Narsimha (1991 film)

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Narsimha
Narsimha 1991 poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by N. Chandra
Screenplay byN. Chandra
Story byN. Chandra
Dialogues by Kamlesh Pandey
Produced byN. Chandra
Starring Sunny Deol
Dimple Kapadia
Urmila Matondkar
Ravi Behl
Om Puri
Shafi Inamdar
Cinematography Binod Pradhan
Edited byN. Chandra
Music by Laxmikant–Pyarelal
Production
company
N. Chandra Productions
Distributed byAarti Enterprises
Release date
  • 5 July 1991 (1991-07-05)
Running time
194 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹2.6 crore
Box office₹9 crore [1]

Narsimha is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language action drama film directed, produced, written, and edited by N. Chandra. The film stars Sunny Deol and Dimple Kapadia as the main leads, supported by Urmila Matondkar, Ravi Behl, Om Puri and Shafi Inamdar.

Contents

The music of the movie was composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal and the songs were penned by Javed Akhtar.

The film was a commercial success at the box office. [1]

Plot

Narsimha is a young, capable man living a quiet, middle-class life with his family. After arranging the marriage of his sister to an eligible young man nearby, he returns home for his sister's delivery. He finds his neighborhood engulfed in a communal conflict that quickly spreads across the entire city. Narsimha seeks refuge nearby, only to return and discover his entire family has been murdered.

Devoid of purpose, Narsimha descends into alcoholism and crime. He begins working for Suraj Narayan Singh, also known as Bapji, a cruel landlord and capitalist who controls the city's crime, law, and order through sheer wealth and muscle power. Bapji is delighted to have Narsimha, who possesses both wit and strength but lacks the will to live. This emotional detachment allows Narsimha to execute Bapji's most difficult, near-impossible tasks without question. Bapji, believing himself invincible and the city completely subjugated, sees Narsimha as the perfect weapon for his complex problems.

While Narsimha remains drunk and reports to Bapji only when summoned for assignments and payment, he has not completely lost his humanity, occasionally helping people in distress.

Bapji publicly declares his invincibility, boasting that due to his power and wealth, he cannot be killed by man or animal, day or night, or by any weapon or device. This echoes the boon received by the mythological King Hiranyakashyap. He demands the city's people consider him as their Lord and Master.

The conflict begins when Bapji discovers his daughter, Meenu, is in love with her college mate, Ravi. Bapji orders Narsimha to destroy Ravi's family and kill Ravi. However, witnessing the honest and revolutionary character of Ravi's sister, Anita, humanity rekindles in Narsimha. He vows to protect Anita's family, and he and Anita gradually fall in love.

Narsimha, now aided by Anita and Ravi, confronts Bapji, demanding he allow Meenu and Ravi to marry. Narsimha is the only one strong and smart enough to openly take on Bapji. With the help of his few loyal friends, Narsimha and Anita successfully rouse the local community against Bapji's oppressive and illegal rule.

Bapji employs every trick, using his goons and muscle men, but Narsimha thwarts his efforts repeatedly. Narsimha even humiliates Bapji by killing his famed wrestlers in Bapji's private court, showing the city that their tyrant was, for the first time, afraid. Pressure from the people, led by Narsimha and Anita, eventually forces the police to arrest Bapji for his illegal activities, though he soon uses his wealth to secure bail.

Released from jail, Bapji forcibly decides to marry Meenu and locks her away. He captures Narsimha and fatally stabs his abdomen with a sword. Bapji then reveals the ultimate truth: he planned the communal riot that killed Narsimha's family, using fear to keep the populace weak and submissive. He orders his men to bury the half-dead Narsimha inside a palace pillar and plaster it over.

The next morning, as Bapji attempts to forcibly wed Meenu, Anita and Ravi arrive with their friends to stop the wedding. Bapji releases prisoners from jail and arms them to control the crowd. When Meenu refuses the marriage and goes to Ravi, Bapji orders both of them to be plastered alive into his palace wall.

At that moment, the wounded Narsimha shatters the pillar he was entombed in, fulfilling his namesake—the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu who burst from a pillar to kill the demon Hiranyakashyap. Narsimha takes on Bapji's goons, joined by his friends and the local people. He vanquishes the criminals, rescues Meenu and Ravi by breaking the wall, and the damage to the structure causes the palace's foundation and roof to crumble. Finally, Bapji is killed when the arms of the palace's tower clock break off and fall on him.

Ravi and Meenu get together and peace returns to the city. Finally, Narsimha and Anita are get united.

Cast

Production

Ayesha Jhulka was initially cast for the role of Meenu, in what was to have been her debut film, but she was later replaced by Rajeshwari Sachdev. The film was also supposed to be Rajeshwari’s debut. She shot for a few days, but her leg fractured during the shooting, so she was replaced by Urmila Matondkar. [1] [2]

This was the second film in which Urmila Matondkar worked with Sunny Deol. She had previously worked with him as his teenage sister in the 1987 film, Dacait. [3]

Music and soundtrack

Narsimha
Soundtrack album by
Released1991
Genre Feature film soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal and the lyrics were penned by Javed Akhtar. [4] According to Box Office India, with around 18,00,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack was the year's tenth highest-selling album. [5]

Track list

  1. "Chup Chaap Tu Kyon Khadi Hai" – Alka Yagnik, Mohd Aziz
  2. "Hum Se Tum Dosti Kar Lo" – Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan
  3. "Jao Tum Chaahe Jahan" – Alka Yagnik, Amit Kumar
  4. "Lekin Mohabbat Badi Hai" – Alka Yagnik, Mohd Aziz
  5. "Pakad Pakad Kheench Ke Pakad" – Sudesh Bhosle, Jolly Mukherjee, Kavita Krishnamurthy
  6. "Tum Ho Ajnabi To" – Alka Yagnik, Laxmikant
  7. "Yaad Karoge Wahan" – Alka Yagnik, Amit Kumar

Reception

Critical response

India Today wrote, "Despite the irresistible lead duo of Sunny and Dimple, this is an Om Puri film. Playing the bad man, Puri gives evil an unforgettable face. Chandra's script is trite, and the anger, cliched." [6]

Awards

37th Filmfare Awards :
Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Narsimha 1991 Movie Box Office Collection, Budget and Unknown facts". KS Box Office. 19 March 2021.
  2. "Ayesha Jhulka was 'put off' after Urmila Matondkar replaced her in movie: 'It hurt me'". Hindustan Times . 19 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  3. "Bollywood siblings or sweethearts?: Sunny Deol-Urmila Matondkar". indiatimes.com. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  4. "Jao Tum Chaahe Jahan". YouTube .
  5. "BoxOffice India.com". 2 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  6. "Movies". India Today . New Delhi: Living Media. 31 July 1991. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.