). The Desai trio and the movie industry of India. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-4634-1941-7.
- ↑ "1st Filmfare Awards 1953" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ "Inspired by Nanavati". Hindustan Times. 19 December 2002. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ↑ Parsai, Gargi (12 August 2010). "Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke (1963)" – via www.thehindu.com.
- ↑ "Gulzar's Achanak is what Akshay Kumar's Rustom would have been if it didn't take the easy way out". 21 January 2023.
- ↑ Chatterjee, Saibal: "Echoes & Eloquences: The Life and Cinema of Gulzar", page 95. Rupa & Co, 2007. ISBN 978-81-291-1235-4
- ↑ Chatterjee, Saibal: "Echoes & Eloquences: The Life and Cinema of Gulzar", page 93. Rupa & Co, 2007. ISBN 978-81-291-1235-4