| Desh Premee | |
|---|---|
 Desh Premee poster | |
| Directed by | Manmohan Desai |
| Produced by | Subhash Desai |
| Written by |
Kader Khan K.B. Pathak Prayag Raj |
| Starring |
Amitabh Bachchan Hema Malini Uttam Kumar Sharmila Tagore Parveen Babi Shammi Kapoor Amjad Khan Premnath Navin Nischol |
| Music by | Laxmikant-Pyarelal |
| Cinematography | Peter Pereira |
| Edited by | Mukhtar Ahmed |
Release date |
|
Running time | 165 mins |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Desh Premee (English translation The Patriot) is a 1982 Hindi film directed by Manmohan Desai, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role alongside an ensemble cast including Hema Malini, Navin Nischol, Parveen Babi, Shammi Kapoor, Uttam Kumar, Parikshit Sahni, Premnath, Sharmila Tagore and Amjad Khan. It was the fifth collaboration of Manmohan Desai and Amitabh Bachchan. The film was average at the box office, however both critically and commercially, it failed to re-create the magic of previous Amitabh-Manmohan Desai films.
The film is dedicated to the memory of Mohammed Rafi, who sang the film's title song and one of its cast members Uttam Kumar, both of whom died two years before the film was released. This was the only film for which music director Laxmikant was also a playback singer for one song. The songs were penned by Anand Bakshi.
Contents
Synopsis
Master Dinanath (Amitabh Bachchan) is a freedom fighter and participated in the war against the British in 1942 and independence was eventually won in 1947. But after independence, the people's love for their country seems to be diminishing and they are too busy betraying it like ex British landlord Thakur Pratab Singh (Amjad Khan). Master Dinanath finds out about Thakur Pratab Singh's illegal activities such as smuggling of weapons and ammunition and gets him arrested. In revenge for putting him in prison, Pratab Singh gets Master Dinanath's wife Bharati (Sharmila Tagore) and daughter Priti (Parveen Babi) kidnapped by Thakur's partner in crime Sher Singh (Kader Khan) to try to change his ways but, to no avail. Thakur also provokes an attack on Masterji's home by the local villagers, who accuse Dinanath of betraying his country and he is forced to flee his home with his young son Raju. His wife becomes a victim of leprosy and escapes from Sher Singh, leaving her daughter Priti in a friend's care. Masterji is informed that his wife and daughter could be dead as they find a necklace of hers near the train tracks. Masterji is devastated by his wife and daughter's loss and he and his son move on with their life.
They settle into a slum called Bharat Nagar, which is divided in 4 sections with a don in each one of different backgrounds: Punjabi (Shammi Kapoor), Madrasi (Premnath). Bengali (Uttam Kumar) and Muslim (Parikshat Sahni). All of them love their own section, but nobody thinks of themselves as Indian except Masterji. Masterji sets out trying to bring peace between the four dons and once they settle their differences, the four underworld dons use the Masterji's stay in Bharat Nagar to cover up their own illegal activities.
15 years later, Masterji's now grown-up son Raju (again played by Amitabh Bachchan) turns out to be the opposite of his father. He starts working for Thakur Pratab Singh, unaware that Thakur had once kidnapped his mother and sister. Will Raju find out what Thakur did to his family? Will Master Dinanath find out his son is not who he thinks he is? and will Master ever find his wife and daughter again?
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