''Insan'' () is a 2005 Indian
Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
-language
masala film
Masala films of Indian cinema mix multiple genres into one work. Masala films emerged in the 1970s and are still created as of the 2020s. Typically these films freely mix action, comedy, romance, and drama or melodrama. They also tend to be ...
, starring
Ajay Devgn
Vishal Veeru Devgan (born 2 April 1969), known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi cinema. Devgn has appeared in over a hundred films and has won numerous accolades, including four ...
,
Akshay Kumar
Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (born 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian Quote: "(Former prime minister Stephen) Harper campaigned in 2011 alongside one of Modi's biggest celebrity backer ...
,
Esha Deol
Esha Deol Takhtani (born 2 November 1981) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Hindi films. The daughter of actor-politicians Dharmendra and Hema Malini, Deol made her debut in '' Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe'' (2002), which ...
,
Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta (born 16 April 1978) is an Indian actress, entrepreneur and the winner of the Miss Universe 2000 pageant. She was previously crowned as Miss Intercontinental 1997. In her career, she has primarily worked in Hindi films. She is the ...
and
Tusshar Kapoor
Tushar Ravi Kapoor (born 20 November 1976), popular as Tusshar Kapoor, is an Indian actor and film producer working in Hindi films.
Early and personal life
Tusshar Kapoor is the son of Indian actors Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor. His sister Ek ...
. Directed by
K. Subash
K. Subash (1959 – 23 November 2016), was an Indian director and screenwriter who directed Tamil and Hindi films. He is the son of R. Krishnan.
Career
K. Subash started his career as an assistant to Mani Ratnam in ''Nayakan''. He made his di ...
, it is a remake of Telugu film ''
Khadgam
''Khadgam'' () is a 2002 Indian Telugu-language action drama film directed by Krishna Vamsi and produced by Sunkara Madhu Murali under Karthikeya Movies. It features Srikanth, Ravi Teja, Prakash Raj, Sonali Bendre, Sangeetha Krish and Kim Shar ...
'' (2002), directed by
Krishna Vamsi
Pasupuleti Venkata Bangarraju, know professionally as Krishna Vamsi, is an Indian film director, producer and choreographer known for his work in Telugu cinema. Vamsi started his career as an assistant director to Ram Gopal Varma. He made his d ...
.
''Insan'' released on 14th January 2005 to mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, with most of them praising Kumar's performance and was commercially unsuccessful, grossing only ₹104.1 million worldwide against a budget of ₹125 million.
Plot
Amjad (
Akshay Kumar
Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (born 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian Quote: "(Former prime minister Stephen) Harper campaigned in 2011 alongside one of Modi's biggest celebrity backer ...
), an auto rickshaw driver, who is searching his long lost brother Munna, and struggler Avinash (
Tusshar Kapoor
Tushar Ravi Kapoor (born 20 November 1976), popular as Tusshar Kapoor, is an Indian actor and film producer working in Hindi films.
Early and personal life
Tusshar Kapoor is the son of Indian actors Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor. His sister Ek ...
) who wants to be a star in
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
industry. Amjad wants to marry his lover Heena (
Esha Deol
Esha Deol Takhtani (born 2 November 1981) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Hindi films. The daughter of actor-politicians Dharmendra and Hema Malini, Deol made her debut in '' Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe'' (2002), which ...
). But her parents want her to marry a rich man. So Amjad plans to win her parents' trust by a fake drama with Avinash and his friend to act as fake goons and they involve Rathod to arrest and win Heena's heart. The plan goes wrong as real goons appear but Amjad fights them leading Heena's parents agreeing to marry her to Amjad. Meanwhile, Inspector Ajit Rathod (
Ajay Devgn
Vishal Veeru Devgan (born 2 April 1969), known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi cinema. Devgn has appeared in over a hundred films and has won numerous accolades, including four ...
