''Ghayal'' () is a 1990 Indian

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

-language

action drama The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

film written and directed by

Rajkumar Santoshi Rajkumar Santoshi is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter of Hindi films. A recipient of several accolades including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards, he made his directorial debut with the action drama ''Ghayal ...

(in his directorial debut) and produced by

Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...

. The film stars

Sunny Deol Ajay Singh Deol (born 19 October 1957), better known as Sunny Deol, is an Indian actor, film director, producer, and politician. One of the highest grossing actors of Indian cinema, he has worked in Sunny Deol filmography, more than 100 Hindi ...

Meenakshi Seshadri Meenakshi Seshadri Mysore (; née Seshadri; born 16 November 1963) as Shashikala Seshadri, is an Indian former actress and beauty pageant titleholder who worked primarily in Hindi, Telugu language, Telugu and Tamil language, Tamil films. Sesh ...

Raj Babbar Raj Babbar (born 23 June 1952) is an Indian Hindi and Punjabi language, Punjabi film actor and politician belonging to Indian National Congress. He is a three-time member of the Lok Sabha and a two-time member of the Rajya Sabha. He was the sta ...

and

Amrish Puri Amrish Puri (22 June 1932 – 12 January 2005) was an Indian actor, who was one of the most notable and important figures in Cinema of India, Indian cinema and Theatre of India, theatre. He acted in more than 450 films, established himsel ...

, with

Moushumi Chatterjee Moushumi Chatterjee is an Indian actress known for her work in Hindi and Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest-paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019; she was previously a member of ...

Annu Kapoor Annu Kapoor (born Anil Kapoor; 20 February 1956) is an Indian actor, singer, director, radio disc jockey, and television presenter who has appeared in over a hundred films, as well as television series. His career has spanned over 45 years as ...

Om Puri Om Prakash Puri, (18 October 1950 – 6 January 2017) was an Indian actor who appeared in mainstream commercial Hindi films as well as Urdu, Malayalam, Bengali, Kannada, English, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, and Marathi films, as well as ind ...

Sharat Saxena Sharat Saxena (born 17 August 1950) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films along with Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil films. He has acted in more than 250 Bollywood films. Saxena started his career in the early 1970s and has mainly played ...

and

Sudesh Berry Sudesh Berry is an Indian actor and personality known for his works in Hindi cinema and List of Indian television actors, Indian television. Films Television References External links

* Living people Indian male film actors ...

playing supporting roles. The film grossed at and was declared a ''"super hit"'' by ''

Box Office India Box Office India is an Indian film website dedicated to tracking, reporting, and analyzing the financial performance of films released in the Hindi entertainment industry. Established in 2003, Box Office India has become a prominent source of ...

''. It was also the 2nd highest-grossing film of the year. According to ''Box Office India'', "''Ghayal'' had set records in repeat runs. No film from the nineties was even close to it in repeat runs and only ''Sholay'' has higher business in repeat runs in the history of Hindi cinema. It grossed several times more than its original run during rereleases but the exact number is unknown." The film received 8 nominations at the

36th Filmfare Awards The 36th Filmfare Awards were held in 1991. '' Dil'' and '' Ghayal'' led the ceremony with 8 nominations each, followed by '' Aashiqui'' with 7 nominations, and '' Agneepath'' and '' Pratibandh'' with 5 nominations each. ''Ghayal'' won 7 awar ...

, and won a leading 7 awards, including Best Film,

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...

for Santoshi and Best Actor for Deol. At the

38th National Film Awards The 38th National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 1990. Ceremony took place in 199 ...

, the film won the

National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment The National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India, and was constituted in the year 1975. This is one of th ...

and Sunny Deol received the National Film Award – Special Mention. ''Ghayal'' was remade in

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

as ''

Bharathan Bharathan Parameshwara Menon Palissery (14 November 1946 – 30 July 1998) Known mononymously Bharathan was an Indian people, Indian film maker, artist, and art director. Bharathan is noted for being the founder of a new school of film ma ...

'' in 1992, in Telugu as ''Gamyam'' in 1998 and in Kannada as '' Vishwa'' in 1999. On 5 February 2016, a direct sequel titled '' Ghayal Once Again'' was released.

