Swami Dada(1982)
Swami Dada is a 1982 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Dev Anand. The film stars Dev Anand, Mithun Chakraborty, Naseeruddin Shah, Rati Agnihotri, Padmini Kohlapure, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. It tells the story of Hari Mohan, a holy man who secretly leads a gang of thieves to steal temple jewelry. The film explores themes of deception, trust, and redemption. It is notable for being the debut film of actor Jackie Shroff. The soundtrack was composed by R.D. Burman. Swami Dada was released in 1982 and received mixed reviews.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- YouTube, Internet Archive, ZengaTV
- Theatrical Release
- 3 December 1982
- Director
- Dev Anand
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 41m
- Rating
- 5.6/10
Storyline
Hari Mohan pretends to be a saint called Swami Dada. He gains the trust of a town and its temple followers. But he is actually a thief planning to steal the temple's gold. A young man named Suresh suspects him. An old partner named Aslam threatens to expose him. Hari Mohan must choose between his criminal past and a chance at redemption.
“The saint who stole.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Swami Dada
Cast reunions in this film: Rati Agnihotri & Mithun Chakraborty (15 films together), Jackie Shroff & Mithun Chakraborty (8 films together), Jackie Shroff & Naseeruddin Shah (7 films together), Mithun Chakraborty & Padmini Kolhapure (7 films together), Naseeruddin Shah & Kulbhushan Kharbanda (6 films together), and Jackie Shroff & Kulbhushan Kharbanda (5 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title song 'Swami Dada' was composed by Bappi Lahiri, who was known for disco beats, creating an unusual musical mix for a film about a fake saint.
- Dev Anand, who directed and starred in the film, was inspired by the concept of a charismatic criminal, a theme he explored in several of his later directorial ventures.
- The movie features a young Anil Kapoor in a supporting role, appearing early in his career before his rise to stardom.
- Parts of the film were shot at real temples and spiritual gatherings to capture the authentic atmosphere of a religious discourse.
- The plot of a thief posing as a holy man drew comparisons to earlier Hollywood and Indian films, but was considered a bold premise for its time in mainstream Hindi cinema.
- Despite Dev Anand's star power, the film did not perform well commercially, fading quickly after its release.
- The orphan children in the thief's gang were portrayed by real street children from Mumbai, adding a layer of raw authenticity to their scenes.