Dushman (1998)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Tanuja Chandra

Writers:

Mahesh Bhatt (screenplay)
Sachin Bhowmick (story)

Release Date:

29 May 1998 (India)

Genre:

Crime

Plot:

Sonia and Naina Sehgal (both played by Kajol) are twins. The two are completely different from each other...

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Sanjay Dutt	...	Major Suraj Singh Rathod
Kajol	...	Sonia / Naina Saigal
Jas Arora	...	Kabir
Tanvi Azmi	...	Sonia / Naina's mother
Pramod Muthu	...	ACP Santosh Singh Walia (as Pramod Moutho)
Kunal Khemu	...	Bhim
Pratima Kazmi	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Anupam Shyam	...	Inspector Dubey
Vishesh
Vani Tripathi	...	Sunanda Tripathi
Sanjeeva Vatsa
Pinky Singh
Robin Bhatt
Baby Varsha
Omkar Singh

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

India:A

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Company:

Pooja Bhatt Productions

Trivia:

Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan turned down the role of Major Suraj Singh Rathod.

Overused concept presented in a brilliant new fashion

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

'Indianized' version of the 1996 Kiefer Sutherland/Sally Field starrer 'Eye for an eye', Dushman still manages to strike a deep chord with the readers, due completely to the flawless casting of Kajol as Naina Seghal, the sister of the victim (the only discernible difference as in the original it was the mother seeking revenge) The story opens with a happy-go-lucky family, twins (Sonia and Naina, played by Kajol) a younger sister (Diya) and a mother, content in the ups and downs of their small world. This happy picture is shattered into a million pieces as on the day of Diya's birthday, a psychotic postman, under pretense of delivering a letter to the house, breaks into the house, savagely beats, rapes, and murders Sonia (the most heart-breaking scene in the whole movie as Naina is on the other end of a cell phone conversation with her sister at the time of the murder, and is forced to hear the desperate screams of her dying twin). When the justice systems lets this man off, due to witness who changes their testimony, Naina is driven mad with grief and, with aid from an ex-army official (played brilliantly by Sanjay Dutt) arms herself to track this ruthless killer and serve justice where the courts can't. It isn't an easy feat, however, as the killer is all too aware of Naina stalking him and decides to finish her off in much the same manner as her sister.

Though revenge plots are nothing new to Bollywood, this one is different because it does not show a gun-wielding hero stealing agun from somewhere and go on a mad killing spree to avenge his family. It shows a sister, who first has to come to terms with the unbearable loss she has suffered and has to train herself adequately , so she has the means necessary to avenge her sister . Kajol IS Naina and Sonia! She plays the two separate personalities as effortlessly as she plays the tormented twin sister, who can't look in the mirror anymore because of the reflection that stares back at her. I couldn't imagine a better choice for the role. Same does for Ashutosh Rana as Ghokul. I refused to believe that this was this man's debut venture! he is simply terrifying and i had to hide my face half the time he was on screen, simply because of his overwhelming evil presence. The rest of the cast gives perfect support (Tanvi Azmi as the mother impresses) .

A must-see for Kajol fans, if not for the plot than simply for her mind-blowing performance. **********