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Koyla
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| Koyla | |
|---|---|
Poster | |
| Directed by | Rakesh Roshan |
| Written by | Anwar Khan (dialogues) |
| Screenplay by | Ravi Kapoor Sachin Bhowmick |
| Story by | Rakesh Roshan |
| Produced by | Rakesh Roshan |
| Starring | Shah Rukh Khan Madhuri Dixit Amrish Puri |
| Cinematography | Sameer Arya |
| Edited by | Sanjay Verma |
| Music by | Rajesh Roshan |
Production company | Filmkraft Productions Pvt. Ltd. |
| Distributed by | Yash Raj Films Sony Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 167 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | est. ₹12 crore[1] |
| Box office | est. ₹28.05 crore[1] |
Koyla (transl. Coal) is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed, co-written and produced by Rakesh Roshan starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Amrish Puri in lead roles with Johnny Lever, Ashok Saraf, Salim Ghouse, Deepshikha and Himani Shivpuri in supporting roles. Mohnish Bahl makes a special appearance. The film was released worldwide on 18 April 1997 and declared an average grosser at the box office, earning over ₹28.05 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹11.90 crore. Koyla emerged as the 8th most successful film of 1997 in India. Critics praised the action sequences performed by Khan. The film also earned Amrish Puri a Best Villain nomination at the 43rd Filmfare Awards. Some scenes were shot in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. This is the third and final collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and Rakesh Roshan.
Plot
[edit]Handsome but mute, Shankar is raised by the powerful Raja, to whom he is loyal. Raja treats him like a slave ,though. Raja's brother Brijwa, a violent psychopath habitually beats Shankar.
A ruthless man with a large appetite for young women, Raja kills anyone who dares to defy him. When Raja sees Gauri, a pretty and innocent villager, he decides to marry her and sends her a photo of Shankar so that Gauri will agree to marry.
During the wedding ceremony, Gauri discovers that Shankar isn't her groom and faints. Raja however orders the priest to continue. When she regains consciousness, Gauri is shocked to see Raja trying to consummate their marriage. When she resists, Raja imprisons her and tortures her.
Gauri tries to commit suicide, but Shankar saves her. She accuses him of ruining her life, but soon realizes he is innocent. When Gauri's brother Ashok visits them, Raja forces Gauri to lie that she is happy. Shankar reveals the truth to Ashok by writing in the dirt that Raja and Brijwa kill Ashok when he tries to rescue his sister. Ashok makes Shankar promise that he will save Gauri and dies.
Gauri and Shankar flee Raja's mansion. Enraged, Raja sets a search in motion with the help of a corrupt DIG. After a long chase through the jungle and mountains, Shankar kills Raja's men. Gauri and Shankar begin to fall in love. Raja captures them by shooting Gauri in the arm.
Shankar is brutally beaten by Brijwa and the corrupt DIG, and Raja slits his throat, leaving him to die in the mountains. Gauri is sold to a brothel after Raja discovers she loves Shankar. There, Bindiya, Raja's former lover, who was disowned by him after she too fell for Shankar, saves Gauri. Brijwa, at his brother's orders, humiliates Bindiya in public and stabs her.
Shankar is saved by a village boy who brings him to his grandfather (a healer), who operates on his throat while he is still unconscious. The healer, who discovers that Shankar is not mute by birth, is able to repair some of the damaged nerves in Shankar's throat, enabling him to speak. While recovering, Shankar recalls that when he was a boy, his father discovered diamonds in the coal mine, and then his parents were murdered by two mysterious men. When young Shankar threatened to tell the news to family friends, someone shoved hot coals into his throat, rendering him mute.
Shankar returns to the mansion and kills Brijwa. He rescues Gauri from the same men who had killed his parents, killing one of them in the process. Shankar discovers that Raja was responsible for making him mute and ordering his parents to be killed so he could steal their wealth. He reunites with Raja's doctor and son and, with their help, kills Raja's henchman and reveals Raja's crimes to the coal miners.
