30 years of Krantiveer: Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia's film that defied expectations and became a classic

The action-crime film Krantiveer made its big-screen debut 30 years ago. Mehul Kumar directed the 1994 film Krantiveer, which starred Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia in the lead roles alongside Atul Agnihotri and Mamta Kulkarni. Kumar produced and wrote the film, which also starred Danny Denzongpa, Tinu Anand, Paresh Rawal, and Farida Jalal in supporting roles. Krantiveer, one of the biggest hits three decades ago, was considered a film ahead of its time. What are you thinking? Take some time right now and stream the film on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) and Prime Video.

Plot overview of Krantiveer

In Krantiveer, a crusading journalist (Dimple Kapadia) inspires an aimless man (Nana Patekar) to fight for the rights of the poor. A young man who has lost both of his parents ends up in a small town where mafia dons and powerful politicians rule. A journalist with good intentions influences him, and he changes his ways despite being drunk, jobless, and lazy.

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In addition to becoming the year's third highest-grossing film, it also won a National Film Award for Best Actor for Nana Patekar. 

Interestingly, Punya Bhoomi Naa Desam (1995) was the Telugu remake, and Parodi (2007) was the Kannada remake of the film. The sequel to Krantiveer, Krantiveer: The Revolution, was released in 2010.

Distribution and reception

Reports indicate that Patekar had established himself in the role by the time the film hit theaters in 1994. But distributors were hesitant to back him when he played the film's hero role. In addition to causing a ruckus at the box office, the actor's excellent performance won over audiences. However, when Kumar approached distributors, they turned down the film's request. So long as the film was successful, the producers agreed not to demand payment. After viewing the film, the distributors accepted the terms. 

No one anticipated that the movie would make people want to buy tickets. People went to the movies in droves to see Nana Patekar's film.

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