Kishen Kanhaiya(1990)
Kishen Kanhaiya is a 1990 Indian Hindi action comedy film directed by Rakesh Roshan. It stars Anil Kapoor in a dual role as twin brothers, with Shilpa Shirodkar and Madhuri Dixit as the female leads. The plot follows twin boys separated at birth, one raised in wealth and abuse, the other in poverty and freedom. The film explores themes of family, identity, and the bond between twins. It was commercially successful, ranking as the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1990. Madhuri Dixit notably parodied actress Madhubala in a scene. The music was composed by Rajesh Roshan with lyrics by Indeevar and Anwar Sagar.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Zee5, Amazon Prime Video
- Theatrical Release
- 1 January 1990
- Director
- Rakesh Roshan
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 33m
- Rating
- 5.5/10
Storyline
Twin brothers Kishen and Kanhaiya are separated at birth. Kishen grows up rich but abused by his stepfamily. Kanhaiya grows up poor but confident and free. When the evil Gendamal tries to kill Kishen and steal the family fortune, Kanhaiya must discover his true identity and save his brother.
“Two brothers. One destiny.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Kishen Kanhaiya
Cast reunions in this film: Amrish Puri & Anil Kapoor (16 films together), Madhuri Dixit & Anil Kapoor (16 films together), Kader Khan & Dinesh Hingoo (16 films together), Amrish Puri & Kader Khan (14 films together), Anil Kapoor & Kader Khan (12 films together), and Kader Khan & Saeed Jaffrey (10 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title was inspired by the Hindu deity Krishna, who is also known as Kanhaiya, reflecting the brothers' divine-like bond.
- This was one of the earliest films where Anupam Kher and Shakti Kapoor played positive, heroic roles against their usual villainous characters.
- A major action sequence involving a helicopter was considered very expensive and technically ambitious for its time in Bollywood.
- The song 'Jumma Chumma' became a huge hit and was later recreated in the 2018 film 'Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi'.
- Director Rakesh Roshan also co-wrote the story, drawing inspiration from classic tales of separated siblings like 'The Prince and the Pauper'.
- The film's climax, set in a factory, was shot over several weeks using large, custom-built sets to create the industrial environment.
- Despite mixed reviews, it was a commercial success and helped solidify Anil Kapoor's status as a leading action-comedy star of the era.