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Diljale
Diljale
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Diljale
Theatrical release posters in
Directed byHarry Baweja
Written byKaran Razdan
Produced byParamjeet Baweja
StarringAjay Devgn
Madhoo
Sonali Bendre
Parmeet Sethi
Shakti Kapoor
Gulshan Grover
Amrish Puri
CinematographyDamodar Naidu
Edited byKuldip Mehan
Music byAnu Malik
Production
company
Release date
  • 20 September 1996 (1996-09-20)[1]
Running time
185 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Box office158.5 million[2]

Diljale (transl. The burning heart) is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language romantic action film directed by Harry Baweja, with screenplay by Karan Razdan. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Madhoo and Sonali Bendre along with Parmeet Sethi, Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and Amrish Puri in supporting roles. The film received positive reviews, and earned a lifetime gross of 15.85 crore.[2] IBNLive included Diljale among its list of "Ajay Devgn's memorable films".[3]

Plot

[edit]

The film starts with Radhika (Sonali Bendre) being introduced to an Army Captain Ranvir (Parmeet Sethi) by her father, Raja Saab (Shakti Kapoor), an erstwhile king and current politician. Raja Saab tells her that the Captain will be a good husband for her. On the day of the engagement, news breaks of a terrorist attack in a nearby village led by the terrorist, Shaka (Ajay Devgn). Ranvir and Raja Saab leave with a large force to that village. But that turns out to be a ruse as Shaka comes to the venue of the engagement and burns the wedding Mandap. Then, he stares for long at Radhika, who looks at him with hatred, and leaves. Shaka reaches his lair, where he meets his leader, Dara (Amrish Puri) and Shabnam (Madhoo) and the rest of his gang. Dara welcomes him and proclaims him to be Diljale. Shabnam (Madhoo), who loves him, tries to hug him, but Shaka rebuffs it.

Shaka then goes to visit his mother (Farida Jalal), and the story of Shaka is shown in a flashback. Shaka was originally Shyam, a patriotic college student and son of a local village leader. Radhika studies in the same college, and they both fall deeply in love. When Raja Saab tries to usurp all the village land, Shyam's father leads all the villagers against him. Raja Saab bribes a local police officer (Gulshan Grover), who falsely accuses Shyam's father to be a terrorist and kills him in an encounter. When Shyam goes to Raja Saab's home to take revenge, Raja Saab (who knows of their love affair and feels it is below his family's dignity) frames Shyam also as a terrorist and tries to kill him. Shyam escapes, but Radhika, who only sees him threatening her father, berates him and proclaims him a terrorist. Brokenhearted, Shyam joins Dara's group and becomes Shaka. Back in the present time, Ranvir surrounds Shaka at his mother's home but finds himself outnumbered by Shaka's men. Shaka asks him to go away. Ranvir then confronts Radhika and asks her if she knows Shaka from earlier. Under pressure from Raja Saab, she denies knowing Shaka.

The army captures four associates of Dara. To get them freed, Dara asks Shaka, Shabnam and some others to hijack a bus travelling from Vaishno Devi. When Shaka captures them and brings them to a ruined temple, he is shocked to find Radhika (who had gone to Vaishno Devi to pray for Shaka) among the hostages. She confronts him and tells him that he never loved her or the country. Shaka is stung and tells her that he lost everything for her love. She then tells him to release everyone since they are innocent and says that if he loves her, he will do so. He agrees under the condition that she will remain with him. When Shabnam and the others tried to stop this release, Shaka disarms them and releases the hostages and runs away with Radhika. Dara is livid with this betrayal and wants to kill Shaka. Raja Saab meets him and tells him to kill Shaka and release Radhika. Dara agrees, but in return, wants his four associates released and for his entire group to be safely escorted by Raja Saab to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the corrupt police officer, who killed Shyam's father, tries to kill Shaka, who disarms him. To save himself, the police officer tells the truth to Radhika, who is shocked to see the depth of love which Shaka has for her. Shaka kills the police officer, but is captured by Dara's men. Dara puts both of them under lock and key, but Shabnam releases Shaka. Shaka confronts Dara and asks him not to sell his homeland to politicians like Raja Saab, but Dara orders his men to kill Shaka. Army attack Dara and his men at that very moment. Raja Saab, Dara and his men escape with Radhika in their custody with Shaka and Shabnam in close pursuit. Ranvir finds Raja Saab's son hiding in a corner and finds out the truth about Shyam and Raja Saab.

