indian cinema heritage foundation

Ghulam Begum Badshah (1973)

  • Release Date1973
  • GenreDrama
  • FormatColour
  • LanguageHindi
  • Run Time102 min
  • Length3601.55 meters
  • Number of Reels14
  • Gauge35 mm
  • Censor RatingU
  • Censor Certificate Number73651
  • Certificate Date17/10/1973
  • Shooting LocationRooptara, Shree Sound Studios
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Life is a gamble...

Thakur Pratap (Shatrughan Sinha) and Thakur Gopal (Anil Dhawan) are inseparable friends, but the only gap between them is that the former is fabulously rich, while the latter is trailing behind him. Gopal and Pratap have a common weakness - the vice of laying a bet at every step in life. It so happens that Gopal is infatuated with the darling of the village, Laxmi (Moushumi Chatterjee) - and he cannot but help keep thinking of her. When Pratap comes to know of their love for each other, he cautions Gopal not to get involved as she is the daughter of Chaudhary Balwant (David) who is a respected elder of the community and is a strict disciplinarian. He is against the very thought of gambling and would refuse the idea of giving his daughter's hand in marriage to a born gambler. Against all odds, Gopal lays a wager with Thakur Pratap for Rupees 5000 and challenges him that he would marry Laxmi. 

He goes all out to woo her and lo, he comes out with flying colours - winning Laxmi's hand in marriage and the bet of Rupees 5000 with Thakur Pratap. Pratap has a soft corner for Kesar (Kumud Chugani), Gopal's sister, who is in love with her college classmate Shyam (Sudesh Kumar). 

One day it so happens that Pratap, Gopal, and friends are arrested for gambling. Laxmi with the help of Thakur Ranjit (Pinchoo Kapoor), bails him out and when they all return to Gopal's house, Laxmi while discussing, accuses Pratap and her husband of ruining the reputation of the family, hence nobody will ever marry Kesar on this issue. Pratap in a fit of emotional outburst proposes to marry Kesar. This upsets Gopal and there is a heated argument between the two friends and their friendship starts cracking up. The Munim (Randhir) of Thakur Pratap tries to patch up matters and he arranges a meeting between the two when again there is a verbal dual and this time the Munim reminds Gopal of the huge amount he owes to Pratap - but before Gopal leaves, he requests Pratap for one final game of cards and then...

What happened to their bonds of friendship? What was the fate of Kesar?

[From the official press booklet]