Gauri arrives with her uncle and aunt, forcing them to admit their involvement in making her marry Raja. Raja's doctor and his son turn against him, revealing that he not only deceived Gauri, but is also responsible for numerous killings and rapes. Chaos follows among the mine workers. Shankar corners Raja, who begs for his life. After dodging a pickaxe thrown at him, Shankar kills Raja by spilling oil and coal around him and setting him on fire with a burning rock. Shankar and Gauri embrace each other.
Cast
[edit]- Shah Rukh Khan as Shankar Hariya Thakur
- Madhuri Dixit as Gauri Singh
- Amrish Puri as Raja Choudhury
- Salim Ghouse as Brijwa Choudhury
- Johnny Lever as Chhote
- Ashok Saraf as Ved "Vedji" Narayan
- Deepshikha Nagpal as Bindiya
- Jack Gaud as Ranbir Chauhan
- Ranjeet as Dilawar Bapat
- Mohnish Bahl as Ashok Singh
- Himani Shivpuri as Chanda Bai
- Suresh Chatwal as Sanjay Singh
- Shubha Khote as Sumitra Singh
- Razak Khan as Anand Godbole
- Kunika as Rasili
- Vikas Anand as Hariya Thakur
- Pradeep Rawat as Police Commissioner Kashinath
- Dev Malhotra
- Rammohan Sharma
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]Rakesh Roshan got the idea of making Koyla when he was shooting for his other directorial venture Karobaar: The Business of Love in 1992, which got delayed and was finally released in 2000. Koyla tells the story of a simple-hearted village girl who falls in love with her torturing husband's mute servant, who then takes revenge against his boss. The film was also Rakesh Roshan's first film to feature DTS 5.1 surround sound.
Casting
[edit]Roshan had approached Sunny Deol for the role of Shankar after watching the latter's action scenes in the 1996 films Jeet and Ghatak: Lethal. Due to unknown reasons, Deol rejected the role. Roshan offered the role to Shah Rukh Khan, who had worked with him in King Uncle (1993) and Karan Arjun (1995).
Sonali Bendre was the initial choice to play Gauri, but Roshan later signed Madhuri Dixit. Koyla marked the second collaboration between Khan and Dixit following Anjaam (1994) after which they also starred in Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Gaja Gamini (2000), Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam (2002), and Devdas (2002).
Filming
[edit]Principal photography of Koyla began in June 1996. A song of the film, Tanhai Tanhai, and some of the scenes, were shot at the Nuranang Falls (the Jang Falls) & Sela Lake near Jang Town north of Sela Tunnel/Sela Pass in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.[2][3] Other scenes were also filmed in Hyderabad and south areas of Ooty.
During the shooting of the film's one of the popular songs, Ghungte Mein Chanda, Khan fractured his leg.[4] The other song of the film, Dekha Tujhe Toh, was to be therefore exited from the film because of his fracture, but after Khan's leg got fully well, the song was shot. The sound of real pots was used for the background music of Dekha Tujhe Toh.
Soundtrack
[edit]| Koyla | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 1997 |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Length | 42:40 |
| Label | Tips Music |
The soundtrack was very popular, especially tracks "Dekha Tujhe Toh" and "Ghoongte Mein Chanda". According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 18,00,000 units sold, the soundtrack became the thirteenth highest-selling album of the year.
| # | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dekha Tujhe Toh" | Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik | 07:32 |
| 2. | "Ghoongte Mein Chanda" | Udit Narayan | 06:17 |
| 3. | "Badan Juda Hote" | Kumar Sanu, Preeti Singh | 10:30 |
| 4. | "Saanson Ki Mala" | Kavita Krishnamurthy | 06:47 |
| 5. | "Tanhai Tanhai" | Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik | 05:35 |
| 6. | "Bhang Ke Nashe" | Alka Yagnik | 06:07 |
Box office
[edit]Koyla grossed ₹25.91 crore (US$3.1 million) in India and $600,000 (₹2.14 crore) in other countries, for a worldwide total of ₹28.05 crore (US$3.3 million), against its ₹12 crore (US$1.4 million) budget. It had a worldwide opening weekend of ₹5.39 crore (US$640,000), and grossed ₹9.60 crore (US$1.1 million) in its first week.[1] It is the 9th-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1997 worldwide.[5][6]
India
[edit]It opened on Friday, 18 April 1997, across 275 screens, and had a record opening of ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million) nett. The film shared the record for the highest opening day with the previous record opener Trimurti which also grossed ₹1.06 crore (US$130,000) nett on its opening day. It went on to break ₹3.07 crore (US$360,000) nett opening weekend record set by Trimurti, and recorded the highest ever opening weekend of ₹3.10 crore (US$370,000) nett. It had a first week of ₹5.52 crore (US$650,000) nett. The film earned a total of ₹14.88 crore (US$1.8 million) nett.[1]
Overseas
[edit]Home media
[edit]The film, after its release, saw a home media launch on VHS, VCD, and DVD over the next ten years of its release. There has not been a Blu-ray Disc or subsequent release since then.