Dara tells his Pakistani Intelligence handler that they need help crossing the border. Since some Americans are visiting the border and Pakistan doesn't want to be caught supporting terrorists, the Pakistanis decide to mine the border crossing and kill Dara and his men. Dara, Raja Saab and others reach the last border outpost. Raja Saab goes to talk to the Officer of the post to facilitate the escape of Dara and his men. But Shaka has already reached there and is waiting for him in the office. He kills Raja Saab, but Dara and his men escape. When a couple of Dara's men try to kill Radhika, Shabnam kills them and rescues her. Shabnam brings Radhika to Shaka, but they are all confronted by Ranvir. He tells Shaka that he knows the truth and is sorry, but will still have to arrest him. Shaka agrees, but wants to stop Dara and his men from crossing the border since he believes that they still have good in their hearts. Ranvir agrees, and they go in a snowmobile towards the border and reach there before Dara and his men. They see Pakistani soldiers laying mines, but are captured by them.

The Pakistani General tells them they want to kill Dara and his men since they can always create more terrorists. Shaka and Ranvir kill them all and go towards the border. When Shaka goes to stop Dara and his men, Ranvir stops him saying let the terrorists get killed. Shaka says that he wants to kill terrorism, not terrorists. He shouts at Dara to stop, but Dara thinks it is a trick. So Shaka jumps at one of the mines and is blasted. Shocked, Dara asks his men to stop. Shaka wakes up in a hospital to find his mother, Radhika and Ranvir next to him. Ranvir takes him outside, where Dara, Shabnam, and everyone is waiting. Dara hugs him and apologises, and admits that love can defeat anything, even terrorism. He says that they have all surrendered. Shabnam, too, bids him goodbye. Shyam and Radhika hug each other in the backdrop of the Tiranga.

Cast

[edit]

Soundtrack

[edit]
Diljale
Soundtrack album by
Released14 August 1996
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length56:00
LabelBig B Music
T-Series

The film has 8 songs. The music composer of this movie is Anu Malik and the lyrics were penned by Javed Akhtar.[4] The song "Mera Mulk Mera Desh" was copied from the Israeli national anthem "Hatikvah", which itself was sampled after the Italian song "La Mantovana".[5]

# Song Singer
1. "Ho Nahin Sakta" Udit Narayan
2. "Jiske Aane Se" Kumar Sanu
3. "Kuch Tum Beheko" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
4. "Mera Mulk Mera Desh" Kumar Sanu, Aditya Narayan
5. "Ek Baat Main Apne Dil" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik
6. "Shaam Hain Dhuan Dhuan" Poornima, Ajay Devgan
7. "Boom Boom" Shobhana
8. "Mera Mulk Mera Desh" (Female) Kavita Krishnamurthy

Reception

[edit]

Diljale was a landmark in Madhoo's career.[6] Nisha Mehta of The Times of India said, "Not only do I love the heart-warming song Mera Mulk Mera Desh from Diljale but also I like the essence of the film. Ajay Devgn was too good in it.[7]

Box office

[edit]

Diljale was released on 27 September 1996 in the budget of (₹5,55,00,000) at 225 screen layouts.

It collected (₹71,00,000) at opening day and at opening weekend it collected (₹1,99,00,000). First week it collected (₹3,52,00,000) and India gross collection were (₹15,46,00,000). Worldwide gross collections were (₹15,85,32,500) and adjusted netgross collections were (₹94,40,04,720). Total net gross collections were (₹9,09,00,000) and film been considered as Hit at Box Office India.[2]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language romantic action drama film directed by Harry Baweja and produced by Pammi Baweja under the banner of Baweja Films. The film stars Ajay Devgn in the dual role of Shyam and the terrorist Shaka, with Sonali Bendre as Radhika, Madhoo as Shabnam, Parmeet Sethi as Captain Ranvir, and Amrish Puri as the villain Dara. Its screenplay, written by Karan Razdan, centers on Shyam, a patriotic college student whose father is falsely implicated and killed by corrupt politicians, prompting him to assume the identity of Shaka to seek vengeance while grappling with romance and national loyalty. Featuring music composed by Anu Malik with lyrics by Javed Akhtar, the soundtrack included popular tracks that contributed to its appeal. Released on 27 September 1996, Diljale emerged as a semi-hit, collecting ₹9.09 crore nett in India against a budget of around ₹5 crore, reflecting solid commercial performance driven by action sequences and Devgn's intense portrayal.

