Gadar: Ek Prem Katha

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language period action drama film starring Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel in leading roles and Amrish Puri and Lillete Dubey in supporting roles. The film is set during the Partition of India in 1947. Made in ₹185 million (US$2.6 million), Gadar: Ek Prem Katha grossed more than ₹1.33 billion (US$19 million) during its initial theatrical run with a distributor share of ₹546 million (US$7.7 million)[4] and after its theatrical run, was commercially one of the most successful movies in India at the time of its release.[5][6]

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
Poster
Directed byAnil Sharma
Produced byNittin Keni
Written byShaktiman Talwar
StarringSunny Deol
Ameesha Patel
Amrish Puri
Lilette Dubey
Narrated byOm Puri
Music byUttam Singh
CinematographyNajeeb Khan
Edited byA. D. Dhanashekharan
Keshav Naidu
Arun V. Narvekar
Distributed byZee Telefilms
Release date
  • 15 June 2001 (2001-06-15)
Running time
170 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹190 million[1][2]
Box office₹1.33 billion[2][3]

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha is the second most-watched Hindi film in India since 1990s as it recorded more than 50 million footfalls in India.[7][8] According to Box Office India, its adjusted gross in India is ₹4.86 billion (US$68 million) as per 2017 ticket sales.[9] The story of this film is loosely based on the life of Boota Singh.[10] Gadar: Ek Prem Katha released on 15 June 2001, clashing with Lagaan starring Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh. The shy role of Sunny Deol was praised and earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 47th Filmfare Awards. Ameesha Patel was chosen out of 500 girls who had come for the audition. Her performance was highly praised and earned her the Filmfare Special Award, in addition to a Best Actress nomination.

Plot

During the Partition of India, the film tells the story of a truck driver, Tara Singh (Sunny Deol), a Sikh, who falls in love with a Muslim Pakistani girl, Sakina ''Sakku'' Ali (Ameesha Patel), belonging to an aristocratic family.

The story begins with Sikhs and Hindus being attacked by Muslims in Pakistan when trying to migrate to India by train from the railway station in West Punjab, Pakistan. In response, Sikhs and Hindus retaliate by killing Muslims who were migrating to Pakistan from East Punjab,India. During the Hindu-Muslim riots that erupted soon after the Partition, Tara also plans to kill Muslims but stop after recognizing Sakina at railway station, from the little Taj Mahal antique in her hands. He then saves and protects her from a murderous mob chasing her because she failed to get onto the train with her family members after being lost in the crowd. As the mob attempts to brutally murder her, Tara Singh defends Sakina by applying blood (implying sindoor) to her forehead to make her his Sikh Wife.

While driving back to Tara's house, the story has a major flashback showing the relationship between Tara and Sakina during her college days, but the real ambition of Tara is to become a singer. Some girls in college who are friends of Sakina, fool Tara into thinking that they have got him a spot on a music show in return for a favour. Tara performs badly in front of the music teacher, who is portrayed by Sakina (Ameesha Patel). His friend then gives him tablets that help him prove his singing skills. Soon after it is shown that Sakina is not the real music teacher, which saddens him. When performing on the music show Sakina announces that she will not do her act, instead giving Tara a chance to sing despite being against the will of the seniors at the college. Tara impresses everybody with his talent. While returning home after completing the final year, Sakina is given a goodbye present by Tara.

Later, Tara's parents, Jaideep Singh and two sisters are seen weeping in Pakistan as they did not return to Amritsar before the partition. Tara's Muslim friend comes to meet the family and requests them to stay with him as parents love both friends equally (like sons). But Tara's parents and sisters do not agree, they reluctantly decide to leave. While leaving for the station, Tara's father and mother give their daughters two paper pouches. The bewildered twins ask them what that is. Father says that the sisters should not hesitate to give up their lives lest any Muslim attacks and shatters them and their dignity. Then the family reaches the station and boards the train. After some time, a large muslim mob attacks the whole train consisting of Hindu and Sikh refugees. People run pell-mell to save themselves but they are killed gruesomely. Tara's sister hastily tries to eat the poison but two men throw it from their hands and kill them after a cruel physical abuse. The train which was full with dead body of Hindus and Sikhs has just arrived at Amritsar station, East Punjab. Tara along with other Hindus and Sikhs who were waiting to pick up their relatives at station saw that their relatives were slaughtered inside the train and by seeing it the Hindus and Sikhs together formed a strong squad in East Punjab and retaliate in the same manner along with Tara Singh and massacred every Muslims in Amritsar station who were trying to fled to Pakistan.

Subsequently, and back in the present, They reach Tara's house. He explains his applying sindoor doesn't mean anything as he did this only to save her life and she is safe there at his house. Also, he explains that he understands, there is a huge difference between them as she is very beautiful and rich. After learning from the local railway station about her parents' demise, Sakina starts living in Tara's house. One day, after overhearing Tara's aunt's comments about how society is reacting towards Tara's family that he is keeping a Muslim (outcast according to them), she insists Tara take her to a Muslim refugee camp as she doesn't want to overburden him anymore. Before Tara and Sakina head out towards Lahore as insisted by Tara, she learns about Tara's love for her by reading his secret diary but doesn't say anything. After reaching the border, and realizing her love towards him, she proposes him for marriage. They get married and become parents of a baby boy named Jeeta. Their life seems like a bed of roses until Sakina sees an old newspaper during Holi festival that has a photograph of her father, Ashraf Ali (Amrish Puri) indicating that her parents are alive.

