Shikari: The Hunter(1991)
Shikari: The Hunter is a 1991 Hindi action-adventure film co-directed by Latif Faiziyev and Umesh Mehra. The cast includes Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Irina Kushnareva, Varsha Usgaonkar, and Gulshan Grover. The story follows a street performer who joins a Russian circus to pursue his dream of working with a trapeze artist, only to uncover a smuggling ring operating under the big top. The film is an Indo-Soviet co-production, blending Bollywood masala with Soviet location shooting and a real circus bear named Misha. It was released in India on January 1, 1991, and also known internationally as The Law of the Jungle.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Netflix
- Theatrical Release
- 1 January 1991
- Director
- Umesh Mehra
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 42m
- Rating
- 4.4/10
Storyline
A young street performer named Shankar falls in love with a Russian circus performer after seeing her on a poster. He travels to the Soviet Union to join the circus. But the circus hides a dangerous smuggling operation. Shankar must fight criminals and protect the woman he loves.
“Love, circus, and danger under the big top”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Shikari: The Hunter
Cast reunions in this film: Amrish Puri & Mithun Chakraborty (19 films together), Gulshan Grover & Mithun Chakraborty (18 films together), Gulshan Grover & Amrish Puri (16 films together), Amrish Puri & Naseeruddin Shah (11 films together), Gulshan Grover & Umesh Mehra (9 films together), and Gulshan Grover & Anjana Mumtaz (8 films together).
Trivia
- The film was shot partly in Russia, which was rare for a Hindi movie in the early 1990s.
- Actor Govinda performed his own stunts for the circus and action scenes in the movie.
- The film's music, composed by Bappi Lahiri, included a popular song called 'Tamma Tamma Loge'.
- Shikari was one of the early films to feature a storyline involving travel to Russia for work.
- The movie faced delays in release due to challenges with filming in international locations.
- Actress Madhuri Dixit had a special appearance in a song, though she was not in the main cast.
- The circus scenes were inspired by real circus performances popular in India at the time.