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Sautela
Sautela
Sautela
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Sautela
Promotional Poster
Directed byT. Rama Rao
Written bySanthosh Suraj
Story byErode Sounder
Produced byDharmanand Joshi
StarringMithun Chakraborty
Suresh Oberoi
Gulshan Grover
Rami Reddy
Reema Lagoo
CinematographyD. Prasadbabu
Edited byShyam Mukherji
Music byTabun Sutradhar
Production
company
Trishakti Films
Release date
  • 12 November 1999 (1999-11-12)
LanguageHindi

Sautela is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language action drama film directed by T. Rama Rao, starring Mithun Chakraborty in the lead role.[1][2] The film, a remake of Tamil-language film Cheran Pandiyan also introduced 3 South Indian Heroines, Priya Raman, Priyanka Upendra and Rajashree to Bollywood.

Plot

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Raghuvir, the head of the village Panchayat, and Arjun are step-brothers who live separately. Arjun always respects his elder brother Raghuvir. Raguvir's wife and daughter also love Arjun, but Raghuvir openly dislikes him being the step-brother. One day local goons tried to rape Raghuvir's daughter and Arjun beats them. Without knowing the fact, Raghuvir punished Arjun. The Enemy of their family and local Don uses this hatred to their advantage.[3]

Cast

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Music

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  1. "Dil Hai Deewana Mera" - Anuradha Paudwal, Abhijeet
  2. "Behna Ri Pyari Pyari" - Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu
  3. "Sapno Ki Rani Hai Deewani" - Anuradha Paudwal, Abhijeet
  4. "Haule Haule Pyar Karo Na" - Kumar Sanu, Anuradha Paudwal
  5. "Na Honge Hum Juda" - Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu
  6. "Kismat Ne Dekho" - Indrajit Dasgupta

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Sautela

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Sautela is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language action drama film directed by and starring in the lead role. The story revolves around two stepbrothers, Raghuvir and Arjun, who live separately in a village; Raghuvir, the elder and head of the local panchayat, harbors deep resentment toward Arjun, blaming his stepmother for his biological mother's death, while Arjun maintains unwavering respect for his brother. Tension escalates when local goons attempt to assault Raghuvir's daughter, prompting Arjun's intervention, only for Raghuvir to punish him without knowing the full truth. Produced by Dharmanand Joshi, the film features a supporting including , , , , and , and was released in December 1999. It explores themes of family conflict, loyalty, and redemption in a rural Indian setting, typical of late-1990s Bollywood action dramas.

Development

Origins as remake

Sautela (1999) serves as a Hindi-language remake of the 1991 Tamil film Cheran Pandiyan, which was written and directed by in his directorial debut and starred in the lead role alongside . The original Tamil production, set in a rural South Indian village, centers on intense family conflicts between stepbrothers Periya Gounder and Chinna Gounder, driven by deep-seated caste prejudices, tensions, and rivalry over inheritance and honor. The decision to remake Cheran Pandiyan in Hindi was spearheaded by director T. Rama Rao (also known as Rama Rao Tatineni), who aimed to leverage the original's commercial success in South India—where it emerged as a box office hit and received Tamil Nadu State Film Awards—by adapting its narrative for Bollywood audiences in 1999. This adaptation sought to introduce elements of regional South Indian storytelling, such as rural family dramas intertwined with social issues, to Hindi cinema viewers familiar with action-oriented family sagas. Key adaptations in Sautela involved localizing the story to a rural North Indian setting, renaming characters like the stepbrothers to Raghuvir and Arjun to reflect cultural norms, and adjusting and village panchayat dynamics while preserving the core plot of stepbrother antagonism, familial loyalty, and climactic action confrontations. The remake also facilitated the Bollywood debuts of three South Indian actresses—, , and Rajashree—casting them in pivotal female roles to bridge regional cinematic influences.

Pre-production

The pre-production of Sautela was spearheaded by director , a prominent figure in Telugu and renowned for his action dramas, including collaborations with on films like Ravan Raaj: A True Story (1995) and Jung (1996). Rao's selection of the project aligned with Chakraborty's established action-hero persona in the late , where he starred in numerous mass-appeal films emphasizing physical confrontations and heroic justice. The screenplay adaptation was handled by writer Santhosh Suraj, drawing from the original story by —a Tamil known for dramatic narratives—and focusing on a fusion of high-stakes action and familial conflicts central to the remake's core. This scripting approach emphasized emotional depth in step-family dynamics alongside choreographed fight sequences to suit the audience's preferences for the genre. Production duties fell to Dharmanand Joshi under the banner of Trishakti Films, which managed the setup for a standard mid-budget action drama typical of late-1990s Bollywood outputs. Initial casting prioritized in the lead role of the step-brother, leveraging his widespread appeal among working-class viewers for roles portraying resilient, vengeful protagonists.

