Itihaas Full Story Explained (1987)
Imagine a police commissioner who believes in the law. He is honest. He is dedicated. But when a gangster hurts his daughter, he loses control. This is the story of Itihaas, a 1987 Hindi film directed by Joshiy. It stars Raaj Kumar as Joginder Singh, the police commissioner. Shabana Azmi plays his wife Sunaina. Anil Kapoor plays their son Vijay, a lawyer. Rati Agnihotri plays Shobha, Vijay's love interest. Danny Denzongpa plays Alexander, the main villain. The film is a remake of the Malayalam film Ithihasam. It is a story of crime, family, and revenge. It shows how one bad event can change an entire family. The film has action, drama, and emotion. It makes you think about justice and revenge.
A Father's Worst Nightmare
Joginder Singh is a respected police commissioner. He has a loving wife Sunaina and three children. His son Rakesh is a police inspector. His other son Vijay is a lawyer. His daughter Jyoti is innocent and happy. But Alexander, a powerful gangster, wants to destroy Joginder Singh. He kidnaps Jyoti and hurts her badly. Joginder Singh finds her in a terrible state. He loses his mind with rage.
Full Plot
Itihaas is the story of Joginder Singh, an honest police commissioner. He lives with his wife Sunaina, his two sons Vijay and Rakesh, and his daughter Jyoti. Rakesh is a police inspector. Vijay is a lawyer. The family is happy and united.
One day, Rakesh arrests Kalicharan, a henchman of the underworld kingpin Alexander. Joginder Singh is proud of his son. But Kalicharan gets released because of Vijay's appeal. Vijay does not know Kalicharan is a criminal. He is just doing his job. This creates tension between Joginder Singh and Vijay.
Alexander is trapped by the police. But he gets bail easily. He is angry at Joginder Singh. He decides to take revenge. Alexander kidnaps Jyoti and molests her. Joginder Singh finds her in a terrible state. He is devastated. He loses his mind with rage.
Kalicharan's son tells Joginder Singh where Alexander is hiding. Joginder Singh goes there with a gun. He sees a man near the place where Jyoti was hurt. He thinks the man is Alexander. He shoots and kills the man. But it is not Alexander. It is an innocent person. Joginder Singh has become a murderer.
The family is shattered. Sunaina is heartbroken. Vijay is angry at his father. Rakesh is confused. Joginder Singh feels guilty. He surrenders to the police. But Vijay decides to help his father. He gathers evidence against Alexander. Rakesh helps him catch Alexander. They bring Alexander to justice.
In the end, Alexander goes to jail. Joginder Singh also goes to jail for his crime. But he is at peace. He knows he did wrong, but he also knows he protected his family. The family comes together again. They face the consequences together. The film ends with a message about justice and sacrifice.
Act Breakdown
A Happy Family
We meet Joginder Singh, his wife Sunaina, and their children. Rakesh arrests Kalicharan. Vijay helps free him. This creates tension between father and son. Alexander plans revenge against Joginder Singh.
The Tragedy Strikes
Alexander kidnaps and molests Jyoti. Joginder Singh is devastated. He goes after Alexander. He kills an innocent man by mistake. The family is shattered. Joginder Singh becomes a criminal.
The Family Fights Back
Vijay decides to help his father. He gathers evidence against Alexander. Rakesh helps him. They work together to catch Alexander. The family comes together again.
Justice is Served
Vijay and Rakesh catch Alexander. He is sent to jail. Joginder Singh surrenders to the police. He accepts his punishment. The family is united but changed. The film ends with a message about justice.
Characters
Joginder Singh
Played by Raaj Kumar
Joginder Singh is the police commissioner. He is honest and dedicated. He loves his family deeply. After Alexander hurts his daughter Jyoti, he becomes vengeful. He kills an innocent man by mistake. He surrenders to the police in the end.
Sunaina Singh
Played by Shabana Azmi
Sunaina is Joginder Singh's wife. She is a loving mother. She tries to keep the family together after the tragedy. She is heartbroken by what happens to Jyoti. She supports her husband even when he makes mistakes.
Advocate Vijay Singh
Played by Anil Kapoor
Vijay is Joginder Singh's elder son. He is a lawyer. He unknowingly helps free Kalicharan. This creates a conflict with his father. Later, he uses his skills to gather evidence against Alexander. He helps bring Alexander to justice.
Inspector Rakesh Singh
Played by Mohnish Behl
Rakesh is Joginder Singh's younger son. He is a police inspector. He arrests Kalicharan. He is loyal to his father. He helps Vijay catch Alexander in the end.
Alexander
Played by Danny Denzongpa
Alexander is the main villain. He is a powerful underworld kingpin. He wants to destroy Joginder Singh. He kidnaps and molests Jyoti. He is finally caught and sent to jail.
Kalicharan
Played by Suresh Oberoi
Kalicharan is Alexander's henchman. He is arrested by Rakesh. He is released because of Vijay's appeal. His son later helps Joginder Singh find Alexander.
Scene Highlights
Jyoti's Abduction
Alexander's men kidnap Jyoti. She is taken to a dark place. Alexander molests her. Joginder Singh finds her in a terrible state. He is heartbroken. This scene is the turning point of the film. It shows the cruelty of Alexander.
