Junoon (1978 film)
| Junoon | |
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Film poster
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| Directed by | Shyam Benegal |
| Produced by | Shashi Kapoor |
| Written by | Shyam Benegal (screenplay) Satyadev Dubey (dialogues) Ismat Chugtai (dialogues) Ruskin Bond (novella, A Flight of Pigeons) |
| Starring |
Shashi Kapoor Shabana Azmi Jennifer Kendal Naseeruddin Shah |
| Narrated by | Amrish Puri |
| Music by | Vanraj Bhatia |
| Cinematography | Govind Nihalani |
| Edited by | Bhanudas Divakar |
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Release date
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December 14, 1978 |
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Running time
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141 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi English |
| Junoon | |
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| Soundtrack album by Vanraj Bhatia | |
| Released | 1978 |
| Genre | Film soundtrack |
| Label | HMV |
| Producer | Kersy Lord |
Junoon (Hindi: जुनून, translation: The Obsession) is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1978 Indian Hindi language film produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Shyam Benegal. The film is based on Ruskin Bond's fictional novella, A Flight of Pigeons, set around the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The film also had award-winning soundtrack, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, and cinematography by Govind Nihalani.
Its cast included Shashi Kapoor, his wife Jennifer Kendal, Nafisa Ali, Tom Alter, Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, Deepti Naval, Pearl Padamsee and Sushma Seth. The film also featured Shashi and Jennifer's children Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor, and Sanjana Kapoor,
The story is set around the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Javed Khan (Shashi Kapoor) is a feckless feudal chieftain with a Muslim Pathan heritage, whose world revolves around breeding carrier pigeons. His younger brother-in-law, Sarfaraz Khan (Naseeruddin Shah) is politically awakened and actively plots the fight against the British. Freedom fighters attack the local British administrators while they are in Sunday Worship at Church, massacring them all. Miriam Labadoor ( Jennifer Kendal) manages to escape with her daughter, Ruth (Nafisa Ali) and mother. The three women seek refuge with the wealthy Hindu family of Lala Ramjimal (Kulbhushan Kharbanda). Lala is torn between his loyalty for India and his privileged position under the British. However, matters are taken out of his hand by Javed Khan who barges into Lala's house and forcibly takes Ruth and her family to his own house. This leads to jealousy on part of his wife, Firdaus (Shabana Azmi) and anger on part of his brother, who ultimately gives in to the Pathan tradition of offering hospitality and sanctuary (Nanawatai) even to uninvited guests. Various situations ensue due to cultural misunderstandings in the domestic routine of the Muslim household with its new English guests. Javed falls in love with Ruth, and wants to marry her but is opposed bitterly by her mother. Noticing intense feelings of Javed for her daughter Ruth, Miriam Labadoor (mother) cleverly makes an agreement with Javed that she would only give her daughter’s hand to Javed if British were defeated. At first instance, Javed is hesitant but accepts the offer when again Miriam asks him if he has misgivings in his war against the British. There are simmerings of a love affair under the watchful suspicious eyes of Firdaus.
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