Vaastav: The Reality

Vaastav: The Reality

DVD cover
Directed by Mahesh Manjrekar
Produced by Deepak Nikalje
Written by Imtiyaz Husain
(Dialogue)
Screenplay by Mahesh Manjrekar
Story by Mahesh Manjrekar
Starring Sanjay Dutt
Namrata Shirodkar
Mohnish Bahl
Shivaji Satam
Reema Lagoo
Paresh Rawal
Sanjay Narvekar
Narrated by Reema Lagoo
Music by Jatin-Lalit Rahul Ranade
Cinematography Vijay Aroraa
Edited by V.N. Mayekar
Distributed by Adishakti Films
Release dates
  • 15 October 1999 (1999-10-15)
Running time
 144 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Budget ₹75 million (US$1.1 million)[1]
Box office ₹205 million (US$3.0 million)[1]

Vaastav is a 1999 Indian crime drama written and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and starring Sanjay Dutt and Namrata Shirodkar. It also features Sanjay Narvekar, Mohnish Behl, Paresh Rawal, Reema Lagoo and Shivaji Satam in supporting roles.

"The Reality" as described by the film's tagline, refers to the harsh realities of life in the Mumbai underworld. The film is said to be loosely based on the life of Mumbai underworld gangster Chhota Rajan.[2]

The film was very well received by both critics and audiences. It is the 14th highest grossing Bollywood film of 1999[3] and is often regarded by many as one of Sanjay Dutt's best performances.[4] The film was extremely successful both in India and overseas.[3] It was nominated for and won many awards. Over the years it has become a cult film.[5]

The film was followed by the 2002 sequel Hathyar.

Plot

Vaastav opens with a family performing the funeral rites of a person on a beach. When the young son of the deceased asks his grandmother all about the deceased, she begins to narrate the story.

As the film opens, Raghunath Namdev Shivalkar or "Raghu" (Sanjay Dutt) and his best friend Dedh Footiya (Sanjay Narvekar) (literally meaning "One and a half feet tall" in Hindi) struggle to find work in Mumbai. Raghu lives in a Mumbai Chawl with his retired father (Shivaji Satham), mother (Reema Lagoo) and a graduate but unemployed brother (Mohnish Behl). They decide to run a pav bhaji stall. But Raghu and Dedh Footiya accidentally kill a customer who turns out to be the brother of a notorious gangster, Fracture Bandya (Jack Gaud). Now on the run, the two of them soon kill Fracture Bandya and his men also, when the latter tries to find them and kill them both treacherously by arranging a meeting through Suleiman Bhai (Paresh Rawal), a middle man in the Mumbai underworld. Raghu and Dedh Footiya now end up in the Mumbai underworld.

Vitthal Kaanya (Ashish Vidyarthi), a rival gang lord, offers Raghunath (Raghu) and Dedh Footiya protection and later hires them both as hitmen. Raghunath becomes a respected hit man, with Dedh Footiya as his accomplice. With Raghunath in his gang, Vitthal Kaanya hits a peak in the Mumbai underworld. Later Raghunath is approached by the home minister Babban Rao (Mohan Joshi) and who asks Raghunath to work for him and uses Raghunath for his needs. Raghu agrees, much against the wishes of Assistant Inspector Kishore Kadam (Deepak Tijori), a good friend of Raghu, who continues to help him by advising him and providing inside information. Vitthal Kaanya is soon killed by rival gangsters.

While Babban Rao relies on Raghunath, there are some others who despise Raghunath and are waiting in the sidelines to see when he makes an error. Raghunath does so, and Babban Rao is soon under serious pressure from the public and government. He issues a shoot-to-kill warrant for Raghunath. Dedh Footiya is killed in an encounter. Then Raghu comes to know from Kishore that the police have been ordered to kill him in an "encounter". Raghu is now on the run, both from the police and Babban Rao's men. Raghunath knows now that he must protect his wife, parents, and family, as they too are in danger. He realizes that there is no escape from this harsh reality. He arranges to meet Babban Rao with the help of Suleman Bhai (Paresh Rawal) and kills Babban Rao as he would spoil others' lives like his in the future. In the process, Suleiman Bhai is also killed.

Unable to save himself from the police, Raghu comes back to his home and tells his mother to save him. He apparently has become crazy and starts hallucinating. His mother takes him away to safety. He tells her to take his gun and kill him, so she remembers how Raghu had once taught her how to use a gun, pulls the trigger and kills him.

As the film ends, the family is seen fulfilling the annual rites of Raghu on the Mumbai beach, as the film had begun, with Raghu's mother explaining all that happened to her young grandson.

Cast

Soundtrack

# Title Singer(s) Length
1 "Meri Duniya Hai" Sonu Nigam, Kavita Krishnamurthy 04:40
2 "Meri Duniya Hai(Male)" Sonu Nigam 04:38
3 "Tere Pyar Ne (Male)" Kumar Sanu 04:36
4 "Tere Pyar Ne (Female)" Kavita Krishnamurthy 04:37
5 "Jawani Se Ab Jung" Preetha Mazhumdar 04:44
6 "Apni To Nikal Padi" Kumar Sanu, Atul Kale 04:22
7 "Har Taraf Hai Yeh Shor" Vinod Rathod, Atul Kale 05:41
8 "Aarti" Rahul Ranade Ravindra Sathe 03:14
9 "Vaastav Theme" Rahul Ranade Ravindra Sathe 01:14
10 "Apanee Maa Hai Duniya" Rahul Ranade Shankar Mahadevan 05:33

Awards

2000 Filmfare Awards

2000 Awards of the International Indian Film Academy

2000 Screen Weekly Awards

Sequel

In 2002, a sequel was made named Hathyar. It was a critical and commercial success.

References

  1. 1 2 "Vaastav - Movie". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 10 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Chhota Rajan's brother Deepak Nikalje held". Daily News and Analysis. 5 December 2006. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  3. 1 2 "Box Office 1999". Boxofficeindia.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  4. ↑ "The very best of Sanjay Dutt". Rediff. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  5. ↑ "1999-2000: Sanjay Dutt for 'Vaastav'". MSN. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
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