Plot

Amateur boxer Ajay Mehra (

) is living with his brother Ashok Mehra (

) and sister-in-law Indu Verma (

) in

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

. Ashok is a businessman who is facing some trouble at his company but hides this from his wife and brother, Ajay. Later, Ajay is sent to

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

for training. Ajay gets a message that his brother is in Bangalore. When he reaches the hotel, he finds that Ashok has already left without leaving any message for him. Later that day, he receives a call from Ashok, who, in an inebriated state, is trying to tell him something which has been troubling him for a long time, but the phone cuts abruptly. When he returns from Bangalore, he finds that his brother is missing. His inquiries and a police complaint only led him to frustration and violent outbursts. Some time later, he comes across Ashok's friend (

), a drug addict, who reveals all the dark secrets. Earlier, when Ashok faced losses in his business, a reputed businessman, Balwant Rai (

), had come to his rescue. Balwant becomes a partner in Ashok's company and settles all the debts. This arrangement is in fact a cover for Balwant's illegal activities. Balwant routinely traps honest people to provide cover for his illegal business, and Ashok is one of his innocent victims. Initially, when Ashok resists, Balwant threatens him of dire consequences, but Ashok persists with his requests to shut down illegal trade. Later, Ashok collects evidence to frame Balwant, and that's where the trouble starts. Balwant kidnaps Ashok and tortures him to reveal where he has kept the evidence. Somehow the henchmen of Balwant find out Ajay's knowledge of this incriminating evidence, and Balwant instantly kills Ashok. Ajay is later framed for the murder and accused of having an illicit relationship with his sister-in-law. Ajay realises in court that the roots of evil are very deep and even his near ones have turned hostile towards him. His faith in the law is crushed, and he seeks justice his own way. His sister-in-law is not able to bear the trauma and cruel comments of her neighbours and commits suicide. While in jail, Ajay makes friends with some other hardcore convicts, who are good at heart. Then one day, they escape from the jail by overpowering the guards. Then begins Ajay's fight for justice to take down Balwant Rai. One by one, he takes down the cronies of Balwant, who had framed him in the murder. Varsha is captured by Balwant, but Ajay rescues her and chases Balwant to an amusement park. He beats up Balwant before the police pull them apart and arrest Balwant. Varsha comes and embraces Ajay while slipping him a secret gun. In a form of poetic justice, Ajay fatally shoots Balwant in front of people and police, who are meek witnesses. The film ends as Ajay gets arrested.

Cast

as Ajay Mehra, Ashok younger brother *

as Varsha Sahay, Ajay's love-interest *

as Ashok Mehra, Ajay's brother *

as Indu Mehra, Ashok's wife and Ajay's sister-in-law *

as Balwant Rai *

as ACP Joe D'Souza *

Kulbhushan Kharbanda Kulbhushan Kharbanda (born 21 October 1944) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi and Punjabi films. He is best known for his role as the antagonist Shakaal in '' Shaan'' (1980), Starting off with the Delhi-based theatre group ' Yatrik' in the ...

as Police Commissioner Ashok Pradhan *

Shabbir Khan Shabbir Khan (born 31 March 1997) is an Indian cricketer. He made his first-class debut on 3 January 2020, for Bihar in the 2019–20 Ranji Trophy. He made his List A debut on 20 February 2021, for Bihar in the 2020–21 Vijay Hazare Trophy ...

as Vardha Rajan *

Sudesh Berry Sudesh Berry is an Indian actor and personality known for his works in Hindi cinema and List of Indian television actors, Indian television. Films Television References External links

* Living people Indian male film actors ...

as Rajan Berry *

as Ashok's friend *

Jack Gaud Jack Gaud (1958 8 June 2000) was an Indian actor, film producer & military personnel known mostly for portrayal of negative roles in Hindi cinema. He entered cinema after leaving the Indian Navy. Gaud did bit roles, especially as a criminal o ...

as Inspector Basheer Khan *

as Captain Dekka *

Deep Dhillon Deep Dhillon is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema, Hindi and Punjabi cinema. He played the role of Jayadratha in the famous Indian TV serial ''Mahabharat (1988 TV series), Mahabharat'', appeared as Dasharatha in the TV serial ''Jai Han ...

as Inspector Pratap Sharma *

Shafi Inamdar Shafi Inamdar (23 October 1946 – 13 March 1996) was an Indian actor. He started his film career with the film '' Vijeta'' and continued it in '' Ardh Satya''. He acted in a number of television serials including '' Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi''. His ...

as Barrister Pramod Sharan Gupta *

Ashalata Wabgaonkar Ashalata Wabgaonkar (2 July 1941 – 22 September 2020), better known as Ashalata, was an Indian actress. Originally tracing her roots to Palolem, Goa, she was associated with the Mumbai-based Goa Hindu Association. She acted in over a hundre ...