| Territory | Territory wise Collections break-up |
|---|---|
| India | Nett Gross: ₹14.88 crore (US$1.8 million) |
| Distributor share: ₹8.36 crore (US$990,000) | |
| Total Gross: ₹25.91 crore (US$3.1 million) | |
| International (Outside India) |
$600,000 (₹2.14 crore) |
| Worldwide | ₹28.05 crore (US$3.3 million) |
Awards
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Box Office India – Movie Financials". BoxOfficeIndia.com. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ Riba, Moji (30 June 2019). "Lights, camera and anticipation | The Arunachal Times". The Arunachal Times. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ "Jung Falls: A Sensational Setting! - Be On The Road | Live your Travel Dream!". www.beontheroad.com. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ "Stars and their injuries".
- ^ "Top Hits 1997 - - Box Office India".
- ^ Shah Rukh Can: The Story of the Man and Star Called Shah Rukh Khan. Om Books International. ISBN 9788187108269.
External links
[edit]Koyla
View on GrokipediaPre-production
Development
Rakesh Roshan conceived Koyla as an action thriller centered on themes of betrayal, revenge, and a mute protagonist enduring injustice, drawing inspiration from the 1990 American film Revenge starring Kevin Costner.[9] The narrative follows a simple man wronged by a tyrannical landlord, echoing motifs of retribution in classic revenge tales while adapting them to a rural Indian coal mine setting.[10] Roshan wrote the original story and collaborated on the screenplay with Ravi Kapoor and Sachin Bhowmick, finalizing the script in 1996 ahead of production.[11] This co-writing process emphasized high-stakes drama and emotional depth, with dialogues later penned by Anwar Khan to enhance the film's intensity.[12] Produced under Roshan's Filmkraft banner, Koyla was allocated an initial budget of approximately ₹12 crore to support its ambitious action sequences and star-driven appeal.[13] The project marked Roshan's follow-up to successful action-dramas like Karan Arjun (1995) and aiming to blend spectacle with poignant storytelling.[14] Shah Rukh Khan was brought on board as the lead actor to portray the central character's silent rage and transformation.[1]Casting
Rakesh Roshan initially approached Sunny Deol for the lead role of Shankar in Koyla, but Deol declined due to disagreements over remuneration. The role was then offered to Shah Rukh Khan, who accepted it for the opportunity to portray a challenging mute character, remaining speechless for the majority of the runtime to convey emotions through physicality and expressions.[15][16] Sonali Bendre was initially chosen to play the female lead Gauri, but was later replaced by Madhuri Dixit.[17] Madhuri Dixit was cast as the female lead Gauri, selected for her renowned dance skills showcased in the film's song sequences and her established on-screen chemistry with Khan from prior collaborations such as Anjaam.[18][19] Amrish Puri was chosen to play the antagonist Raja Saab, leveraging his commanding screen presence and history of authoritative villainous roles to anchor the revenge-driven narrative.[11] The supporting cast featured comedian Johnny Lever as Chhote, Shankar's loyal friend, providing comic relief amid the tension, while Ranjeet Bedi portrayed the henchman Dilawar and Salim Ghouse took on the role of Brijwa, Raja Saab's brother. No significant controversies arose during the casting negotiations or selections.[11][20]Filming
Principal photography
Principal photography for Koyla began in June 1996 and spanned several months, directed by Rakesh Roshan to capture the film's intense action-thriller narrative. The production utilized traditional 35mm film stock, with cinematography handled by Sameer Arya to emphasize the gritty, shadowy visuals of the story's coal mining backdrop and revenge-driven plot. Action sequences were coordinated by stunt specialist Taju Mehta, incorporating high-risk elements that highlighted the physicality of Shah Rukh Khan's portrayal of Shankar, a mute protagonist in the first half of the film. A major challenge was executing the demanding stunts without compromising safety, particularly in the climax where Khan's character is engulfed in flames while confronting the antagonist. Khan performed the sequence himself without a body double, immediately agreeing to the hazardous setup upon Roshan's suggestion. Roshan later described Khan as a very daring person, noting that when he saw him on fire, he literally got scared, underscoring the actor's commitment to authenticity despite the evident risks.