) is on a mission to eliminate a notorious terrorist Azhar Khan (
Rahul Dev) who killed his wife (
Koena Mitra) and the latter is underground from the eyes of law and planning to destroy
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
. Avinash, who is a struggler, on the other hand, loses his job as an
extra
Extra or Xtra may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film
* ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film
* ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film
Literature
* ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper
* ''Extra!'', an American me ...
in films after an argument with an egoistic actor. A newcomer Indu (
Laila) is helped by Avinash to enter the industry and soon both fall in love with each other not knowing that she had been subjected to a compromise with the producer Agarwal. Hopeless, Avinash decides to be an auto-rickshaw driver but Indu apologises and encourages Avinash to be a good actor. Soon, Avinash and Indu's luck turns when the filmmaker (
Asrani
Govardhan Asrani (born 1 January 1940), popularly known simply as Asrani, is an Indian actor and director whose Bollywood career has spanned five decades. He has acted in over 350 Hindi films. Asrani has played the lead roles, character roles ...
) casts them as leads in his next film after being impressed on their acting skills. Meghna, a news reporter (
Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta (born 16 April 1978) is an Indian actress, entrepreneur and the winner of the Miss Universe 2000 pageant. She was previously crowned as Miss Intercontinental 1997. In her career, she has primarily worked in Hindi films. She is the ...
) develops a liking towards Rathod, but the latter is still traumatised and angered on his wife's death.
Azhar returns home after the exile, but seeking the same motive of destruction: planning a bomb blast on train with passengers. He kills Rathod's friend, Inspector Deepak and is on the loose. Rathod learns that Azhar is none other than Amjad's younger brother, Munna, and arrests Amjad. Azhar calls Rathod at the
Bandra Terminus
Mumbai Bandra Terminus (station code: BDTS) also known as Vandre Terminus (in Marathi)is a railway terminus in Bandra from where trains bound for Northern India and Western India are scheduled regularly. It was built in the 1990s to deconges ...
where he kept passengers as hostages, with a deal to release his aide Masood (Ashok Samarth) and Amjad and demands a
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...
for escaping to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. Rathod goes according to the plan and reaches the station where a horrified Amjad learns that his brother is a terrorist. Amjad pleads Azhar to leave the innocent people but the latter denies by naming his actions as ''
jihad''. A fight ensues on during explosion at the station which Rathod and Amjad kills Azhar's men. Just when Azhar and Masood tries to attack Rathod and Amjad, both shoot them down. Rathod condoles Amjad to which the latter refuses and disowns Azhar instead, stating that any person who kills innocent people in the name of religion should be gunned down. At the end, Rathod, Amjad and Avinash along with the hostages returns from the ambush.
Cast
*
Ajay Devgn
Vishal Veeru Devgan (born 2 April 1969), known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi cinema. Devgn has appeared in over a hundred films and has won numerous accolades, including four ...
as Inspector Ajit Rathod
*
Akshay Kumar
Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (born 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian Quote: "(Former prime minister Stephen) Harper campaigned in 2011 alongside one of Modi's biggest celebrity backer ...
as Amjad Khan
*
Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta (born 16 April 1978) is an Indian actress, entrepreneur and the winner of the Miss Universe 2000 pageant. She was previously crowned as Miss Intercontinental 1997. In her career, she has primarily worked in Hindi films. She is the ...
as Meghna Malhotra
*
Esha Deol
Esha Deol Takhtani (born 2 November 1981) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Hindi films. The daughter of actor-politicians Dharmendra and Hema Malini, Deol made her debut in '' Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe'' (2002), which ...
as Heena Amjad khan
*
Sunil Grover
Sunil Grover (born 3 August 1977) is an Indian actor and comedian from Mumbai. He came into limelight for his portrayal as Gutthi on television show ''Comedy Nights with Kapil'' but gained popularity for playing the role of Dr Mashoor Gulati an ...