Production

Development

The screenplay for Diljale was written by , who structured the narrative around core elements of , interfaith romance, and resistance to , set against the backdrop of escalating cross-border militancy in during the . This approach drew from contemporary security challenges, emphasizing causal connections between individual grievances and broader without endorsing or glorifying . Harry Baweja, in the early phase of his directing career after his debut Dilwale (1994), helmed the project, opting for a production model under his family's banner that prioritized robust action and melodic sequences to appeal to mainstream audiences amid Bollywood's action-romance dominance. Pammy Baweja, his wife, oversaw the venture through Harry Baweja Films, allocating resources to high-impact elements like stunts and music to enhance commercial viability in a market favoring emotionally charged patriotic tales. Key decisions focused on integrating these themes to underscore national unity over division, reflecting a deliberate shift from pure entertainment to narratives with socio-political undertones prevalent in mid-1990s .

Casting

Ajay Devgn was chosen for the lead role to embody the film's central figure of heroism turning to vengeance, drawing on his established action-hero persona from (1991), which featured an iconic debut sequence of him balancing between two motorcycles and earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. This image of raw intensity and physicality aligned with the thematic demand for authentic portrayal of a principled avenger in masala cinema. Sonali Bendre and Madhoo were cast as the female leads to handle the romantic and emotional layers, with Bendre's prior collaboration with Devgn in Dilwale (1994) ensuring on-screen chemistry suitable for the film's blend of love and sacrifice. Madhoo's experience in dramatic roles from South Indian hits like Roja (1992) added depth to the sacrificial elements, fitting the narrative's need for grounded emotional authenticity amid action. Amrish Puri filled the authoritative paternal role, capitalizing on his reputation for stern, commanding figures in over 400 films, including iconic villains that conveyed moral complexity and patriarchal weight essential to the story's familial conflicts. Parmeet Sethi was selected as the primary antagonist, his rising profile post-Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) allowing a shift to villainy that heightened the film's tension through familiar yet contrasting menace. Supporting casts included and for comedic and villainous relief, their typecast expertise in 1990s entertainers—Kapoor in over 300 comic-villain parts and Grover as the "Bad Man" in action flicks—providing reliable genre tropes without overshadowing the leads' heroic arc.

Filming

for Diljale occurred in and . The shoots in facilitated sequences requiring alpine scenery, while Indian locations supported the film's narrative elements involving domestic settings and action. Directed by , the production utilized cinematographers Damodar Naidu and Nandlal Choudhary to handle visuals. Filming wrapped prior to the film's theatrical release on 20 September 1996, adhering to Bollywood's cost-conscious scheduling amid market competition.

Plot

Synopsis

Diljale follows the arc of a young patriot whose father, a principled figure, is falsely accused of sheltering terrorists by the influential father of the protagonist's romantic interest, resulting in the elder's imprisonment and death. This betrayal propels the protagonist into evasion from custody and adoption of a terrorist alias, fueling a quest for retribution intertwined with regional militancy linked to cross-border incursions. The narrative structure progresses chronologically from budding romance and familial harmony to escalating conflicts, incorporating subplots of pursuit by and romantic sacrifices that culminate in action-driven confrontations addressing terrorist networks, without endorsing violence as a means beyond personal justice. Blending romance, , and action, the film spans 163 minutes, emphasizing causal chains of , , and redemption over glorification of .

