Swati(1986)
Swati is a 1986 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Kranthi Kumar. It stars Meenakshi Sheshadri in the title role, with Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Madhuri Dixit, Vinod Mehra, and Akbar Khan. The story follows Sharda, a single mother who raises her daughter Swati after believing her lover abandoned her. Years later, Swati grows into a bold young woman who protects her mother. When her mother's past lover returns with the truth, the family faces emotional turmoil. The film is a remake of the director's own Telugu film of the same name. Meenakshi Sheshadri's performance was highly praised. The film belongs to the parallel cinema genre. It was released in 1986.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1986
- Director
- Kranthi Kumar
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 36m
- Rating
- 4.4/10
Storyline
A young woman named Sharda is betrayed by her lover and raises her daughter Swati alone. Swati grows up to be a fearless protector. She arranges her mother's marriage to a kind doctor. But when her mother's old lover returns, the family's secrets threaten to destroy everything.
“A daughter's love knows no fear.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Swati
Cast reunions in this film: Sarika & Vinod Mehra (5 films together), Sharmila Tagore & Shashi Kapoor (4 films together), Vinod Mehra & Meenakshi Sheshadri (3 films together), Shashi Kapoor & Meenakshi Sheshadri (3 films together), Vinod Mehra & Shashi Kapoor (2 films together), and Shashi Kapoor & Shubha Khote (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's director Kranthi Kumar was primarily known for Telugu cinema, making this one of his rare Hindi directorial ventures.
- Actress Shabana Azmi, who played the mother Sharda, was already a multiple National Award winner when she took on this role.
- The movie was filmed in the mid-1980s but its release was delayed, which was uncommon for mainstream productions at the time.
- A key subplot involves matchmaking for the mother, a theme not often central to films led by a young female protagonist.
- The soundtrack by composer Laxmikant-Pyarelal included the hit song 'Jeevan Ke Din', sung by Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar.
- The film presented a contrast by casting Juhi Chawla, then known for bubbly roles, as a fiercely independent and socially active character.
- It tackled the subject of victim-blaming in rape cases directly, which was a bold narrative choice for a commercial Hindi film in that era.