Mohra

Mohra (transl. Pawn) is a 1994 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film co-written, edited and directed by Rajiv Rai and produced by his father Gulshan Rai.

It stars Naseeruddin Shah, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Raveena Tandon, Raza Murad, Gulshan Grover, Paresh Rawal, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. The film was also the first collaboration between the trio of Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Paresh Rawal, who went on to collaborate several times later on.

Mohra
Mohra
Poster
Directed byRajiv Rai
Written byRajiv Rai
Shabbir Boxwala
Produced byGulshan Rai
Starring
CinematographyDamodar Naidu
Edited byRajiv Rai
Music byViju Shah
Distributed byTrimurti Films Pvt. Ltd.
Release date
1 July 1994 (1994-07-01)
Running time
177 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹3.75 crore
Box office22.65 crore (equivalent to 149 crore or US$19 million in 2023)

Originally, Divya Bharti was cast as the female lead but she died very early in the production. Raveena Tandon was cast as her replacement, just like the movie Dilwale, which was released earlier in the same year. The film was reported to be inspired by the 1987 film Death Wish 4: The Crackdown. while the climax was inspired by the 1992 Hong Kong film, Hard Boiled. The film was remade in Bengali Bangladesh as Gupto Ghatak (1998).

The film was a major box office success, and went on to become the second highest-grossing Indian film of that year only behind Hum Aapke Hain Koun. It received nine Filmfare nominations in 1995 including Best film, Best director and Best Music director. Songs of the film also became huge chartbusters in that year. The popularity of the song "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast", which was picturised on Raveena Tandon, led to her being nicknamed 'the Mast Mast girl'. The song was an adaptation of the popular Qawwali song "Dam Mast Qalandar Mast Mast" by Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The film's soundtrack album sold more than 8 million units, making it the second highest-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of 1994, behind only Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!.

Plot

Vishal Agnihotri is imprisoned for killing four criminals who raped and killed his sister-in-law, Rita. However, a corrupt public prosecutor helps the criminals escape punishment.

In revenge, the criminals attempt to rape Vishal's wife, Priya, but she kills herself with a knife and the criminals flee. Vishal decides to take matters into his own hands and murders the four criminals.

Journalist Roma Singh visits Vishal in prison and becomes a target from some of the convicts. Vishal comes to her rescue. Roma is determined to help him regain his freedom. She goes to the police station to meet Inspector Amar Saxena to obtain Vishal's case file.

Roma's boss, Mr. Jindal who is supposedly blind and the owner of "Samadhan Newspaper," reopens Vishal's case by presenting new evidence to the legal authorities. The judge reviewing the case accepts the new evidence and makes arrangements for Vishal's release from prison.

After being freed, Vishal starts working for Jindal. He is given the task of eliminating Jibran, Tyson and their associates. He is also instructed to kill Kamdev Kulkarni, the Commissioner of Police. Vishal begins eliminating the drug suspects one by one, alternating between Jibran's gang and Tyson's gang, in order to incite a rivalry between them.

After being informed by Kashinath that Vishal is the hitman responsible for killing his gang members, Jibran calls Tyson to meet and clear up any misunderstanding. During the meeting, Vishal shoots Tyson with a sniper rifle from a distance, causing both gangs to start shooting at each other. Tyson shoots Jibran, but he fakes his death and witnesses Vishal shooting Tyson up close.

Vishal intends to assassinate Kamdev at his house, but overhears a conversation between a drunk Kamdev and Constable Kranti Kumar. Kamdev discloses that the mysterious killer is actually benefiting society by eliminating criminals, which the police couldn't do because of the legal system. Vishal decides not to kill Kamdev.

Vishal informs Jindal that he spared Kamdev because he is a good man and not involved in protecting drug lords. Jindal becomes furious upon hearing this and slaps Vishal. Vishal throws a bowl at Jindal, but Jindal catches it. To Vishal's surprise, Jindal reveals he is not blind and used Vishal as a Mohra (pawn). Vishal is about to shoot Jindal, but Jibran arrives and saves Jindal. Jibran and Jindal tie up Vishal.

There is a flashback to Jindal’s past. He had approached Jibran and Tyson to sell drugs and make more money, but Inspector Karan Saxena (Amar's father) was assigned to stop the drug lords. Jindal stole Karan's police uniform to proceed with the drug deal.

