indian cinema heritage foundation

Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973)

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  • GenreAction, Drama
  • FormatColour
  • LanguageHindi
  • Run Time152 mins
  • Length4738.72 meters
  • Gauge35 mm
  • Censor RatingU
  • Censor Certificate NumberU-74154-MUM
  • Certificate Date31/12/1973
  • Shooting LocationMehboob Studios, Outdoor on Actual Locations
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Squadron Leader Rajeev Shukla meets Mohini Batra at a party at an Air Force station. During the party the per-emotive Air strike by the Pakistan Air Force takes place.

This means War, Rajeev and the Air force boys leave. Rajeev has barely enough time to declare his love to Mohini to say that he wants to marry her. When will he meet her? He does not know. The Indian her Air Force goes into relentless action both by day and by night. Mohini's brother with whom she stays is Winco Ranvir Batra, who has a seven year old son nicknamed Niju. Winco's wife is dead. His mother also stays with him.

Niju's birthday falls on December 7th and he is going to wear his new Air force suit which he has asked his father to give him as his birthday present. Winco Ranvir and Sq. Leader Rajeev both want to attend Niju's birthday if they can even for a few minutes. Flying on mission after mission, the dedicated Air Force boys show no sign of fatigue. If a pal does not return from a mission, it injects more fire in them to go into action again. The same day of Niju's birthday Winco Ranvir is engaged in a Dogfight in which his plane bales out on Indian territory, Winco Ranvir manages to land safely but is badly wounded. He wants to go home to his son but he is told that he is to be operated. He wants to talk to him on the phone. The nurse dials the number...... Niju comes on the phone dressed in his new uniform, but before the nurse can hand over the phone to Ranvir he is dead.

The war moves into more fierce action on all fronts. A newly acquired Radar by the Pak Air Force which is fitted with jamming device proves destructive to the Indian Air Force.

The baled out Pilot's name is Sq. Leader Usman Yusuf Zai, he makes a special efforts to meet Mrs. Dayanti Batra who happens to be Winco Ranvir's mother. Usman's mother was Mrs. Batra's younger sister who had been abducted in Lahore during the partition, so Usman is Mrs. Batra's nephew and Mohini's cousin. His parents had been killed in a car accident. He has a sister who is in a village just occupied by the Indian Army. Sq. Leader Usman is handed over to the authorities by Flying officer Batra, Winco Ranvir Batra's younger brother, who is also in Air Force. After a few more daring missions. Mohini is called to the Air Headquarters for a job as a doctor but is asked by the Air force intelligence to act as a spy..... She resembles Usman's sister Tahira Yusuf Zai who is in Indian Army's custody. Tahira possesses a letter of appointment in the television for the job an announcer in the Pak troop programme and she is engaged to a Pak pilot most probably working in the Radar complex. Mohini's job is to find out the location of the Radar and to convey it to the Indian Air Force. Tahira's bosses have never seen her.

Mohini looks very much like Tahira and has to impersonate her... take instructions and send information in code words, during the broadcast from the Pakistan territory. There is no compulsion for Mohini to accept the appointment, but knowing that many Air force pilots lives are at stake she accepts. She is then escorted across the border in an Air force helicopter.

The war moves on. Incident after incident of bravery takes place. On the day before the cease-fire Sq. Leader Rajeev is sent on a most important mission. This mission is a result of information supplied by Mohini who is now impersonating Tahira. The mission if carried out successfully may mean Mohini's death and Rajeev knows it. Mohini knows that Rajeev is in command of the mission. She is in danger of being tortured as it has been discovered that she is a spy. She prefers death by bombs showered by the Indian Air force. However, in the attack, Rajeev's plane is hit and he bales out. With great courage and skill Rajeev manages to enter the target area and rescue Mohini.

The country celebrates the Republic day with full gusto, all the sorrows and drowned in the victory celebrations.

(From the official press booklet)

Cast

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