as Ashok Pradhan's wife *

Viju Khote Viju Khote (17 December 1941 – 30 September 2019) was an Indian actor best known for his role as Kaalia, a dacoit in the 1975 film ''Sholay'' with the iconic dialogue, “Sardar, maine aapka namak khaya hai.” His career spanned six deca ...

as Boxing Coach *Mitwa as Mitwa *Kartar Sigha as (uncredited) Sikh man betting on Sunny Deol's boxing fight *Brahmachari as Mohile * Praveen Kumar as Bheemji (cameo) *

Disco Shanti Santha Kumari (born 16 April 1965),
Web.archi ...

as dancer in the song "Pyasi Jawani Hai"

Production

initially wanted to make the film with

Kamal Haasan Parthasarathy Srinivasan (born 7 November 1954), known professionally as Kamal Haasan, is an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. Considered as one of the most accomplished actors of Indian Cinema, Haas ...

in the lead role, but was hesitant as the actor's previous Hindi films did not perform well. He subsequently approached

to act and produce the film.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by

Bappi Lahiri Bappi Aparesh Lahiri (born Alokesh Aparesh Lahiri; 27 November 1952 – 15 February 2022), also known as Bappi Da, was an Indian singer, composer and record producer. He popularised the use of synthesised disco music in Indian music industry and ...

. A woeful version of the song is "Saath Hain Hum Sab Isse Badi Kya Khushi", sung independently and sedately by

Kumar Sanu Kedarnath Bhattacharya (born 20 October 1957), professionally known as Kumar Sanu, is a leading Indian playback singer who primarily sings in Hindi film songs. He is widely regarded as the Melody King of Bollywood. He holds the record for winn ...

. Another song, "Mungda" rendered tersely in the film, originally occurs in the 1977 film '' Inkaar''. Anjaan wrote all the songs except two versions of "Sochna Kya", which were penned by Indeevar. "Sochna Kya" was cover version of song

Lambada Lambada () is a dance from the state of Pará in Brazil. The dance briefly became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in the Philippines, Latin America and Caribbean, Caribbean countries. It has adopted aspects of dances such as Maxi ...

Kaoma Kaoma was a French-Brazilian band formed around 1989 by French producers Jean Georgakarakos and Olivier Lorsac to promote the song "Lambada (song), Lambada". Loalwa Braz was hired to sing lead vocals, other musicians were Chyco Dru (bass), Jacky ...

from album

Worldbeat Worldbeat is a music genre that blends pop music or rock music with world music or traditional music. Worldbeat is similar to other cross-pollination labels of contemporary and roots genres, and which suggest a rhythmic, harmonic or textural co ...

, which was itself based on

Llorando se fue "Llorando se fue" () is a Bolivian folk song recorded by Los Kjarkas in 1981 on the album ''Canto a la mujer de mi pueblo'' and released as a B-side of the "Wa ya yay" single in 1982. The song has been very popular in Latin America since the 1980 ...

Los Kjarkas Los Kjarkas is a Bolivian band from the Capinota province in the department of Cochabamba, and one of the most popular Andean folk music bands in the country's history. Among the styles they play are Saya, tuntuna, huayno, and carnavales. ...

Awards

* National Film Award – Special Jury Award –

: Won * Best Film –

–

* Best Actor –

* Best Story – Rajkumar Santoshi * Best Art Director –

Nitish Roy Nitish Roy is an Indian film art director, production designer, and costume designer in Hindi cinema and a Bengali Film Director, who is also known for his work with art cinema directors, Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and Govind Nihlani, Hindi ...

* Best Cinematographer – Rajan Kothari * Best Editor – V. N. Mayekar Nominated * Best Supporting Actor –

Remakes

Below is a table of the lead characters in the story of ''Ghayal'' and its remakes.

Sequel

A sequel named ''Ghayal Returns'' was announced in 2014. But before the film could enter production, it faced financial problems. However, Sunny Deol stated that he was determined to make the film. After once being stalled and then being postponed several times, the film was finally released with the title, '' Ghayal: Once Again'', on 5 February 2016.

References

External links

* {{Rajkumar Santoshi 1990 films Films directed by Rajkumar Santoshi 1990s Hindi-language films 1990s Indian films 1990 action drama films Indian action drama films 1990s vigilante films Indian films about revenge 1990 directorial debut films Indian courtroom films Indian prison films Films scored by Bappi Lahiri Hindi films remade in other languages Films set in Mumbai Films set in Bengaluru Films shot in Mumbai Films shot in Bengaluru Indian vigilante films Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award winners Films about organised crime in India Vijayta Films films Fictional portrayals of police departments in India 1990 drama films