Cast and Characters

The principal cast of Diljale (1996) is led by , who performs a as , a patriotic Kashmiri whose father is killed, prompting him to adopt the terrorist alias for revenge, and as the embodying his vengeful transformation. portrays Radhika, the daughter of a corrupt and Shaka's eventual romantic interest, who becomes entangled in the conflict. plays Shabnam, Shyam's initial love interest and wife, whose marriage to him underscores early themes of personal loss. Supporting roles include as Dara, a key involved in the framing and killing of Shyam's father, representing institutional corruption. appears as Captain Ranvir, a officer aiding in the narrative's action sequences and pursuit of Shaka. enacts the dual characters of Raja Saab, Radhika's father and a scheming minister, and Mantri, amplifying political intrigue. Additional notable performers are in an antagonistic role and supporting actors such as , , and , contributing to the film's ensemble of familial and adversarial figures.
ActorCharacter(s)
Shyam / Shaka
Radhika
Shabnam
Dara
Captain Ranvir
Raja Saab / Mantri
(Antagonist)

Track Listing

The soundtrack album of Diljale, released in 1996 on audio cassette and formats, features seven original tracks composed by with lyrics penned by .
No.TitleSinger(s)DurationNotes (Picturization)
1Shaam Hai Dhuan DhuanPoornima, 7:04 picturized on and dancer Poornima.
2Ho Nahi Sakta7:43Picturized on , Madhoo, and .
3Jiske Aane Se-Romantic number picturized on and .
4Kuchh Tum Beheko, -Duet picturized on and a lead actress.
5Ek Baat Mein Apne Dil Se, 7:23Romantic duet picturized on and .
6Mera Mulk Mera Desh, -Patriotic ensemble track.
7Boom BoomShobhana, Nisha7:36Dance number.

Composition

Anu Malik composed the soundtrack for Diljale, producing eight songs that fused melodic romantic tracks with energetic cues suited to the film's action-romance framework and mid-1990s Bollywood conventions of emotive orchestration and vocal-driven narratives. His approach emphasized lush arrangements to underscore scenes of personal turmoil and national devotion, drawing from his established style of accessible, sentiment-laden compositions prevalent in the era. Javed Akhtar penned the lyrics, crafting verses that conveyed stark themes of romantic impossibility and unwavering loyalty, as in expressions of self-erasure in love deemed unattainable or fervent allegiance to one's homeland amid adversity. The recording sessions, conducted in Mumbai, prioritized vocal performances by artists like Udit Narayan and Kumar Sanu to evoke authentic emotional resonance without dilution.

Patriotic Song Controversy

The patriotic song "Mera Mulk Mera Desh" from Diljale, composed by with lyrics by and sung by and , features a melody strikingly similar to "," Israel's adopted in 1948 and based on a 19th-century Eastern European folk tune. This resemblance prompted accusations of shortly after the film's release on September 27, 1996, though widespread public scrutiny intensified decades later. Critics and observers, including users and analysts, highlighted the near-identical melodic structure, particularly in the ascending and descending phrases, as evidence of direct copying rather than coincidental overlap, given Bollywood's documented of uncredited musical borrowings during the . , who faced prior claims for other tracks, maintained that such similarities stemmed from universal musical inspirations rather than deliberate theft, a defense consistent with his responses to earlier allegations but without specific legal challenge or resolution in this case. No formal protests from Jewish organizations or diplomatic interventions occurred contemporaneously in 1996-1997, despite the song's prominence in Indian media; instead, backlash peaked in August 2021 following the Tokyo Olympics broadcast of "" during an Israeli athlete's medal ceremony, which juxtaposed the anthems virally online. The episode underscored debates over cultural appropriation versus artistic adaptation in global , where "Hatikvah"'s folk roots potentially allowed for parallel derivations, yet the unaltered core tune in "Mera Mulk Mera Desh" fueled perceptions of insensitivity toward national symbols. In , the track achieved commercial popularity as a rousing patriotic , contributing to Diljale's sales amid the film's overall earnings of approximately ₹15.85 , with no evident disruption to promotion or reception at release. The absence of litigation highlighted enforcement challenges for international musical copyrights, particularly pre-digital era, allowing the song's enduring play on radio and Day playlists despite ongoing online critiques.