Narrative and characters

Plot summary

In a rural village, Raghuvir, the respected head of the panchayat, lives separately from his step-brother Arjun due to a deep-seated stemming from his belief that their caused the of his biological mother. Despite this animosity, Arjun maintains unwavering respect for Raghuvir, while Raghuvir's wife and daughter show affection toward the . The narrative unfolds through escalating family disputes and village rivalries exacerbated by antagonists, including the local don portrayed by , who exploit the brothers' rift for personal gain. Key conflicts include the near-rape of Raghuvir's daughter by goons, which Arjun thwarts single-handedly, only to face unjust from Raghuvir due to a misunderstanding. Romantic tensions arise as Raghuvir's daughter falls in love with Arjun's friend, leading to attempts and further familial discord, including the breaking of Arjun's sister's engagement by Raghuvir. The story builds to a high-stakes climax featuring intense action sequences where Arjun battles the villains to safeguard the family, culminating in a revelation about the past that exposes Raghuvir's misconceptions. This prompts a heartfelt between the brothers, the defeat of the antagonists, and the restoration of family unity, emphasizing themes of brotherhood, , and loyalty. The 2-hour-19-minute paces its rural setup toward an action-packed resolution.

Cast and roles

Mithun Chakraborty stars in the lead role as Arjun, the authoritative yet conflicted younger step-brother who navigates family tensions and moral dilemmas central to the story's conflicts. In supporting roles, portrays Raghuvir, the elder step-brother and head of the village panchayat, while plays the stepmother, whose actions exacerbate the step-brothers' rift. Gulshan Grover takes on the main antagonist, driving much of the opposition through scheming and villainy, and Rami Reddy appears in another villainous capacity, contributing to the film's action-oriented confrontations. The female leads are , , and Rajashree, who depict the love interests and key family members, with their performances marking the actresses' introductions to . Additional notable roles include and in supporting capacities, alongside Raghuvir, whose arc underscores themes of resilience and reconciliation.

Production

Filming

Principal photography for Sautela took place between 1998 and 1999, capturing the film's rural setting to emphasize the authenticity of village panchayat scenes. The production team primarily shot in , , utilizing natural locations for family drama sequences that highlighted emotional and social conflicts. Action sequences, including fight choreography against multiple antagonists, were filmed in outdoor locations in to suit the story's confrontational tone. focused on wide shots to showcase expansive rural landscapes, contrasted with close-ups during intense emotional confrontations, though the specific director of photography remains uncredited in available records. Coordinating the action stunts presented challenges, particularly in aligning with Mithun Chakraborty's established style of dynamic physical performance.

Music composition

The music for Sautela was composed by Tabun Sutradhar, blending romantic melodies with action-themed instrumentals to suit the film's dramatic tone in Bollywood style. The soundtrack features lyrics primarily by Maya Govind, with contributions from on select tracks. It comprises 8 songs, recorded with vocals from leading playback singers of the era including , Kavita Krishnamurthy, , and Abhijeet. Key tracks include the romantic duet "Dil Hai Deewana Mera" by and Abhijeet, the playful number "Hole Hole Pyar Karo Na" by and , and the family-oriented "Behna Ri Pyari Pyari Behna" by and Kavita Krishnamurthy; instrumental versions, such as for "Dil Hai Deewana Mera", accompany fight scenes. In the film, the songs punctuate emotional family moments and action peaks, aligning with the conventions of masala cinema where music heightens narrative tension and character dynamics.

Release and aftermath

Theatrical release

Sautela was released theatrically in on November 12, 1999. The film was produced and distributed by Films, targeting major theaters across the country. The final runtime was approximately 139 minutes. Marketing efforts featured posters highlighting Mithun Chakraborty's dual role in action sequences and family drama elements, aimed at single-screen theaters in to appeal to mass audiences. Initial screenings were limited, focusing on commercial circuits without premieres at major film festivals.

Box office and reception

Sautela was produced on a modest typical of late-1990s B-grade Bollywood films and released theatrically on November 12, 1999 across 60 screens. It opened with a first-day collection of ₹10 and earned ₹27 over its opening weekend, but the total nett gross in amounted to ₹94.5 , resulting in a flop verdict from due to stiff competition from major releases that year. The film garnered limited critical attention upon release, reflecting its status as a low-profile action drama. On , it holds a rating of 4.6 out of 10 based on 20 user votes, suggesting modest appreciation primarily for Mithun Chakraborty's lead performance amid criticisms of the formulaic storyline and dated production elements. Audience response was niche, appealing mainly to rural and single-screen theater viewers in the B and C circuits who enjoyed its family-oriented themes and action sequences, though it struggled to attract urban multiplex crowds. In later years, the film's availability as full-length uploads on has sparked nostalgic interest, with one popular version accumulating over 2.6 million views as of 2023. Despite its commercial underperformance, Sautela contributes to Mithun Chakraborty's prolific output, which included over 50 films during a period of career resurgence through mass-appeal entertainers. The movie received no major awards.
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