The Wrong Man Killed
Joginder Singh gets a tip about Alexander's location. He goes there with a gun. He sees a man near the place. He shoots and kills him. But it is not Alexander. It is an innocent person. Joginder Singh realizes his mistake. This scene shows the consequences of anger.
Vijay's Decision
Vijay is angry at his father. But he decides to help him. He uses his lawyer skills to gather evidence. He works with Rakesh. This scene shows the power of family loyalty. It is a turning point for Vijay's character.
The Final Arrest
Vijay and Rakesh corner Alexander. They have evidence against him. Alexander tries to escape. But they catch him. He is taken to jail. This scene is satisfying. It shows that justice can be served.
Joginder Singh Surrenders
Joginder Singh walks into the police station. He surrenders for his crime. He accepts his punishment. His family watches him. This scene is emotional. It shows that he is still a good man who made a mistake.
Cast & Context
Itihaas brings together a strong cast. Raaj Kumar was a legendary actor known for his powerful dialogue delivery. He plays the honest police commissioner. Shabana Azmi was a critically acclaimed actress. She brings depth to the role of Sunaina. Anil Kapoor was a rising star. He plays the conflicted son. Danny Denzongpa was known for playing villains. He is perfect as Alexander. This was one of the early films where Anil Kapoor shared screen with Raaj Kumar.
Themes
Justice vs Revenge
The film shows the conflict between justice and revenge. Joginder Singh believes in the law. But when his daughter is hurt, he wants revenge. He kills an innocent man. This shows how revenge can destroy a person. The film asks if justice is always the right path.
Family and Loyalty
Family is at the center of the story. Joginder Singh loves his family. He wants to protect them. But his actions tear the family apart. Vijay and Rakesh must choose between their duty and their father. In the end, they come together. The film shows that family loyalty is important.
The Failure of the System
The film criticizes the legal system. Criminals like Alexander get bail easily. Kalicharan is released because of a lawyer's appeal. The system fails to protect victims. This makes Joginder Singh take matters into his own hands. The film shows how the system can be unfair.
Consequences of Anger
Joginder Singh's anger leads him to make a terrible mistake. He kills an innocent man. He becomes a criminal himself. The film shows that anger can blind a person. It can lead to actions that cannot be undone. The message is to control anger.
Music & Soundtrack
ComposerRahul Dev Burman
R.D. Burman composed the music for Itihaas. The songs include 'Aao Tumhe Pyar Kare' and 'Champa Chameli'. The music adds to the emotional and dramatic moments of the film. 'Aao Tumhe Pyar Kare' is a romantic song. 'Champa Chameli' is a more upbeat number.
Similar Films
Both films star Anil Kapoor as a lawyer fighting against injustice. Both have a family drama element.
Both films are about a man who takes the law into his own hands after a personal tragedy. Both have action and drama.
Both films have a similar theme of a father seeking revenge against a criminal. Both have a large ensemble cast.
Both films deal with the theme of a woman being harmed and the family seeking revenge. Both have a strong social message.
Ending Explained
In the final scenes, Vijay and Rakesh work together to catch Alexander. Vijay gathers evidence against him. Rakesh uses his police skills to track him down. They arrest Alexander and bring him to court. Alexander is sent to jail for his crimes. Joginder Singh surrenders to the police. He accepts his punishment for killing an innocent man. He knows he did wrong. But he is at peace. He protected his family. He stopped Alexander from hurting anyone else. Sunaina waits for Joginder Singh to return. The family is broken, but they are together. Vijay and Rakesh continue their work. The film ends with a message. Justice is not always easy. Sometimes it requires sacrifice. The family survives, but they are changed forever. The director leaves the audience with a question. Is revenge worth it?
Itihaas is a solid 1980s Hindi film. It has a strong performance by Raaj Kumar. Anil Kapoor also does well. The story is emotional and dramatic. The music by R.D. Burman is good. But the film has some logic gaps. The pace is slow in parts. The film is worth watching if you like 80s Bollywood dramas. It is a good family revenge story. The message about justice is clear. Fans of Raaj Kumar and Anil Kapoor will enjoy it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Itihaas is a remake of the 1981 Malayalam film Ithihasam. Both films were directed by Joshiy. The Hindi version stars Raaj Kumar, Anil Kapoor, and Danny Denzongpa. The story is about a police commissioner who seeks revenge after his daughter is harmed.
Danny Denzongpa plays the villain Alexander. He is a powerful underworld kingpin. He kidnaps and molests the commissioner's daughter. He is finally caught and sent to jail. Danny Denzongpa is known for playing negative roles in Hindi films.
Anil Kapoor plays Vijay Singh, the elder son of the police commissioner. He is a lawyer. He unknowingly helps free a criminal. This creates a conflict with his father. Later, he uses his skills to bring the real villain to justice.
The music director of Itihaas is Rahul Dev Burman, also known as R.D. Burman. He composed the songs for the film. The lyrics were written by Anand Bakshi. The songs include 'Aao Tumhe Pyar Kare' and 'Champa Chameli'.
The central message of Itihaas is about justice and revenge. It shows that revenge can destroy a person. The film also criticizes the legal system. It shows how criminals can escape punishment. The film ends with a message that justice requires sacrifice.