as Mahesh Sharma / Ranga (Avinash's friend)
*
Laila as Indu Gill
*
Rahul Dev as Azhar Khan (Munna), Amjad's brother and terrorist
*
Viju Khote
Viju Khote (17 December 1941 – 30 September 2019) was an Indian actor who was known for his work in more than 440 films in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He was famous as the dacoit ''Kaalia'' in the film ''Sholay'' and the dialogue, "Sardar ...
as Real Estate Agent
*
Laxmikant Berde
Laxmikant Berde (26 October 1954 – 16 December 2004) was an Indian Marathi language film actor who appeared in several Marathi and Hindi movies. He was known for his highly energetic slapstick performances. Berde started his career as an ...
as Laxman Mundi
*
Sharat Saxena
Sharat Saxena (born 17 August 1950) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films along with Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil films. He has acted in more than 250 Bollywood films.
Saxena started his career in the early 1970s and has mainly played su ...
as Heena's father
*
Asrani
Govardhan Asrani (born 1 January 1940), popularly known simply as Asrani, is an Indian actor and director whose Bollywood career has spanned five decades. He has acted in over 350 Hindi films. Asrani has played the lead roles, character roles ...
as Film Director
*
Himani Shivpuri as Indu's mother
*
Tusshar Kapoor
Tushar Ravi Kapoor (born 20 November 1976), popular as Tusshar Kapoor, is an Indian actor and film producer working in Hindi films.
Early and personal life
Tusshar Kapoor is the son of Indian actors Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor. His sister Ek ...
as Avinash Kapoor / Rana
*
Vivek Vaswani
Vivek Vaswani is an actor, writer and producer. He is also dean of Pearl Academy
Career
An alumnus of Campion School and Cathedral and John Connon, started off with acting in India's first TV soap opera 'Khandaan'. He then produced a Mara ...
as Agarwal
*
Archana Puran Singh as Rajjo
*
Beena as Amjad's mother
*
Ashok Samarth as Masood
*
Mac Mohan
Mohan Makijany (24 April 1938 – 10 May 2010), popularly known as Mac Mohan, was an Indian actor, who worked in Hindi cinema. He was known for his villainous roles in films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He appeared in over 200 films, i ...
*
Koena Mitra as Sonali Rathod (special appearance)
*
Vidyut Jammwal as a background dancer in the song "Rain Rain"
Soundtrack
Critical reception
Sumit Bhattacharya from
Rediff
Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City.
, it had more than 300 e ...
criticised the film, stating "Insan could be good for you. If you suffer from depression, or are traumatised, or suffer from insomnia".
Planet Bollywood rated the film 4.5/10, stating, "The lone actor worth watching in the enterprise is Akshay Kumar, who is continuing to solidify his status as one of the most versatile, bankable, and talented actors in Hindi commercial cinema today. His mirth-evoking turn strikes a near-perfect balance between artistic integrity and mass-oriented entertainment. Kumar serves as a reminder of the kind of aesthetic the film should have had - unpretentious about its populist intentions, but still sincere enough not to insult audience intelligence." Bollywood Mantra stated, "INSAN belongs to Akshay Kumar completely. The actor has a better role and of course, better lines. Enacting a comic role yet again
e provided the light moments in an otherwise serious KHAKEE; also, he enacted the comic role in MUJHSE SHAADI KAROGI with aplomb Akshay proves that there's more to him than just using fisticuffs. His sequences with Esha - especially the birthday portions - are simply hilarious."
References
External links
*
*
Insan' at
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is a Bollywood entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000.
The website provide ...
*
{{K. Subash
Indian action films
2005 action films
2005 films
2000s Hindi-language films
Hindi remakes of Telugu films
Films set in Mumbai
Films about religious violence in India
Films about terrorism in India
Films about jihadism
Films about religion
Films scored by Himesh Reshammiya
Hostage taking
Indian crime drama films
Fictional portrayals of the Maharashtra Police
Films directed by K. Subash
Indian action thriller films
2000s masala films
Films about arms trafficking
Islamic terrorism in fiction