Release

Theatrical Release

Diljale was released theatrically in on 27 1996. The film's marketing strategy emphasized lead actor Ajay Devgn's rising popularity as an action hero, building on his recent successes, alongside pre-release promotions centered on composer 's soundtrack, including music launch events that generated buzz through popular tracks. A grand was held, attended by Devgn, , and other key cast members, highlighting the patriotic undertones to appeal to audiences amid the mid-1990s trend of nationalism-infused entertainers. Overseas distribution was limited, primarily targeting markets where the film's themes of vengeance and national loyalty resonated with viewers.

Distribution

Following its theatrical release, Diljale was distributed on formats starting with cassettes in the late , targeted primarily at domestic and audiences in and regions with significant Indian communities such as the and . DVD editions followed, often including English subtitles to broaden appeal, and remain available through retailers specializing in Bollywood media. Digital distribution expanded accessibility in the 2020s, with full HD versions uploaded to on October 9, 2021, by channels holding rights, enabling free viewing worldwide. A 4K ultra HD variant appeared on December 25, 2021, further enhancing archival quality without evidence of comprehensive restorations. As of 2025, the film streams on over-the-top platforms including and , with availability confirmed across multiple regions but no indications of exclusive international licensing deals or remakes. Occasional television reruns occur on channels catering to nostalgic Bollywood audiences, though not systematically tracked, underscoring its enduring but unremastered status among 1990s action-romance films.

Reception

Critical Response

Upon its release, Diljale garnered mixed reviews from critics, with praise centered on Ajay Devgn's intense portrayal of a man driven to vengeance, which showcased his emerging action-hero persona through raw emotional depth and physicality. Reviewers highlighted Devgn's ability to convey the transformation from patriotism to militancy as convincing, attributing it to his committed performance amid high-stakes sequences. The film's musical score by Anu Malik also received acclaim for its melodic integration, particularly tracks like "Ho Nahi Sakta" and "Jiske Aane Se," which blended romantic and energetic elements to enhance the narrative flow and contributed significantly to audience engagement. The unapologetic emphasis on , including the protagonist's initial fervor and the climactic "Mera Mulk Mera Desh" sequence, was lauded by several observers for capturing a straightforward nationalist sentiment prevalent in mid-1990s Indian cinema, without dilution through extraneous messaging. This aspect drew retrospective nods for its bold depiction of personal loss fueling retaliation against perceived threats, aligning with observable causal patterns in conflict dynamics where individual grievances escalate into broader confrontations, rather than abstracting away agency or motives. Such elements were seen as refreshingly direct, especially when compared to later films that often impose contrived resolutions. Critics, however, pointed to the film's formulaic structure as a drawback, adhering to familiar masala tropes of romance, action, and that rendered the plot predictable despite energetic execution. Its runtime of approximately 175 minutes exacerbated pacing issues, leading to complaints of dragged interludes amid the extended song-and-dance routines and confrontations. Some outlets critiqued the portrayal of as overly simplistic, reducing complex geopolitical tensions to personal vendettas, though defenders countered that this mirrored real-world instances where ideological violence stems from tangible harms like family executions, prioritizing empirical triggers over multifaceted analyses. Views on the interfaith romance between the Hindu protagonist and his Muslim love interest were divided, with the narrative's handling of familial opposition and societal friction appreciated by some for its unvarnished realism—eschewing forced harmonious outcomes in favor of conflict resolution through adversity—contrasting with contemporary depictions that frequently sanitize cultural clashes. Others found the resolution contrived within the framework, yet the film's avoidance of preachiness allowed for a grounded of amid division, reflecting persistent tensions without endorsing evasion of root causes. Overall, while not universally acclaimed, Diljale's strengths in performance and thematic directness outweighed structural flaws for many, cementing its place in discussions of era-specific Bollywood action dramas.

Box Office Performance

Diljale collected ₹71 lakh on its opening day, 27 September 1996, across 225 screens. The film earned ₹1.99 crore over its opening weekend, driven by anticipation from its soundtrack and Ajay Devgn's rising stardom following successes like Haqeeqat. Its first week grossed ₹3.52 crore nett in India. The film's India nett collection reached ₹9.09 crore, with an estimated budget of ₹5.5 crore, resulting in a semi-hit verdict as it exceeded cost recovery but fell short of full hit status per contemporary benchmarks. India gross stood at ₹15.46 crore, supplemented by modest overseas earnings of $110,000 (approximately ₹0.39 crore). Worldwide gross totaled ₹15.85 crore, placing it mid-tier among 1996 releases, outperforming films like Majhdhaar but trailing blockbusters such as Ghatak.

