Kranti (1981)

This is the story of India's Freedom Struggle between the years of 1825&1875.

Director:

Manoj Kumar

Writers:

Javed Akhtar (screenplay), Javed Akhtar (story),

Stars:

Dilip Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dilip Kumar	...	Sanga / Kranti
Manoj Kumar	...	Bharat / Kranti
Shashi Kapoor	...	Shakti
Hema Malini	...	Rajkumari Meenakshi
Shatrughan Sinha	...	Kareem Khan
Parveen Babi	...	Sureli
Sarika	...	Sheetal
Nirupa Roy	...	Radha
Prem Chopra	...	Shambhu Singh
Pradeep Kumar	...	Shamsher Singh
Dheeraj Kumar	...	Prince Heera
Shashikala	...	Charumati (Shakti's Adopted Mother)
Madan Puri	...	Sher Singh
Sulochana Latkar	...	Rama (lady found child in the water) (as Sulochana)
Paintal

Storyline

The British did not give India its independence on a silver platter. Independence was the result of a long and bloody battle. "Kranti" is the story of how two men became soldiers in that battle. Sangha is a honest and dedicated employee in the kingdom of Ramgarh, owing allegiance and loyalty to no one except Raja Laxman Singh. When Laxman Singh conditionally permits the British to use the port for trading purposes, Sangha finds out that the British are taking out gold and jewelery and bringing in ammunition, he puts a stop to this. He goes to report this outrage to Laxman Singh, only to find him stabbed to death and he charged with treason and of killing him. Sentenced to death, he escapes and forms a group of revolutionaries who have only one motto - drive the British out of India. This group multiplies into several armies, all united with one slogan - an Independent India. Which is also known as Kranti.

---

Plot Keywords:

india | independence | death | battle | escape | 

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History

---

Details

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi

Release Date:

3 February 1981 (India)

Also Known As:

A Chama da Liberdade

Filming Locations:

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Company Credits

Production Co:

V.I.P. Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

187 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Sharaabi (1984)

---

Soundtracks

"Looie Shama Sha"
Lyrics by Santosh Anand
Music by Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar & Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma
Performed by Lata Mangeshkar & Nitin Mukesh

User Reviews

A Bollywood Classic

The first time I saw this movie I was totally impressed. This movie about the Indian resistance fighting the British oppressors is nothing short of an epic. I was very young and could not know that this movie wasn't entirely realistic. The typical Bollywood themes (examples:mother loosing child in the beginning of the movie and then by force of faith or extreme luck to be reunited with the child who now is an adult,or the love story of the spoiled and stuck up woman in this case a princess played by the wonderful Hema Malini who falls in love with someone beneath her class,the leader of a resistance group,Manoj Kumar) are a bit much and certainly not fitting in a story like this. Manoj Kumar's take on history is a melodrama combined with a lot of action. But to be honest that also is the appeal of this movie. This movie isn't to show what really happened back then. No,it is meant to show the emotions of the people that were victims of the British colonization. In that aspect you can compare this movie to Hollywood productions like "Braveheart" or "The Patriot" both starring Mel Gibson. But even more important is the way Manoj Kumar has directed this movie. When looking at the structure of "Kranti" movies like "The Longest day" and "A bridge too far" come to mind. It has the same setup and feel to it. Only accompanied by the obligatory song and dance (which was good but often too much and too distracting). The great cast,the good direction and it's powerful message have made "Kranti" into a movie that can be watched over and over again. In my book that is called a classic.