| Vishwatma | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Rajiv Rai |
| Produced by | Gulshan Rai |
| Starring | Naseeruddin Shah Sunny Deol Chunky Pandey Sonam Divya Bharti Jyotsna Singh Amrish Puri |
| Narrated by | Naseeruddin Shah |
| Cinematography | Romesh Bhalla |
| Edited by | Naresh Malhotra |
| Music by | Viju Shah |
| Distributed by | Trimurti Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 181 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | ₹9.5 crore[1] |
Vishwatma (transl. Universal Soul) is a 1992 Indian Hindi-language thriller film directed by Rajiv Rai and produced by Gulshan Rai. It stars an ensemble cast of Naseeruddin Shah, Sunny Deol, Chunky Pandey, Divya Bharti (in her major Hindi debut), Sonam, Jyostna Singh. The film follows Prabhat, an honest police officer, being sent to Kenya on behalf of the Indian Government to capture the dreaded crime lord Ajgar Jurrat and bring an end to his illegal businesses. Viju Shah composed the music. The Song "Saat Samundar" became a huge chartbuster of that year.
Vishwatma marked Rai's third directorial venture after the blockbuster Tridev (1989) and was initially planned to be a sequel to the same. It was the most-expensive Indian film at the time of its production; being extensively shot in Kenya and the first Indian film to be shot there.[2] The chartbuster song 'Saat Samundar' was shot at Bubbles Discothèque, a popular nightclub in Nairobi in those days. The modern-sounding song struck a chord and still enjoys a massive cult status among Indian audience.[3]
The film received critical acclaim upon release from contemporary as well as modern critics, with praise drawn towards its screenplay and action sequences.[4] It earned over ₹95 million in its total theatrical run worldwide and was the sixth highest-grossing Indian film of 1992.[5] The soundtrack created a rage and was very much successful.[6] It proved to be a major launchpad for Chunky Pandey as well as for debutanté Divya Bharti, who went on to achieve the limelight in Bollywood.[7]
- ^ "Boxofficeindia.com". 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013.
- ^ "Bollywood in Kenya, home to deserts, colourful tribal culture, & exciting wildlife attractions". Bollywood Presents. 24 February 2017. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ Pandya, Sonal. "25 years of Vishwatma: 5 ways 'Saat Samundar Paar' song still lives on". www.cinestaan.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Vishwatma: Bollywood's Flashiest Story of Patriotism in Pardes". Arré. 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Boxofficeindia.com". 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013.
- ^ Mohanty, Anish (5 June 2021). "Viju Shah on 10 of his favourite compositions and the stories behind them". Planet Bollywood. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ KATIYAR, ARUN. "Cheaper to work with, Nubile Young Things become a rage in Bollywood". India Today. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.