Yateem(1988)
Yateem is a 1988 Indian Hindi-language revisionist Western film directed by J.P. Dutta. The film stars Sunny Deol, Farha Naaz, Danny Denzongpa, and Amrish Puri. It follows Krishna, an orphan adopted by a police officer after his criminal parents are killed. Krishna grows up to become a police officer himself, but his life unravels when his foster father's young wife falsely accuses him of rape. The film is notable for its bold exploration of taboo subjects like incestuous desire and false accusation. It was a commercial failure upon release but has since gained a cult following for its raw storytelling and stunning cinematography. Yateem was released on December 2, 1988.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- YouTube, MX Player
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1988
- Director
- J.P. Dutta
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 53m
- Rating
- 5.0/10
Storyline
An honest police officer kills a criminal couple and adopts their baby son. The boy, Krishna, grows up to become a cop himself. But when his foster father marries a young woman, she tries to seduce him. He rejects her, and she falsely accuses him of rape. Krishna must escape prison, rescue his childhood love, and confront the dacoit who murdered his real parents.
“A son must break his father's curse”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Yateem
Cast reunions in this film: Amrish Puri & Sunny Deol (11 films together), Amrish Puri & Kulbhushan Kharbanda (9 films together), Danny Denzongpa & Amrish Puri (7 films together), Sunny Deol & Kulbhushan Kharbanda (7 films together), Amrish Puri & Farha Naaz (6 films together), and Kulbhushan Kharbanda & J. P. Dutta (6 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Yateem' means 'orphan' in Hindi, reflecting the protagonist's backstory.
- Director J.P. Dutta later became famous for war films like 'Border', but this was an early dramatic effort.
- This was one of the few films where actor Kulbhushan Kharbanda played a central, sympathetic police officer role.
- The movie featured early roles for both Sunny Deol and actress Farha, who was relatively new at the time.
- The plot involving an adoptive brother-sister romance was a recurring theme in 1980s Hindi cinema.
- The film's music was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, a famous duo who scored many 80s hits.
- Some promotional material highlighted the controversial angle of the stepmother's attraction to her stepson.