Salaakhen(1998)
Salaakhen is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Guddu Dhanoa. It stars Sunny Deol as Vishal Agnihotri and Raveena Tandon as Neha. The story follows Vishal, who becomes a vigilante after his honest father commits suicide in court. The father, Sachidanand Agnihotri, was testifying against a powerful man's son for rape and murder. Corrupt police and lawyers destroyed his family. Vishal kills four men responsible for his father's death. The film was a commercial success and is remembered for Sunny Deol's intense performance. It was released in 1998 and became a hit at the Indian box office.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, ShemarooMe, Plex, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 1 January 1998
- Director
- Guddu Dhanoa
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Rating
- 5.4/10
Storyline
Vishal Agnihotri is a young man whose father, an honest teacher, is driven to suicide by a corrupt system. After the law fails to punish the powerful men responsible, Vishal takes revenge. He hunts down and kills each man, turning himself into a vigilante. The film follows his journey from a normal man to a killer seeking justice.
“When the system fails, he becomes the judge.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Salaakhen
Cast reunions in this film: Anupam Kher & Amrish Puri (17 films together), Anupam Kher & Sunny Deol (17 films together), Anupam Kher & Farida Jalal (11 films together), Amrish Puri & Sunny Deol (11 films together), Amrish Puri & Farida Jalal (11 films together), and Anupam Kher & Raveena Tandon (7 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Salaakhen' refers to a type of heavy, traditional lock, symbolizing the protagonist's trapped situation.
- Actor Sanjay Dutt performed many of his own stunts, including a risky fight scene on a moving train.
- The movie was shot in real locations across Maharashtra to create a more authentic small-town feel.
- It was one of several late-90s films exploring vigilante justice, following a trend set by movies like 'Ghulam'.
- The soundtrack, composed by Anand Raj Anand, included a popular romantic song filmed in Ooty.
- Director Guddu Dhanoa initially considered a different actor for the son's role before casting Chandrachur Singh.
- The film's climax involved a complex action sequence that took over a week to shoot.