Her father is now the mayor of Lahore. When Sakina calls him from the Pakistani Embassy in Delhi, he arranges to fly her to Lahore. However, Tara and their son, who are supposed to accompany her to Lahore, are told at the last minute that their visa formalities have not been completed, which compels them to stay in India. Sakina leaves with a heavy heart. She meets her whole clan back in Lahore. Everyone is thrilled to see her. Later, when she wants to return to India, her mom tells her that she was about to be disowned as people were babbling about her staying with an Indian Jat. Her father too relates all of their hardships during the journey from India to Pakistan. Sakina is hurt and heart-broken. But she starts protesting when her parents' friends start using her post-marriage life as a publicity stunt and depict her in-laws badly in order to extract more sympathy and votes from the Pakistani population. Later she is introduced to a very handsome guy who hails from a very influential rich family. She is told that she would be marrying him. But Sakina refuses and even asks the Qazi Saheb to leave her alone, saying second marriage during the husband's lifetime is a sin. Her parents and Mamaji are very angry about that. They forcibly lock her up in a room inside the palace.

Tara and his son, accompanied by a friend, after learning they will not get a visa, enter Pakistan illegally at the border. Tara tries to take shelter in his old friend's house but hearing his wife fight about that, he leaves the place with his son Jeet and his assistant. There they find out that Sakina is getting married and reaches her before the marriage takes place. Mother and son reunite happily. A fight is about to break out when the priest stops them, as this can end up harming Sakina's father's career in politics. Ashraf Ali agrees for their marriage under two conditions: they should live in Pakistan and Tara should convert to Islam. These conditions are accepted by Tara in public the next day which was against Ashraf Ali's plans. He makes Tara insult his country to prove that he is a true Pakistani, which enrages him and this makes him kill some member of the large mob that was hired by Ashraf to kill him. Tara, Sakina, their son, and a friend manage to escape. Tara and Sakina escape from the city and hide in a poor couple's cottage near the border forest. But the man's wife is a greedy woman who simply wants all of Sakina's ornaments for herself. She refuses to listen to her husband and tries to throw Sakina out of the house when she does not get more jewelry from her.

But after Sakina leaves with Jeet and Tara, Ashraf Ali reaches the cottage and relocates his daughter. After a long period of turmoil, they catch a cotton mill train bound for India. Ashraf Ali finds out, and he takes some men to stop them. In the ensuing fight, Sakina gets shot by her own father. In the hospital, Sakina has lapsed into a coma. She gains consciousness after having a nightmare. The movie ends with Ashraf Ali accepting Tara as his son-in-law and they return to India.

Production

A part of Gadar: Ek Prem Katha was shot at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla and at other several locations in Shimla. A part of it was also shot in Sacred Heart School, Dalhousie. Although the film is set in 1947, it features the music of "Que sera sera" which was first published in 1956.

The movie was also shot in the city of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh where the city was depicted as Lahore, Pakistan and parts were shot at La Martiniere Boys School, Lucknow. Some parts were shot at Iqbal Manzil Palace, Lucknow. A significant part was shot in Pathankot, Sarna and Amritsar to depict the division-torn country.[11]

Cast

Box office

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha collected ₹1.33 billion (US$19 million)[12] in its initial theatrical run and its adjusted gross is ₹4.86 billion (US$68 million) as per 2017 ticket sales. It was declared an All-Time Blockbuster by Box Office India.[13] Gadar: Ek Prem Katha ranks among the top 3 Indian films in all-time highest footfalls.[14] In the United Kingdom, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha grossed around £280,000.[15]

Soundtrack
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
Soundtrack album by
Uttam Singh
Released2001 (India)
LabelZee Music Company
ProducerUttam Singh
Uttam Singh chronology
Farz
(2001)		 Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
(2001)		 Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai
(2002)

The music of Gadar: Ek Prem Katha was composed by Uttam Singh. Lyrics (all songs) were written by Anand Bakshi.

According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, the soundtrack sold approximately 2.5 million copies.[16]

SongSinger(s)
"Udja Kale Kawan - Folk" Udit Narayan
"Musafir Jaane Wale" Udit Narayan, Preeti Uttam
"Main Nikla Gaddi Leke" Udit Narayan
"Udja Kale Kawan - Marriage" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
"Hum Juda Ho Gaye" Udit Narayan, Preeti Uttam
"Udja Kale Kawan - Search" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Nihar S.
"Aan Milo Sajna" Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Parveen Sultana
"Traditional Shaadi" --

Awards

Winner:

Nominated:

See also

References
  1. Shubhra Gupta. "Blockbuster bucks trend". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 20 August 2001.
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20160717214421/http://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=657
  3. Gross of Gadar worldwide
  4. https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=657
  5. "Top Hits All Time". Archived from the original on 15 August 2015.
  6. "The Biggest Blockbusters Ever In Hindi Cinema". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  7. "Bahubali 2 Is The Biggest Hindi Blockbuster This Century".
  8. "Top India Footfalls All Time". Archived from the original on 15 August 2015.
  9. http://boxofficeindia.com/hit-down.php
  10. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/religious-protests-against-period-film-gadar-put-free-speech-on-the-boil/1/230620.html
  11. Government of India: Lucknow
  12. http://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=657
  13. "Top Hits All Time Blockbuster - - Box Office India". boxofficeindia.com. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  14. "Top India Footfalls All Time". boxofficeindia.com. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  15. Chopra, Anupama (4 November 2005). "Location impacts power of stars". Variety. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  16. "Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2017.

Bibliography
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