Audience and Commercial Achievements

Diljale resonated with audiences through Ajay Devgn's portrayal of the vengeful and patriotic , a role that highlighted his signature intense action-hero persona and contributed to the film's status as a staple of masala entertainment. The movie's dual-lead dynamic, pairing Devgn with , fostered on-screen chemistry that appealed to viewers seeking romantic action blends, sustaining fan interest in rewatchable sequences like high-stakes confrontations and song-driven interludes. A key commercial milestone was the film's role in elevating Sonali Bendre's profile, marking her debut major hit after an uneven start and enabling breakthrough leads in follow-up projects such as Duplicate (1998) and (1998). This audience validation translated to market gains, with the soundtrack's tracks—composed by —garnering play on radio and cassettes, where hits like "Ho Nahin Sakta" and "Shaam Hain Dhuan Dhuan" drove ancillary sales through their melodic hooks and thematic ties to the plot. Viewer engagement metrics underscore ongoing empirical popularity, including an IMDb audience score of 5.8/10 from 2,044 ratings, reflecting consistent appreciation for its unpretentious thrills among nostalgic demographics. Frequent inclusions in retrospective lists affirm its validation as a career-affirming vehicle, with no major wins but recognition for musical elements bolstering tie-in revenue from audio formats prevalent in the era.

Legacy

Cultural Impact

Diljale reinforced the Bollywood formula of action-romance fused with unfiltered , depicting as a direct threat warranting vigilant retaliation rather than equivocated narratives influenced by emerging . Released on September 27, 1996, three years after the 1993 serial blasts that killed 257 people, the film resonated by framing personal grievances as catalysts for insurgent violence, underscoring causal chains from individual humiliation to organized militancy without diluting antagonist portrayals. The antagonist Shaka, portrayed by , emerged as an enduring trope of the brooding, humorous vigilante, with dialogues like those emphasizing eradication of over mere terrorists inspiring fan recreations and memes across . By 2024, hosted over 8.3 million posts referencing Shaka from Diljale, evidencing sustained cultural citation in humorous and satirical contexts. This character's blend of and bravado influenced later films' handling of morally ambiguous patriots confronting . Songs such as "Shaam Hai Dhuaan Dhuaan" persist in digital playlists, with the soundtrack's romantic and upbeat tracks labeled evergreen for their replay value in streaming services like and jukeboxes amassing millions of views. The film's patriotic track, controversially adapted from Israel's , prompted debates on melodic appropriation in Indian cinema, reflecting boldness in evoking fervor amid real-world unrest.

Influence on Ajay Devgn's Career

Diljale (1996) reinforced Ajay Devgn's positioning as a leading in Bollywood, building on his early successes in films emphasizing physical prowess and moral resolve. Devgn's portrayal of , a patriotic figure transformed by personal betrayal into a militant avenger, exemplified the intense, revenge-fueled archetypes that defined his mid-1990s output and echoed in subsequent roles like the uncompromising cop in Singham (2011), where similar themes of justice through force prevailed. This performance, delivered amid high-stakes action sequences, highlighted Devgn's shift from raw debut intensity in Phool Aur Kaante (1991) toward layered heroic versatility, appealing to audiences favoring undiluted confrontations with antagonists. The film's semi-hit status, with India nett collections of ₹9.09 against a budget of approximately ₹5.5 , affirmed Devgn's commercial viability in the action genre during a where his success ratio hovered around 55%. This outcome contributed directly to his 1990s consistency, as evidenced by average grosses of ₹6.3 across multiple releases, enabling sustained casting in mass-oriented projects with patriotic elements that boosted his marketability. Long-term, Diljale's role in Devgn's cemented his reputation for reliable action-patriot narratives, paving the way for enduring franchises and reinforcing producer confidence in his draw for high-grossing entertainers rooted in causal retribution over nuanced drama.

References

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