[21] Filming in simulated coal mine environments presented additional hurdles, including harsh working conditions with heavy machinery and constant lighting rigs. Khan demonstrated remarkable dedication by resting amid these elements rather than seeking separate accommodations, prioritizing scene completion under tight schedules. Co-star Deepshikha Nagpal recalled his humility, noting how he shared meals with the crew and adapted to the era's lack of vanity vans, fostering a focused team dynamic during intense scenes.[22] Post-production editing was overseen by Sanjay Verma, who assembled the footage to maintain the film's pacing and emotional buildup, with dubbing and sound synchronization finalized ahead of the April 1997 release.[11]Locations
The principal filming for Koyla took place in Rajasthan, where Prithviraj Singhji’s mansion in Jaipur, now a heritage hotel, served as the backdrop for opulent palace sequences, lending an air of royal intrigue and grandeur to the narrative's feudal elements. Rural areas in the region were utilized for additional scenes, capturing the stark contrast between poverty and power through authentic, dusty landscapes that enhanced the film's themes of exploitation and resilience.[23] Coal mine sequences featured the Singareni Coal mines in Andhra Pradesh for exterior footage, providing realistic industrial grit to the story's central motif of labor and vengeance. Several scenes, including the song "Tanhai Tanhai", were shot in Arunachal Pradesh at locations such as Nuranang Falls, Sangestsar Lake (also known as Madhuri Jheel), and Paradise Lake.[23] In total, major locations included sites in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh, with necessary permissions from local authorities obtained prior to filming to facilitate smooth production across these diverse terrains. Action scenes were adapted to the rugged landscapes of these sites for authenticity.Music
Composition
The soundtrack for Koyla was composed by Rajesh Roshan, the younger brother of the film's director and producer Rakesh Roshan. This marked a continuation of their family collaboration, building on the commercial success of Karan Arjun (1995), where Rajesh Roshan had previously provided the music for his brother's directorial venture.[24][25] The lyrics for the six songs were penned by Indeevar, a veteran lyricist known for his work in Hindi cinema.[26][27] Prominent playback singers featured on the album include Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, alongside Kumar Sanu and Kavita Krishnamurthy, contributing to the melodic and emotional layers of the compositions.[9][4] Rajesh Roshan also handled the background score, which underscores the film's intense revenge-driven narrative through orchestral arrangements that blend contemporary and traditional elements. The songs themselves serve to advance key plot points, providing relief and emotional resonance amid the thriller's tension.[26]Track listing
The soundtrack of Koyla features six songs composed by Rajesh Roshan with lyrics by Indeevar. The album was released by Tips Industries Ltd. in 1997 on cassette and CD formats.[28]| No. | Title | Singers | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Dekha Tujhe Toh" | Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik | 7:31 | Romantic duet picturized on Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. |
| 2 | "Ghoongte Mein Chanda" | Udit Narayan | 6:12 | Upbeat dance number picturized on a celebratory sequence. |
| 3 | "Tanhai Tanhai" | Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik | 5:37 | Melancholic duet reflecting the film's emotional themes. |
| 4 | "Saanson Ki Mala" | Sonu Nigam, Kavita Krishnamurthy | 5:30 | Emotional ballad.[29] |
| 5 | "Bhang Ke Nashe" | Alka Yagnik | 5:25 | Seductive solo number picturized on Madhuri Dixit. |
| 6 | "Badan Juda Hote" | Kumar Sanu, Preeti Singh | 4:48 | Romantic track. |
