Gambler(1995)
Gambler is a 1995 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Dayal Nihalani. The film stars Govinda as Inspector Dayashankar Pandey, with Shilpa Shetty, Aditya Pancholi, and Gulshan Grover in supporting roles. The story follows a lazy police officer who, after a false terminal diagnosis, embarks on a suicide mission to secure insurance money for his family, accidentally becoming a feared crime fighter. The film is a remake of the Malayalam film Aanaval Mothiram (1991). It blends comedy, action, and drama, with a notable performance by Govinda. The music was composed by Anu Malik. Gambler was released in 1995 and is available on various streaming platforms.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 1 January 1995
- Director
- Dayal Nihalani
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 41m
- Rating
- 4.2/10
Storyline
Inspector Dayashankar Pandey is the laziest cop in Mumbai. A hospital mix-up tells him he has only 90 days to live. To get insurance money for his family, he decides to die in the line of duty. But his fearless suicide missions accidentally make him a hero, and he must face a powerful don.
“A coward's gamble for his family.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Gambler
Cast reunions in this film: Gulshan Grover & Govinda (21 films together), Gulshan Grover & Raj Babbar (11 films together), Gulshan Grover & Aditya Pancholi (7 films together), Shilpa Shetty & Gulshan Grover (6 films together), Tinnu Anand & Mohan Joshi (6 films together), and Gulshan Grover & Rohini Hattangadi (5 films together).
Trivia
- The film's director, Dayal Nihalani, is the brother of acclaimed cinematographer and director Govind Nihalani.
- Actor Rakesh Bedi, known for comic roles, played the supporting character of Havaldar Gopinath in this film.
- The movie was released in the same year as several other major Mithun Chakraborty action films, like 'Gunda'.
- A subplot involves the smuggling of red sanders wood, a real-life issue of illegal timber trade in the 1990s.
- The soundtrack, composed by Bappi Lahiri, included a song picturized on Mithun and actress Farah Naaz.
- This was one of the few 1990s films where Mithun Chakraborty's character was a reluctant, comedic hero rather than a typical action figure.
- The film's working title was reportedly 'Inspector Dayashanker Pandey', named after the main character.