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Achanak
Achanak film poster
Directed by	Gulzar
Written by	Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Gulzar
Produced by	Raj N. Sippy Romu N. Sippy
Starring	Vinod Khanna Lily Chakravarty Asrani
Cinematography	K. Vaikunth
Edited by	Waman B. Bhosle Gurudutt Shirali
Music by	Vasant Desai
Release date	1973 (1973)
Country	India
Language	Hindi

Achanak (transl. Suddenly) is a 1973 Indian Hindi-language film, directed by Gulzar, written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, and starring Vinod Khanna. Gulzar received a Filmfare nomination as Best Director for this film. Even though Gulzar is an accomplished lyricist, this film did not have any songs in it. K.A. Abbas earned a Filmfare nomination for best story. It is inspired by the real-life sensational 1958 murder case KM Nanavati v State of Maharashtra.

1963 movie Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke was also based on the same case. Akshay Kumar starrer 2016 movie Rustom is based on the same case as well.

The film had no songs, the background score is composed by Vasant Desai.

Plot

Major Ranjit Khanna loves his wife Pushpa, who loves him equally. His commanding officer, Lt. Col. Bakshi, is his father-in-law. Ranjit is happy in his married life, until he finds out about his wife's affair with his best friend. On realizing this, however, he kills both of them and surrenders himself to the police. Then, he escapes from the police in search of the river Ganga, as he wants to fulfill his wife's desire to leave her Mangalsutra in the river Ganga. However, in that attempt, the police shoot him and he is injured. He is then admitted to the hospital, where he becomes emotionally attached to the doctors and nurses. So, when he is finally sentenced to death, they also move to tears.

Cast

Production

The entire film production was completed in 28 days. Achanak was based on a Khwaja Ahmed Abbas story, The Thirteenth Victim, which had appeared in the magazine called Imprint. In 1973 N.C Sippy's sons, Romu Sippy and Raj Sippy collaborated with partner Hrishikesh Mukherjee to produce Achanak and they approached Gulzar to direct it. Gulzar approached Vasantrao, a marathi background score composer to compose the score for this film since it would have no songs otherwise.

Soundtrack

Background music was composed by Vasant Desai.

References

1. ^ Gavankar, Nilu N. (2011). The Desai trio and the movie industry of India. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-4634-1941-7.
2. "1st Filmfare Awards 1953" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
3. "Inspired by Nanavati". Hindustan Times. 19 December 2002. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
4. Parsai, Gargi (12 August 2010). "Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke (1963)" – via www.thehindu.com.
5. "Gulzar's Achanak is what Akshay Kumar's Rustom would have been if it didn't take the easy way out". 21 January 2023.
6. Chatterjee, Saibal: "Echoes & Eloquences: The Life and Cinema of Gulzar", page 95. Rupa & Co, 2007. ISBN 978-81-291-1235-4
7. Chatterjee, Saibal: "Echoes & Eloquences: The Life and Cinema of Gulzar", page 93. Rupa & Co, 2007. ISBN 978-81-291-1235-4

External links

• Achanak at IMDb

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• 1973 films
• 1970s Hindi-language films
• 1970s Indian films
• Films directed by Gulzar
• Films with screenplays by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
• Indian romantic drama films
• Indian films based on actual events
• Hindi-language films based on actual events
• Indian legal drama films
• Films about juries
• Films about adultery in India
• 1970s Hindi-language film stubs