When Karan found out, Jindal killed him. His wife Pooja witnessed the murder and Jindal kills her too. Jindal pretended to be blind to the police to avoid prison. Jindal and Jibran leave Vishal to die by placing a bomb next to him but he escapes just in time.

Amar breaks into Vishal's house and discovers the files of all the individuals Jindal instructed Vishal to eliminate. Amar locates Vishal at Roma's residence and reveals that he has the files, leaving no room for denial regarding the killings. Amar wants to arrest Vishal for his crimes, but the encounter escalates, resulting in Vishal losing consciousness when Roma distracts him and gets knocked out by Amar.

Kashinath tells Jindal that Vishal is alive and will tell Amar and Kamdev the truth by the morning. Afterwards, Jindal reveals his attraction for Roma and demands she marries him, Roma also discovers Jindal is not blind. Jindal then grabs Roma forcefully. The sub-editor Siddiqui sees this, but is killed by Jindal.

Kamdev releases Vishal. Vishal tells Amar the truth about Jindal and everything that transpired in detail. Amar, Vishal and Kamdev go to Jindal's office, but they find Siddiqui’s body instead. Jindal calls and says he has kidnapped Roma. Kashinath helps Vishal and Amar trace Jindal to an abandoned fort where drug lords have assembled.

Amar and Vishal kill most of the drug lords. Jindal forces Roma to go with him but is confronted by Vishal. Amar kills Jindal and avenges the death of his father just as Vishal dies in Amar's lap, saluting him for one last time.

Cast

Soundtrack

Mohra
Soundtrack album by
Released2 April 1994
StudioTrimurti Films
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length42:16 min
LanguageHindi
LabelVenus Records & Tapes
ProducerViju Shah
Viju Shah chronology
Vishwatama
(1992)
Mohra
(1994)
Ravan Raaj: A True Story
(1995)

The music for the film was composed by Viju Shah, with lyrics by Indeevar and Anand Bakshi. Mohra was one of the most successful soundtrack albums of 1994, especially the song "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast". The track is set to Raag Bhimpalasi (known as Abheri in Carnatic Music), and is based on the popular Qawwali song "Dam Mast Qalandar Mast Mast" by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Initially, Viju Shah wanted Sapna Mukherjee to render "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast" but, upon Rajiv Rai's insistence, opted for Kavita Krishnamurthy instead. The song "Na Kajre Ki Dhaar" was composed in the 1970s by Kalyanji-Anandji, the father and uncle of Viju Shah, and sung by Mukesh, for a shelved film, meaning that the song was unreleased. Viju Shah added the song to this film, and got singers Pankaj Udhas and Sadhana Sargam to sing it.

The film's soundtrack album sold 8 million units, making it the second highest-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of 1994, behind only Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! The soundtrack was #81 on the list of "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks of All Time", as compiled by Planet Bollywood. The song "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast" was remade as "Cheez Badi" for the 2017 film Machine. The song "Tip Tip Barsa Pani" was remade as "Tip Tip" for the 2021 film Sooryavanshi. The background score consisted of plagiarised versions of "The Terminator theme" and "I feel you (Babylon Mix)" by Depeche Mode.[citation needed]

    Track list
# Title Singer(s) Lyrics
1 "Tip Tip Barsa Pani" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik Anand Bakshi
2 "Ae Kaash Kahin Aisa Hota" Kumar Sanu Anand Bakshi
3 "Main Cheez Badi Hoon Mast Mast" Kavita Krishnamurthy, Udit Narayan Anand Bakshi
4 "Na Kajre Ki Dhaar" (Duet) Pankaj Udhas, Sadhana Sargam Indeevar
5 "Na Kajre Ki Dhaar" (Male) Pankaj Udhas Indeevar
6 "Na Kajre Ki Dhaar" (Female) Sadhana Sargam Indeevar
7 "Subah Se Lekar" Sadhana Sargam, Udit Narayan Anand Bakshi
8 "Dil Har Koi" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik Indeevar
9 "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast" Udit Narayan, Kavita Krishnamurthy Anand Bakshi

Box office

It was the 2nd-highest-grossing film of 1994.

Awards

Won

Nominated

References

Further reading

Tags:

Mohra PlotMohra CastMohra SoundtrackMohra Box officeMohra AwardsMohra Further readingMohra

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