indian cinema heritage foundation

Kotwal Saab (1977)

  • LanguageHindi
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The story of this film is set in that period when the smugglers were a power to be reckoned with. The economic, social crisis at that time was eating away the marrow of our economic structure and social life and its ruthless tentacles were drying out the essence of our ethical and social standards. The smugglers and blackmarketeers had taken advantage of the democratic procedures and the existing laws. By sheer manipulations they had entrenched themselves at the helm of society and wore masquerading as respectable citizens. With the power of black money they had amassed, they carried on their economic crimes with impunity.

A high ranking police officer, Bharat Sinha, was assigned to investigate a murder in a city which was virtually under the thumb of a crude and ruthless smuggler Dharam Kohli.

Bharat set out to fight the rot and wage a one man war against hidden crime.

Though slightly shaken at the arrival of this stubborn police officer, Dharam Kohli thought that he would manage to influence the new officer but soon enough discovered that Bharat was far too strong, determined and incorruptible for him to tackle. Hence he thought of getting rid of Bharat.

In the meanwhile, during the course of his investigations, Bharat met Prabha, a working girl who had turned cynical and bitter about the law of the land. Subsequently their mutual respect for high ideals brought the two of them together and they decided to get married.

Bharat, by nature, had an intense hatred for the unprincipled hoarders and had become strict in not agreeing to a compromise or relaxation of his own code of life and conduct. In this self-sacrificing bravery, Bharat booked the criminals, but through the turmoils of his personal life with Prabha, he realised that the arms of the law have to be firm and yet have to differentiate between Devils and the imperfect human beings while dealing with them.

(From the official press booklets)