Gangster (film)

Gangster

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Anurag Basu
Produced by Mahesh Bhatt
Mukesh Bhatt
Screenplay by Mahesh Bhatt
Anurag Basu
Story by Mahesh Bhatt
Starring Shiney Ahuja
Kangna Ranaut
Emraan Hashmi
Music by Pritam Chakraborty
Cinematography Bobby Singh
Editing by Akiv Ali
Release date(s) April 28, 2006
Running time 117 mins
Country India
Language Hindi

Gangster (Hindi: गैंग्स्टर) is a 2006 Hindi film that premiered on 28 April. The film stars Shiney Ahuja, Emraan Hashmi and Kangna Ranaut. The plot is that of a bar girl who falls in love with two people, one a layman and the other a gangster. The music is composed by Pritam Chakraborty.

The film was rumored to be based on the life of mobster Abu Salem and former actress Monica Bedi but the director Anurag Basu said that the film is not based on any real people or incidents.[1]

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar was initially offered the role of Daya in the film, but he turned it down saying: "Cricket is not only my profession but my obsession as well."[2]

Contents

Plot

Simran (Kangna Ranaut) drowns her misery in booze. Her one friend in Seoul, is Aakash (Emraan Hashmi), a singer in an Indian restaurant. One night, Simran tells Aakash of her past and of the reasons for her loneliness.

Originally a bar dancer in Mumbai, India, Simran is the girlfriend of a notorious gangster, Daya (Shiney Ahuja), who is a headhunter for hire. Five years ago, Daya's boss Khan (Gulshan Grover) ordered Daya to give Simran up because she was distracting him from his work. When Khan threatened Simran, Daya turned on him and Khan cut Daya loose from his gang, warning Daya that he would regret choosing Simran over Khan.

Pursued by the Indian police and Khan's men, she and Daya were forced to flee to Seoul. Traveling in disguise as a family, they took a small boy named Bittu with them. Simran finally believed that she could have the happy family life that she had always wanted, and she and Daya became very attached to and protective of Bittu. After an encounter with the Mumbai police, however, Bittu was killed, causing a strain in the couple's relationship and pushing Simran toward alcoholism. Leaving Simran alone in Seoul, Daya went to work in Mauritius and then Dubai.

Aakash tells Simran that he cares for her despite her past, and their relationship gradually develops from friendship to love. Daya, who is still in Dubai, is shown to be frustrated and angry when Simran does not return his phone calls, and he suddenly comes to Seoul. When he learns of Simran's affair with Aakash, he attacks and severely beats Aakash in a fit of rage and jealousy, but is stunned when Simran angrily confronts him and says that he has caused her nothing but pain, and that he will never change. Realizing that Simran is right, Daya professes his love for her and promises to reform and fulfill her dreams of a normal life; he also tells her that if she truly loves Aakash he will not hold her back. Before Simran can respond, the police arrive in pursuit of Daya and Simran, and so the two of them flee.

Daya gives up murdering innocents and begins working odd jobs, admitting to Simran that he has found peace in doing honest work. He says that he would like to return to his village in India with her, so that they might live there peacefully, but that in order to do so he would have to perform one last crime: two fake passports for himself and Simran. Simran, who is longing for Aakash, soon discovers that she is pregnant with Aakash's child. When she tells Aakash of her pregnancy, he comes to meet her and tells her that he would like to marry her, but that they would never find peace as long as Daya was still at large. He says that for the sake of their unborn child, Daya must be turned in to the police, and that only Simran can do this. Simran, who is still emotionally attached to Daya, refuses to turn him in.

Meanwhile Daya, who has gone to forge passports for himself and Simran, is intercepted by Khan, who reminds Daya of what had occurred between them years before and says that he intends to make an example of Daya for abandoning the gang. Khan and his men severely beat and wound Daya, who is eventually able to fight back and kill Khan. He then calls Simran, warning her that the police are after them and asking her to meet him outside a Seoul train station that night.

Simran arrives at the appointed time to find Daya badly injured from his fight with Khan. He manages to crawl to Simran and takes out a box of sindoor for her. But just as he reaches and embraces her they are surrounded by police cars. Daya realizes that Simran had informed the police; heartbroken and screaming, he is hauled away. Simran remains at the station until morning and then goes to meet Aakash, whom she finds is not at home. She is soon informed that he is at the Indian embassy.

When she reaches the embassy, she enters a room full of reporters and sees a large screen showing a video of her telling Aakash about her relationship with Daya. She is thunderstruck when she sees that the one addressing the media is none other than Aakash, who is actually an undercover Indian detective hired to capture Daya. Realizing that Aakash befriended and wooed her solely to discover Daya's whereabouts, she explodes in fury in front of the media; but Aakash holds her back and slaps her across the face. He tells her that he never cared for her and that his involvement with her was only a part of his duty to end organized crime and bring justice to his country. Enraged, Simran tries to attack him but she is stopped by the security. While she is being hauled away, she yells that in order to spread justice Aakash and his colleagues have done her an injustice, and that Daya, who has never betrayed anyone, is not the gangster but Aakash and his men are. She also reminds Aakash that he has betrayed the woman who is carrying his child, and that he will regret his actions.

Daya, who has been arrested and taken to jail, sends Simran a letter saying that he does not blame her for what she did and that she is the one who has been betrayed; he admits that he has done many cruel and bad things in his life, but that thanks to her he now knows what it is like to live an honest life. He encloses her fake passport and, stating his love for her, writes that he would feel better knowing that she is living safely in India. After reading Daya's letter, Simran is left pained and guilty.

Some months later, Daya admits and pleads guilty to his crimes and he is tried and sentenced to death. Simran goes to meet him in prison and asks him to forgive her; they share an emotional goodbye before Daya is taken away by guards. She later goes to Aakash's residence and, forcefully entering his house with a gun, shoots and fatally injures him. Before he lapses into unconsciousness, Aakash shoots her in the shoulder and they are both found and taken to a hospital.

Aakash dies in the hospital while Simran is transferred to the I.C.U. At dawn she escapes to the roof of the hospital, where she commits suicide by jumping off the roof. At the same time, Daya is hanged. Simran is shown falling through the air, but before she reaches the ground we see her standing in a meadow and gazing at Daya, who is holding Bittu. Smiling, they hold out their arms to her; she happily runs toward them, and they embrace.

Cast

Awards

Filmfare Awards
Zee Cine Awards
Star Screen Awards
Global Indian Film Awards
International Indian Film Academy Awards
Stardust Awards

Soundtrack

The film's music has been composed by Pritam Chakraborty. Lyrics are penned by Sayeed Quadri, Mayur Puri and Neelesh Misra.

Track listing

No. Title Lyrics Singer(s) Length
1. "Bheegi Bheegi"   Mayur Puri James 5:44
2. "Ya Ali"   Sayeed Quadri Zubeen Garg 4:55
3. "Lamha Lamha"   Neelesh Misra Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Sunidhi Chauhan 5:24
4. "Mujhe Mat Roko"   Sayeed Quadri Kavita Seth 4:11
5. "Tuhi Meri Shab Hai"   Sayeed Quadri KK 6:29

References

External links